Can an Imaam correct a mistake made in the first Rakaat of Salaah by rectifying it in the second Rakaat of Salaah? 

Q. Last night in Taraweeh Salaah, the Imaam made a serious mistake that invalidated the Taraweeh Salaah and the two Rakaats of Taraweeh Salaah was repeated. My question is, if the Imaam corrected the serious mistake in the second Rakaat that was made in the first Rakaat, would the Salaah be valid? Or is it still necessary to repeat the Taraweeh Salaah?

A. During Salaah, if an Imaam makes a mistake in his recitation of Quran that changes and alters the meaning of the verse etc., such that it would render the Salaah null and void, then by the Imaam rectifying the verse etc. immediately thereafter or in the same Rakaat (first Rakaat) or second Rakaat, the Salaah will become valid. (Hindiyyah 1/82)

This rule is general and applies to Taraweeh Salaah as well.

Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Mufti Ismaeel Bassa

themufti.com