Kandhlawi Sahib and Fatiha Khalaf al-Imam
When Muslims have a disagreement on any issue, Allah Almighty has commanded to refer to the Book and Sunnah. It is stated:
فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ
So if you differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day.
Referring to Allah means referring to His Book, and referring to the Messenger صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم means referring to the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم.
Allah Almighty has made five prayers obligatory on every Muslim during the day and night, and the Noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم has explained their complete method so that those who live may act upon the evidence and those who die may die upon the evidence. The issue of Surah Al-Fatiha behind the Imam in prayer is a matter of difference; much has been written on this topic. The author has written a brief treatise on this subject in the light of authentic hadiths according to the majority and has proven that behind the Imam, in both audible and silent prayers, Al-Fatiha should definitely be recited secretly in the heart. This brief treatise is still unpublished, but most of its parts have been included in this book (Al-Kawakib al-Durriyah). والحمد لله
After narrating a hadith about Al-Fatiha behind the Imam, Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
والعمل على هذا الحديث فى القراءة خلف الإمام عند أكثر أهل العلم من أصحاب النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم والتابعين وهو قول مالك بن أنس وابن المبارك وأحمد وإسحاق يرون القراءة خلف الإمام
Regarding this hadith about Al-Fatiha behind the Imam, most of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and the Followers acted upon it, and this is the view of Imam Malik, Ibn Mubarak, Shafi’i, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and Ishaq ibn Rahwayh (may Allah have mercy on them). They were proponents of reciting behind the Imam.
On the contrary, a non-Ahl al-Hadith scholar Habib ur-Rahman Kandhlawi writes:
The issue of whether Surah Al-Fatiha should be recited behind the Imam or not has been disputed since the time of the Companions. While some Companions were proponents of reciting Al-Fatiha in silent prayers, the majority of them absolutely denied it. The same situation continued during the era of the Followers and the Followers of the Followers. Among the Imams of Fiqh, except Imam Shafi’i, no one supported Al-Fatiha behind the Imam in audible prayers, and even regarding Imam Shafi’i there is disagreement. In such a case, declaring the prayers of those who do not support recitation behind the Imam as invalid is the worst ignorance. This would imply the invalidity of the prayers of the Companions, Followers, and Followers of the Followers. If, God forbid, the prayers of the Companions are declared invalid, then the Companions would no longer be a model for the religion, which would invalidate the entire religion, and this is impossible.
Kandhlawi has committed multiple errors, betrayals, and falsehoods in this statement:
1. His claim that “in some silent prayers the majority deny it” contradicts Imam Tirmidhi’s statement mentioned above that most Companions supported reciting Al-Fatiha behind the Imam. Imam Tirmidhi’s statement is further supported by the proven actions of the Companions regarding Al-Fatiha behind the Imam. Amir al-Mu’minin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and other Companions supported and practiced reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in audible prayers.
There is no evidence from any Companion forbidding Al-Fatiha behind the Imam. Hafiz Ibn Abd al-Barr has narrated the consensus of scholars that the prayer of a person who recites Surah Al-Fatiha behind the Imam is complete and does not need to be repeated.
Hafiz Ibn Hibban also claimed the same consensus.
❀ Imam Baqawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
A group of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) believed in the obligation of Al-Fatiha behind the Imam in both silent and audible prayers. This view is attributed to Sayyiduna Umar, Uthman, Ali, Ibn Abbas, Muadh, and Ubayy ibn Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with them).
2. Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Hasan al-Basri, Saeed ibn Jubayr, Maymun ibn Mihran (may Allah have mercy on them) and numerous Followers and other scholars supported reciting behind the Imam, whether the prayer was audible or not.
Muhaddith Irshad al-Haq Athari says:
Among the noble Followers (may Allah have mercy on them) were Makhul, Urwah ibn al-Zubair al-Shami, Mujahid, Qasim ibn Muhammad, Abu al-Sabah, Ubaidullah ibn Abdullah, Zahri, Saeed ibn al-Musayyib, Hukm ibn Utaybah (may Allah have mercy on them) who also supported Al-Fatiha behind the Imam, some in both silent and audible prayers and some only in silent prayers, details of which will come, God willing, in its place.
Therefore, it is proven that Kandhlawi is not truthful in his statement “the same situation continued during the era of the Followers and the Followers of the Followers.” This single error is enough to discredit his integrity.
Imam Awza’i, Abu Thawr, Laith ibn Sa’d, and Ayub al-Sakhtiyani, etc., supported Al-Fatiha behind the Imam.
They were among the Followers of the Followers. (رحمهم الله أجمعين)
3. Kandhlawi said:
Among the Imams of Fiqh, except Imam Shafi’i, no one supported Al-Fatiha behind the Imam in audible prayers.
Whereas the famous mufassir Qurtubi writes:
“Imam Shafi’i, as narrated by al-Buwayti (may Allah have mercy on him), and Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) said that no one’s prayer is valid without Al-Fatiha, and it must be recited in every rak’ah, whether one is the Imam or the follower, whether the Imam recites aloud or silently.”
In Sunan Tirmidhi it is stated:
إمام أحمد يرى القراءة خلف الإمام (وهو) أن يدع الرجل سورة الفاتحة وإن كان خلف الإمام
“Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) preferred reciting behind the Imam despite this, so that a person does not leave out Surah Al-Fatiha even if behind the Imam.”
Therefore, it is proven that Kandhlawi’s claim is against the truth.
4. Kandhlawi writes:
“In such a case, declaring the prayers of those people invalid is the worst ignorance.”
The response is that none of the Ahl al-Hadith scholars declare the prayers of all the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), Followers, and Followers of the Followers invalid. It is another matter that according to Ahl al-Hadith, prayer without Al-Fatiha is not valid because their Imam Muhammad Rasul Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم said:
لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب
Whereas many non-Ahl al-Hadith individuals have declared the prayers of those who recite Al-Fatiha behind the Imam invalid.
The Hanafi Imam Sarkhasi, showing falsehood and slander, writes that according to the sayings of many Companions (claim without evidence), the prayer of those who recite Al-Fatiha behind the Imam becomes invalid. Abdullah al-Nabi said: his mouth should be filled with dirt and it was also said that breaking his teeth is recommended.
Similarly, Haskafi Hanafi writes:
In Dur al-Bihar, it is narrated from Mubassit Khawharzada that his prayer is invalid and he is a sinner.
Almost the same is narrated from Al-Sarujī.
We ask: Do most of the Companions (Umar, Abu Hurairah, etc., may Allah be pleased with them all) and Followers and those after them not fall under these fatwas? Will you declare the prayers of these Companions and Followers invalid and corrupt?
The author has only quoted those sayings and actions of the Companions regarding Al-Fatiha behind the Imam which are considered authentic or hasan li-dhatihi by the majority, and whose narrators are either unanimously trustworthy or considered trustworthy and truthful by the majority. The author has not left the domain of the majority of hadith Imams in criticism, modification, authentication, or weakening. It has been proven that the majority of the Companions acted upon Al-Fatiha behind the Imam, and no Companion forbade it or declared the prayer of one who recited Al-Fatiha behind the Imam invalid. Therefore, the party of blind imitationists who are always busy proving black as white and white as black, are absolutely lying in their claim that this issue is against the sayings of the Companions. Hence, the general Muslim community should protect themselves from the falsehoods and fallacies of this party.
In this brief article, the sayings and actions of the Companions are presented which are completely authentic or hasan li-dhatihi in terms of chain.
❀ Allama Muhyiddin Yahya ibn Sharaf al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him)
writes:
ثم الحسن كالصحيح فى الإحتجاج به وإن كان دونه فى القوة ولهذا أدرجته طائفة فى نوع الصحيح
Meaning: In establishing proof, a hadith that is hasan li-dhatihi is like a sahih hadith, although it is weaker in strength, and for this reason, a group has counted it among the types of sahih.
The summary of this article is that the Rightly Guided Caliphs and all the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) did not forbid reciting Al-Fatiha behind the Imam in prayer, whether silent or audible. Rather, this best group of the Ummah believed in and practiced Al-Fatiha behind the Imam. Therefore, the truth cannot be hidden by unnecessary logical sophistries, fallacies, and falsehoods. First, observe the Farooqi command of the second Caliph, Amir al-Mu’minin Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him).
Caliph Rashid Amir al-Mu’minin Umar al-Farooq Radi Allahu Anhu
❀ Imam Abu Abdullah Al-Hakim Al-Nisaburi
said:
أما حديث عمر فحدثنا أبو العباس محمد بن يعقوب: ثنا أحمد بن عبد الجبار: ثنا حفص بن غياث وأخبرنا أبو بكر بن إسحاق: أنبأ إبراهيم بن أبى طالب: ثنا أبو كريب: ثنا حفص عن أبى إسحاق الشيباني عن جواب التيمي (و) إبراهيم بن محمد بن المنتشر عن الحارث بن سويد عن يزيد بن شريك أنه سأل عمر عن القراءة خلف الإمام فقال: اقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب، قلت: وإن كنت أنت؟ قال: فإن كنت أنا، قلت: وإن جهرت؟ قال: وإن جهرت
Yazid bin Shurayk (a Tabi’i) narrated that he asked Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, about reciting behind the Imam, and he said: Recite Al-Fatiha. So I (Yazid) asked: And if it is you? He said: And if it is me (then also recite). I (Yazid) asked: If you are reciting aloud? He said: And if I recite aloud (then also recite).
This narration is also found in the following books:
❀ Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Daraqutni
said:
هذا إسناده صحيح
And said: ”رواته كلهم ثقات“ All its narrators are trustworthy.
Imam Hakim declared it authentic (Al-Mustadrak) and Imam Shams al-Din al-Dhahabi
said: صحيح
After this clear authentication by the scholars, a brief introduction of the narrators of this chain is presented:
1 : Yazid bin Sharik al-Taymi al-Kufi
Ibn Ma’in said: ثقة
He is a narrator of the Six Books, Dhahabi said: ثقة
2 : Al-Harith bin Suwaid al-Taymi
Imam Yahya bin Ma’in said: ثقة
He is a narrator of the Six Books, Dhahabi said: ثقة رفيع الذكر
3 : Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin al-Muntashir al-Hamdani al-Kufi
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal said: ثقة صدوق, Abu Hatim said: ثقة صالح
He is a narrator of the Six Books and Hafiz Dhahabi said: ثقة قانت لله، نبيل
His following is from Jawab al-Taymi. Jawab al-Taymi was the teacher of Imam Abu Hanifa and others and is considered trustworthy and truthful by the majority of hadith scholars.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: صدوق، رمي بالإرجاء
Jawab is not alone in this narration; Ibrahim bin Muhammad is his follower, therefore any objection against Jawab al-Taymi in this narration is rejected.
4 : Abu Ishaq Sulayman bin Abi Sulayman al-Shibani
Ibn Ma’in said: ثقة, Abu Hatim said: truthful, trustworthy, righteous in hadith
He is a narrator of the Six Books and Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: ثقة
5 : Hafs bin Ghiyath al-Nakha’i
Ibn Ma’in said: ثقة
He is a narrator of the Kutub al-Sittah and considered trustworthy and a tadlis by the majority. Hashim and others have followed his narration.
Anwar Khurshid Deobandi Sahib, while setting conditions in his book “Sukhan-e-Guftagi,” writes:
“Whoever writes a response should not commit crimes like tadlis, isnaad omission, ignorance, or concealment because such crimes are nullified by following and evidence.”
Meaning, according to the Deobandis, if a (reliable) following of a tadlis is found, then the accusation of tadlis in that narration is nullified. Therefore, after Hashim’s explicit following by hearing, it is wrong to accuse Hafs bin Ghiyath’s narration of tadlis. It should be noted that most narrations presented by Anwar Khurshid Deobandi neither have following nor reliable evidence. For example:
Anwar Khurshid Deobandi has presented the narration with سفيان الثوري عن عاصم بن كليب عن عبد الرحمٰن بن الأسود عن علقمه: قال قال عبد الله بن مسعود الخ eight times as evidence for abandoning the raising of hands.
Sufyan Thawri is a tadlis narrator and his following is not found in any book worldwide.
Warning (1):
In Kitab al-‘Ilal by al-Daraqutni
, the following of Abu Bakr al-Nahshali and Ibn Idris is mentioned without any chain and in a summarized form (without mentioning the text), but these two references are rejected due to being without chain and text.
Warning (2):
The fabricated narration ابو حنيفه عن حماد عن ابراهيم عن الأسود إلخ in Jami’ al-Masanid al-Khwarizmi
has a separate chain. The primary narrator of this separate chain is Abu Muhammad Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Ya’qub al-Harthi al-Bukhari, who is a liar.
This narration from Hafs was narrated by Abu Karib Muhammad bin al-Alaa and others; Abu Karib’s narration from Hafs is in Sahih Muslim.
Therefore, it is proven that this narration is from before Hafs’s alteration and mixing; for this reason, the moderate Imam al-Daraqutni and others have declared it authentic. Hashim and Sufyan Thawri have followed them.
6 : Abu Kareeb Muhammad bin Alaa Al-Hamdani
Imam Abu Hatim said: صدوق
He is a narrator of the Six Books.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: ثقه، حافظ
7 : Ibrahim bin Abi Talib Al-Nisaburi
Imam Ibn Nasir al-Din said: هو ثقه
❀ Hafiz Al-Dhahabi said:
”الإمام الحافظ المجود، الزاهد شيخ نيسابور وإمام المحدثين فى زمانه“
And he said: أحد أركان الحديث
Al-Hakim and Al-Dhahabi calling this hadith authentic is its verification.
8 : Abu Bakr Ahmad bin Ishaq Al-Faqih
Imam Abu Abdullah Al-Hakim said:
كان عالما بالحديث والرجال والجرح والتعديل وفي الفقه كان المشار إليه فى وقته ثقه مأمون
It may be the statement of Imam Khalili, and Allah knows best. Hafiz Al-Dhahabi said:
الإمام العلامه المفتي المحدث شيخ الإسلام
9 : Imam Abu Abdullah Al-Hakim
It is not hidden from any scholar that Imam Abu Abdullah Al-Hakim, the author of Al-Mustadrak, is trustworthy and reliable. The famous Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah, Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, said:
الإمام الحافظ الناقد العلامه شيخ المحدثين
And he said:
الإمام صدوق لكنه يصحح فى مستدركه أحاديث ساقطة ويكثر من ذلك فما أدري هل خفيت عليه فما هو ممن يجهل ذلك وإن علم فهذه خيانة عظيمة ثم هو شيعي مشهور بذلك من غير تعرض للشيخين
He is truthful, but in his book Al-Mustadrak, he often considers weak hadiths as authentic. I do not know if these narrations were unknown to him; otherwise, it is not that he was unaware of these narrations. And if he knew, then this is a great betrayal. Moreover, he is a well-known Shi’a, but he does not speak ill of the two Sheikhs (Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them).
The excuse for Imam Al-Hakim regarding the hadiths in Al-Mustadrak is that after mixing, he judged these hadiths as authentic. Therefore, this is not a matter of knowledge or ignorance but only a matter of mixing. Hence, Imam Al-Hakim is excused. The accusation of him being Shi’a is also baseless. Imam Al-Hakim, in his book Al-Mustadrak, has narrated the virtues of Abu Bakr Siddiq, Umar Farooq, Dhu al-Nurayn Uthman
, Abu Sufyan
, Mughirah ibn Shu’bah
, Amr ibn al-As
, and Abu Hurairah
, may Allah be pleased with them. Is there any Shi’a in the world who accepts the virtues of these companions? Hafiz Al-Dhahabi wrote the note “Sahih” (also) alongside Imam Al-Hakim, meaning his action confirms his reliability, and all kinds of criticism against him are rejected.
In the second chain of Al-Mustadrak, Ahmad ibn Abd al-Jabbar is weak, but this does not harm us at all because Abu Karib (ثقه), Abdullah ibn Nawfal (وثقه الدارقطني), and Abdullah ibn Sa’id al-Asbah and others have followed him.
In summary, the fatwa of the Rightly Guided Caliph is proven correct, and nothing has been proven against it. From the fourth Caliph, Amir al-Mu’minin Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, there is also a narration commanding the recitation of Al-Fatiha behind the Imam in the Zuhr and Asr prayers, which Imam Al-Daraqutni, Imam Al-Hakim, Imam Al-Bayhaqi, and Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on them, have declared authentic.
Although all its narrators are narrators of the two Sahihs, this chain is weak due to the ‘an’anah (continuous narration) of Imam Al-Zuhri, may Allah have mercy on him, because he has been proven to have committed tadlis (concealment). Therefore, I refrain from mentioning this narration as it does not meet my condition. And Allah knows best.
1: Our Master Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him
مشهور جليل القدر، فوق الثقه، المفتي المجتهد الفقهيه
And Hafiz is a companion; love for him is a sign of faith.
In Sahih Muslim, it is narrated from Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) said:
من صلى صلوة لم يقرأ فيها بأم القرآن فهي خداج ثلاثا غير تمام فقيل لأبي هريرة: إنا نكون وراء الإمام؟ فقال: اقرأ بها فى نفسك إلخ
Whoever prays a prayer in which Surah Al-Fatiha is not recited, then it is incomplete and not perfect. He repeated this three times. Then it was said to Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), “We are behind the Imam.” He said: Recite it secretly in your heart. Etc.
Since there is consensus among the Muhaddithin on the authenticity of Sahih Muslim, it is not necessary to authenticate the narrators.
❀ In Musnad Al-Humaydi
it is stated:
ثنا سفيان وعبد العزيز الدراوردي وابن أبى حازم عن العلاء عن أبيه عن أبى هريرة أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: كل صلوة لا يقرأ فيها بفاتحة الكتاب فهي خداج فهي خداج قال عبد الرحمن: فقلت لأبي هريرة فإني أسمع قراءة الإمام فغمزني بيده فقال: يا فارسي أو قال: يا ابن الفارسي اقرأ بها فى نفسك
It is narrated from Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Every prayer in which Surah Al-Fatiha is not recited is incomplete, it is incomplete. Abdul Rahman says I asked Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him): I listen to the Imam’s recitation? He shook me off with his hand and said: O Persian (or son of a Persian), recite it in your heart.
❀ Imam Bukhari
said in the section of recitation:
وحدثنيہ محمد بن عبيد الله قال: حدثنا ابن أبى حازم عن العلاء عن أبيه عن أبى هريره قال: إذا قرأ الإمام بأم القرآن فاقرأ بها واسبقه فإنه إذا قال ولا الضالين قالت الملائكة آمين، من وافق ذلك قمن أن يستجاب لهم
Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When the Imam recites Surah Al-Fatiha, you also recite it and finish it before the Imam. Indeed, when he says “wala al-dallin” (and not the path of those who have gone astray), the angels say Ameen. Whoever’s Ameen coincides with theirs, then it is worthy that his prayer be accepted.
All narrators of this chain are narrators of Sahih Muslim, except Abu Thabit Muhammad ibn Ubaidullah Al-Madani, who is a narrator of Sahih Bukhari and a trustworthy Hafiz; see Tahdhib al-Tahdhib etc., therefore this chain is authentic. The famous Hanafi محقق Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Naimawi
writes about this narration: ”وإسناده حسن“
Muhaddith Irshad al-Haq Asri writes:
This narration is clear evidence that Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) also instructed the follower to recite Al-Fatiha aloud, which nullifies all the interpretations presented by Sarfaraz Sahib.
2 : Our Master Abu Saeed Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him
The number of hadiths you mentioned is one thousand one hundred seventy
, Hafiz Dhahabi said about you:
”الإمام المجاهد، مفتي المدينة وكان أحد الفقهاء المجتهدين“
❀ Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
حدثنا مسدد قال: حدثنا يحيى عن العوام بن حمزة المازني قال: حدثنا أبو نضرة قال: سألت أبا سعيد الخدري عن القراءة خلف الإمام؟ فقال: بفاتحة الكتاب
Abu Nadhrah, may Allah have mercy on him, says: I asked Abu Saeed Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, about recitation behind the Imam? He said: Surah Al-Fatiha
This narration is also found in Al-Kamil by Ibn ‘Adi: vol. 2 p. 1437, Kitab al-Qira’at by Al-Bayhaqi, p. 100 Hadith 224 p. 110.
All the narrators in this chain are narrators of Sahih Muslim except for Al-‘Awam ibn Hamzah Al-Mazini. Al-‘Awam has varying narrators, but the majority have authenticated him.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: ”صدوق ربما وهم“
Hafiz Ibn Hajar quotes Imam Ibn ‘Adi’s testimony on a narrator in Lisan al-Mizan:
لم أر له متنا منكرا، ربما يهم وهو حسن الحديث
Therefore, it is understood that this person is Hasan al-Hadith. Yahya ibn Saeed al-Qattan narrated this narration from him. Regarding the narrator Salim ibn Hilal, Hafiz Ibn Hajar writes:
روى عنه يحيى بن سعيد القطان قلت وتكفيه روايته فى توثيقه
Muhammad ibn Ali al-Naimawi writes about this work: اسناده حسن
3 : Our Master Jabir bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him
He is a famous and revered companion. Hafiz Zahbi said:
الإمام أبو عبد الله الأنصاري الفقيه مفتي المدينة فى عصره
There is consensus of the entire Ummah on his virtue.
❀ Imam Ibn Majah Qazwini
said:
”حدثنا محمد بن يحيى: ثنا سعيد بن عامر: ثنا شعبة عن مسعر عن يزيد الفقير عن جابر بن عبد الله قال: كنا نقرأ فى الظهر والعصر خلف الإمام فى الركعتين الأوليين بفاتحة الكتاب وسورة وفي الأخريين بفاتحة الكتاب“
Sayyiduna Jabir رضي الله عنه says that during the Zuhr and Asr prayers, behind the Imam, in the first two rak’ahs we used to recite Surah Al-Fatiha and one Surah each, and in the last two rak’ahs only Surah Al-Fatiha.
Allama Sindhi Hanafi quotes Allama Al-Busiri: ”هذا إسناد صحيح رجاله ثقات“
This narration is also present in Sunan al-Kubra
and Kitab al-Qira’ah by Al-Bayhaqi
, and there are some evidences for it. All the narrators in this chain are authentic according to Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim except Muhammad bin Yahya (Al-Dhahli), who is a narrator of Sahih Bukhari and Sunan al-Arba’ah and is trustworthy, a Hafiz and revered.
Therefore, this chain is authentic according to Imam Bukhari’s criteria. Saeed bin Amir is trustworthy according to the majority, Imam Yahya bin Ma’in
said: ”ثقة“
There is no established prohibition from Jabir رضي الله عنه regarding reciting Al-Fatiha behind the Imam.
4: Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنه
He is a famous jurist companion. He is titled Tarjuman al-Quran and Hibr al-Ummah.
Hafiz Zahbi said: ”الإمام عالم العصر“
❀ Imam Abu Bakr bin Abi Shaybah
said:
حدثنا وكيع عن إسماعيل بن أبى خالد عن العيزار بن حريث العبدي عن ابن عباس قال: اقرأ خلف الإمام بفاتحة الكتاب
Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما said: Recite Surah Al-Fatiha behind the Imam.
This narration is also present in the following books:
❀ Imam Bayhaqi
said:
”وهذا إسناد صحيح لا غبار عليه“
Meaning this chain of narration is authentic and there is no flaw in it.
All narrators in this chain are narrators of Sahih Muslim. Ismail bin Abi Khalid has specified the hearing, therefore this chain is authentic according to Imam Muslim’s condition. ‘Aizar bin Harith al-Kindi al-Kufi is a student of Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما
and Ibn Ma’in said he is trustworthy (reference mentioned). There are also evidences for this narration and it suffices in the match.
5: Sayyiduna Ubada bin As-Samit رضي الله عنه
He is a famous companion, present with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his family, in all occasions and battles. In Ibn Makhlad’s Musnad, there are one hundred and one
hadiths narrated from him. Hafiz Dhahabi said:
الإمام القدوة أبو الوليد الأنصاري أحد النقباء ليلة العقبة ومن أعيان البدريين
Janadah says:
I went to Ubadah and he had understanding (fiqh) in the religion of Allah.
Meaning, he was an excellent jurist in every sense.
Imam Abu Bakr bin Abi Shaybah said:
حدثنا وكيع عن ابن عون عن رجاء بن حيوة عن محمود بن ربيع قال: صليت صلوة وإلى جنبي عبادة بن الصامت قال: فقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب قال: فقلت له: يا أبا الوليد ألم أسمعك تقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب؟ قال: أجل أنه لا صلوة إلا بها
Sayyiduna Mahmood bin Rabi’ رضي الله عنه said: I prayed behind the Imam and Ubadah bin al-Samit رضي الله عنه was with me; he recited Surah Al-Fatiha. I said to him, O Abu al-Walid! Did I not hear you reciting Surah Al-Fatiha? He replied: Yes, and without it no prayer is valid.
This chain is completely authentic and all its narrators are those whose narrations are found in Sahih Muslim. This narration is also present in the following books:
Al-Sunan al-Kubra
, Kitab al-Qira’ah
, Al-Sunan al-Kubra, etc., where it is explicitly stated ”يقرأ خلف الإمام“ that he was reciting behind the Imam. There are many other evidences for this. Sarfaraz Khan Safdar Deobandi Sahib writes:
“Anyway, it is absolutely correct that Hazrat Ubadah bin al-Samit رضي الله عنه was an advocate of reciting behind the Imam and this was his research and his school of thought, but the understanding of a companion and the stopped narration of a companion is not a proof, especially when compared to the Quran, authentic hadiths, and the consensus of the companions رضي الله عنهم on the practices of the unlettered Prophet.”
I say that the practice and belief of Sayyiduna Ubadah al-Badri رضي الله عنه is neither against any explicit verse of the Holy Quran nor any authentic hadith, rather it is supported by the generality of the Quran and authentic hadiths. Ubadah رضي الله عنه is a narrator of the hadith: لا صلوة لمن لم يقرأ بفاتحة in Al-Kitab, and Sarfaraz Safdar Sahib admits that a narrator knows his narration best. Secondly, his research and belief is not against any one companion, let alone the majority of the companions رضي الله عنهم. Rather, the majority of the companions رضي الله عنهم were advocates and practitioners of reciting Al-Fatiha behind the Imam, and no opponent is known. Therefore, there is an apparent silent consensus on the permissibility of reciting Al-Fatiha behind the Imam. Sayyiduna Ubadah bin al-Samit رضي الله عنه used to recite Surah Al-Fatiha behind the Imam in both silent and audible prayers.
6: Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه
He was the servant of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم and a renowned, esteemed jurist companion. Hafiz Zahbi said:
الإمام المفتي المقري المحدث، راوية الإسلام أبو حمزة الأنصاري الخزرجي النجاري المدني خادم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وقرابته من النساء وتلميذه وتبعه وآخر أصحابه موتا
Two thousand two hundred eighty-six
hadiths are narrated from him.
❀ Imam Bayhaqi said:
أخبرنا أبو عبد الله الحافظ: حدثني محمد بن يعقوب: أنا محمد بن إسحاق: نا أحمد بن سعيد الدارمي، ثنا النضر يعني ابن شميل ثنا العوام وهو ابن حمزة عن ثابت عن أنس قال: كان يأمرنا بالقراءة خلف الإمام قال: وكنت أقوم إلى جنب أنس فيقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب وسورة من المفصل ويسمعنا قراءته لنأخذ عنه
Thabit al-Bunani رحمه الله said that Anas رضي الله عنه used to command us to recite behind the Imam, and I used to stand with Anas رضي الله عنه; he would recite Surah Al-Fatiha and any Surah from Al-Mufassal, and he would let us hear his recitation so that we could learn this method from him (SubhanAllah, what zeal for propagating the Sunnah!). The chain of this narration is Hasan, and a brief introduction of the narrators in order is presented here:
1: Abu Abdullah al-Hakim al-Nisaburi رحمه الله
He is trustworthy and truthful.
2: Muhammad bin Ya’qub (al-Asam)
He is highly trustworthy; Hafiz Zahbi said: ”الإمام (المفيد) الثقة محدث المشرق“
3: Muhammad bin Ishaq al-Saghani
You are a narrator of Sahih Muslim, Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: ثقه ثبت
4 : Ahmad bin Saeed Ad-Darami
You are a narrator of Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, Hafiz Al-Asqalani said: ثقه حافظ
5 : An-Nadr bin Shumail
You are a narrator of the Kutub al-Sittah, Hafiz Dhahabi said: ”ثقة إمام صاحب سنة“
6 : Al-Awwam bin Hamzah
You are Hasan al-Hadith,
7 : Thabit al-Bunani
You are a narrator of the Kutub al-Sittah, Hafiz Abu al-Fadl Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani said: ثقه عابد
8: Our Master Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As, may Allah be pleased with them
He is a famous and venerable companion. Hafiz Zahbi said:
العالم الرباني وقد كان من أيام النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم صواما قواما تاليا لكتاب الله طالبا للعلم
He compiled a collection of the hadiths he heard from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) (الصحيفة الصادقة). This manuscript is narrated by his grandson Amr ibn Shu’aib. Approximately seven hundred hadiths are transmitted from him.
❀ Abu Ja’far al-Tahawi
said:
حدثنا أبو بكرة قال: ثنا أبو داود قال: ثنا شعبة عن حصين قال سمعت مجاهدا يقول: صليت مع عبد الله بن عمرو الظهر والعصر فكان يقرأ خلف الإمام
Mujahid, the Tabi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, said that I prayed Zuhr and Asr with Abdullah ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both), and he recited behind the Imam.
This chain of narration is absolutely authentic.
This hadith is present in the following books with some minor variations:
Imam Bayhaqi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: ”هذا إسناد صحيح“
Muhammad ibn Ali al-Naimawi al-Hanafi said: ”سناده حسن“ and said: ”إسناده صحيح“
Now a brief introduction of this chain is presented:
➊ Abu Bakrah Bakkar ibn Qutaybah al-Bakrawi:
Imam Hakim said: ثقه مأمون
Hafiz Dhahabi said: لم ينفرد به أبو بكرة مع ثقته
And he said:
العلامة المحدث الفقيه الحنفي حدث عنه أبو عوانة فى صحيحه وابن خزيمة
Hafiz Ibn Hibban mentioned him in Kitab al-Thiqat
➋ Abu Dawood al-Tayalisi:
He is among the narrators of Sahih Muslim. Hafiz Dhahabi said:
”الحافظ الكبير صاحب المسند“
The majority have authenticated him, and Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: ”ثقة حافظ غلط فى أحاديث“
The general criticism with غلط فى أحاديث is rejected. Al-Nadr bin Shumail narrated from him; Al-Nadr is a trustworthy Imam.
➌ Shu’bah:
He is a famous Imam and a central narrator of the Kutub al-Sittah. Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: ”ثقة حافظ متقن“
His hearing from Husayn is before the mixing (of generations).
➍ Husayn bin Abdur Rahman:
He is a narrator of the Kutub al-Sittah. Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: ”ثقة تغير حفظه فى الآخر“
And this is not very harmful because you narrated this hadith in a state of health.
➎ Mujahid:
He is a famous Imam, a mufassir, and a narrator of the Kutub al-Sittah. Hafiz Abu al-Fadl Ibn Hajar said:
ثقة إمام في التفسير وفي العلم
8 :Our Master Abu bin Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with him)
He is a famous Badri companion, may Allah be pleased with him. Hafiz Zahbi said:
سيد القراء الأنصاري المدني المقري البدري شهد العقبة وبدرا وجمع القرآن فى حياة النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وعرض على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وحفظ عنه علما مباركا وكان رأسا فى العلم رضي الله عنه
In the book of Baqi bin Makhlad (Al-Musnad), one hundred sixty-four
hadiths are narrated from him. He is counted among the jurists of the companions.
Imam Bukhari said:
حدثنا مالك بن إسماعيل قال: حدثنا زياد البكائي عن أبى فروة عن أبى المغيرة عن أبى بن كعب رضى الله عنه أنه كان يقرأ خلف الإمام
It is narrated from Abu al-Mughira, may Allah be pleased with him, that Abu bin Ka’b, may Allah be pleased with him, used to recite behind the Imam.
(This chain is Hasan) A brief introduction of the narrators of this chain is as follows:
➊ Malik bin Ismail:
He is a narrator of the Kutub al-Sittah and ثقه متقن، صحيح الكتاب عابد.
➋ Ziyad bin Abdullah al-Bakkai:
He is a narrator of the Sahihayn and is trustworthy and truthful according to the majority. The historian Ibn Khalkan said:
”وكان صدوقا ثقة“
Hafiz Zahbi wrote in Mizan al-I’tidal
”صح“ indicating that he is Sahih al-Hadith and criticism against him is rejected,
➌ Abu Farwah (Muslim bin Salim al-Nahdi):
The narrators of Sahihain include Ibn Ma’in, who said: Trustworthy, Abu Hatim said: ”صالح الحديث ليس به بأس“
Ibn Hibban mentioned him in Kitab al-Thiqat.
❀ Abu al-Mughira (Abdullah ibn Abi al-Hadhil al-Kufi):
He is a narrator of Sahih Muslim and trustworthy.
In short, this chain of narration in Juz’ al-Qira’ah is Hasan Lidhatah, and it has two supporting evidences.
Therefore, this narration is valid for argumentation in terms of its chain. And Allah knows best.
9: Our Master Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him)
They are famous jurists and companions of Badr, may Allah be pleased with them. Hafiz Zahbi said:
الإمام الرباني صاحب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وخادمه وأحد السابقين الأولين ومن كبار البدريين ومن نبلاء الفقهاء والمقريين كان ممن يتحرى فى الأداء ويشدد فى الرواية ويزجر تلامذته عن التهاون فى ضبط الألفاظ
Tahawi said:
حدثنا أبو بكرة وابن مرزوق قالا: ثنا أبو داود قال: ثنا شعبة عن أشعث بن أبى الشعثاء قال: سمعت أبا مريم الأسدي يقول: سمعت ابن مسعود رضى الله عنه يقرأ فى الظهر
Abu Maryam says that I heard Ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, reciting behind the Imam at Zuhr prayer.
Abu Maryam Abdullah bin Ziyad al-Asadi is a narrator of Sahih Bukhari and trustworthy.
Ash’ath bin Abi al-Ash’ath al-Muharibi is a narrator of the six books and trustworthy.
Shu’bah, Abu Dawood, and Abu Bakrah are all trustworthy.
Shareek bin Abdullah al-Qadi narrated this hadith from Ash’ath bin Sulaym Abi al-Ash’ath.
The wording of Shareek’s narration is:
صليت إلى جنب عبد الله بن مسعود رضى الله عنه خلف الإمام فسمعته يقرأ فى الظهر والعصر
I prayed behind Abdullah bin Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, next to him, behind the Imam, and I heard him reciting at Zuhr and Asr.
Shareek is a narrator of various fiqh books; the majority have authenticated him. He is a narrator of Sahih Muslim and others. Hafiz Zahbi said: ”وحديثه من أقسام الحسن“
Meaning his hadith is among the categories of Hasan.
Hafiz Haithami said: ”وهو حسن الحديث“
There are other evidences for this hadith as well.
Besides these reports, narrations from other companions, may Allah be pleased with them, are also transmitted in the books of hadith. However, what has been mentioned is sufficient, and these reports are enough to refute the opponent who declares the prayers of those who recite Al-Fatiha behind the Imam as invalid or defective.
