Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … If the recitation of Surah al-Fatihah alone suffices in every rak‘ah, then why was the word "fa-sa‘idan" (more than al-Fatihah) used? Because from this it appears that recitation should also be done after al-Fatihah. In response, study the following evidences and linguistic principle:

Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam … and in the last two rak‘ahs of Dhuhr and ‘Asr, he would recite only Surah al-Fatihah. (Sahih Bukhari: 776, Sahih Muslim: 451) From this hadith, it is understood that the rak‘ah is completed with only al-Fatihah. Keep in mind that it is also established from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam to recite more than al-Fatihah in the last two rak‘ahs of Dhuhr. (Sahih Muslim: 452)

Sayyiduna Abu Sa‘id radi Allahu anhu says: "Our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam commanded us to recite al-Fatihah and whatever is easy (in addition)." (Musnad Ahmad: 10998, Abu Dawud: 818, Tirmidhi: 238, Ibn Majah: 839, and its chain is authentic according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs)

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu says: "In every prayer there is recitation. So whatever the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam made us hear, we make you hear, and whatever he kept hidden from us, we keep hidden from you. If you do not recite more than Umm al-Qur’an (al-Fatihah), it suffices, and if you recite more, that is better." (Bukhari, Muslim)

The people of language say: What comes after "fa" is not necessary. Sibawayh has explained this in the chapter of idafah. The benefit of bringing this "fa" and what comes after it is so that no one thinks that it is necessary to suffice with what precedes it. The explanation is that if the word "fa-sa‘idan" had not been brought in this hadith, someone might have thought that it is not permissible to recite more than Surah al-Fatihah in prayer, because the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned only this surah. This misconception was removed by "fa-sa‘idan" and it was established that at minimum, the recitation of al-Fatihah is necessary, and more than that is up to the discretion of the worshipper. Imam Bukhari has mentioned this by giving the example of ((tuqta‘u al-yadu fi rub‘i dinarin fa-sa‘idan)) in the section of "Juz’ al-Qira’ah", and Hafiz Ibn Hajar has also mentioned it in Fath al-Bari. (Summarized from Mirqat al-Mafatih: 3/110)

It is thus understood that "fa-sa‘idan" means that sufficing with Surah al-Fatihah is correct, and if someone wishes to recite more, that is the more virtuous act. And Allah knows best what is correct.

Along with the hadith of Sayyiduna ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit radi Allahu anhu, also pay attention to the following hadith mentioned in the previous chapter: Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ((Whoever prays a prayer in which he does not recite Umm al-Qur’an (in another narration: al-Fatihah al-Kitab), then it is incomplete, it is incomplete, it is not complete.)) Abu al-Sa’ib said to Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu: Sometimes I am behind the imam, (so how should I recite al-Fatihah at that time)? Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu, while answering, pressed my arm and said: O Persian! Recite it in your heart. (Muslim: 395, Musnad Ahmad: 7836)

That is: Whoever prayed and did not recite Umm al-Qur’an, i.e., Surah al-Fatihah, in it, then that prayer is deficient, deficient, incomplete. Abu al-Sa’ib said to Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu: Sometimes I am behind the imam, (so how should I recite al-Fatihah at that time)? Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu, while answering, pressed my arm and said: O Persian! Recite it in your heart.

It is noteworthy that the narrators of these two ahadith are Sayyiduna ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit and Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhuma. Sayyiduna ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit radi Allahu anhu himself held the view and practiced reciting Surah al-Fatihah behind the imam. (Kitab al-Qira’ah by al-Bayhaqi) And Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu also gave the fatwa to recite Surah al-Fatihah while following the imam. And in Hanafi fiqh, it is an established principle that the narrator understands his narration better (al-‘ibrah bima ra’a la bima rawa). As ‘Allamah ‘Ayni al-Hanafi has written: "The companion narrator is most knowledgeable about the intended meaning." (Umdat al-Qari)

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu gave Abu al-Sa’ib the fatwa to recite this surah in his heart. Some people have understood from this that reciting in the heart means contemplation and reflection, not actual recitation, but this interpretation is completely unacceptable, because "qira’ah" is an Arabic word, and unless a word is uttered by the tongue, it is not called recitation.