What is the ruling on skipping a verse while reciting some verses during performing the prayer? In other words, I skip verse no. 282 from Surat Al-Baqarah because it is too long, and I do not memorize it well, and then I resume reciting the following verses.

Answer

Praise Be to Allah and Peace Be Upon His Messenger.

Referring to your question, basically, the Imam who is leading other Muslims in a prayer should have memorized the Holy Qur’an well. The prophet (PBUH) clarified this in one of his hadiths.

Abu Mas’ud Al-Badri narrated that the prophet said: “The one who is the most versed in the Holy Qur’an, and who is the oldest in reciting it can lead people in a prayer. If they are equally versed in reciting it, the earliest immigrant (to Medina). If they immigrated at the same time, then the oldest. None of you can lead another man in his house (the house of the latter) or where the latter has authority, or sit in his place of honor without permission.” Related by Muslim.

Now, if the Imam memorizes a collection of verses from one Surah, and he recites some verses in the first Rak’a, then he recites other verses in the second Rak’a skipping the verse which he does not memorize well, this is allowed.

However, if the Imam skips a verse because it is too long or because he does not memorize it well and continues reciting the following verses in the same Rak’ah, then this is not desired.

Therefore, if the Imam chooses to recite verses which he well memorizes, this is much better.

The scholars of the Permanent Committee for Fatwa say that if the Imam cannot remember a verse while reciting in a prayer, he can skip it and recite the following verses, but it is much better if he chooses to recite the verses that he well memorizes so as to avoid this incident other times. (5/337)