A question regarding whether one should correct their elderly grandmother's mistakes in prayer, especially since she struggles with reading and writing.
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1 Answer
Peace be upon you.
Ayatollah Khamenei (may Allah protect him):
It is necessary for a person to perform their prayer correctly and without mistakes. If someone is unable to learn, they should pray in the best way possible. It is recommended to follow an imam. Therefore, you are not required to correct your grandmother since she is not capable of learning anymore. Regarding wiping under the hijab or leaning against a wall, there is no issue with these actions; they do not invalidate the ablution. As for not reaching her elbows, since you have already taught her, you are no longer obligated to repeat your instructions each time.
Source: Message on Prayer and Fasting - Prayer - Obligations of Prayer - Reading - M200 + Educational Message - Purity - Ablution (1) + (2)
Ayatollah Sistani (may Allah protect him):
It is necessary to recite correctly, and one should learn if possible. If someone can only recite Al-Fatiha incorrectly but has a reasonable level of proficiency, that suffices. Otherwise, it is obligatory to add to their recitation something they can recite correctly from the rest of the Quran, or else to engage in glorification. Thus, you are not required to correct your grandmother since she is not capable of learning anymore. Regarding wiping under the hijab or leaning against a wall, there is no issue with these actions; they do not invalidate the ablution. As for not reaching her elbows, since you have already taught her, you are no longer obligated to repeat your instructions each time.
Source: Selected Issues - Reading - M 270 + Minhaj al-Salihin - Vol 1 - Parts of Ablution + Conditions of Ablution
May you be successful in all good.