Answered by: Imam Abdul-Malik Sheikh
Question
Please does saying Alhamdulullahi instead of Alhamdulillah distort the meaning in Surah Al-Fatiha? Is the prayer of someone who recites that way valid?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
If the way the Imām recites changes or distorts the meaning of the Sūrah, then the Salāh will become invalidated.
However, this is not the case if the recitation simply contains errors in Tajwīd and the meaning can still be ascertained from the recitation.
Reference:
Radd al-Muhtār of Ibn Ābidin Vol.1, p.630, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut
Only Allah knows best
Written by Imam Abdul-Malik Sheikh
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham