Question:
What is the ruling on reciting Surah Al-Fatiha behind the Imam?
Answer:
It is obligatory for the individual, the imam, and the follower to recite Surah Al-Fatiha in every prayer, whether it is silent or audible; without it, the prayer is invalid.
❀ The command of Allah Almighty is:
﴿فاقرؤا ما تيسر من القرآن﴾
“Recite as much of the Qur’an as is easy for you.”
❀ Allama Qasim bin Qutlubgha, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
يوجب بعمومه القراءة على المقتدي.
“This verse, in its generality, makes recitation obligatory upon the follower.”
❀ Sayyiduna Ubada bin As-Samit, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب.
“Whoever does not recite Surah Al-Fatiha, his prayer is not valid.”
❀ On this hadith, Amir al-Mu’minin fi al-Hadith, Sayyid al-Fuqaha Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him
, established a chapter with these words:
باب وجوب القراءة للإمام والمأموم فى الصلوات كلها، فى الحضر والسفر، وما يجهر فيها وما يخافت.
“The statement that whether one is an imam or a follower, traveling or resident, in all prayers, whether audible or silent, the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha is obligatory.”
❀ Allama Karmani Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him
, states:
فيه دليل على أن قراءة الفاتحة واجبة على الإمام والمأموم والمنفرد فى الصلوات كلها فهو صريح فى دلالته على جميع أجزاء الترجمة.
“This hadith is evidence that it is obligatory for the imam, the follower, and the individual to recite Surah Al-Fatiha in all prayers; this hadith explicitly indicates all parts of the chapter established by Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him.”
It is established that this hadith, in its generality, includes the imam, the follower, and the individual. Moreover, the companion who narrated this hadith from the Messenger of Allah, Sayyiduna Ubada bin As-Samit, may Allah be pleased with him, himself believed in and practiced reciting Surah Al-Fatiha behind the imam.
❀ Mahmood bin Rabi’ may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
صليت صلاة وإلى جنبي عبادة بن الصامت قال: فقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب، قال: فقلت له: يا أبا الوليد، ألم أسمعك تقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب؟ قال: أجل؛ إنه لا صلاة إلا بها.
“I was in a prayer, and Ubada bin As-Samit, may Allah be pleased with him, was standing with me. He recited Surah Al-Fatiha (behind the imam). After the prayer, I asked: O Abu al-Walid (the kunya of Ubada, may Allah be pleased with him)! Did I not hear you reciting Surah Al-Fatiha? He replied: Yes, because without it, there is no prayer.”
The companions knew the meanings and implications of their hadiths best. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب.
“Whoever does not recite Surah Al-Fatiha, his prayer is not valid.”
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
من صلى صلاة لم يقرأ فيها بأم القرآن فهي خداج ثلاثا غير تمام، فقيل لأبي هريرة: إنا نكون وراء الإمام؟ فقال: اقرأ بها فى نفسك.
“Whoever prays without Surah Al-Fatiha, his prayer is deficient, deficient, deficient, it is not complete.” Then it was asked to Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, “Are we behind the imam?” He said: “Recite Surah Al-Fatiha softly.”
This hadith is unanimously considered “authentic” by the muhaddithin. Imam Tirmidhi, may Allah have mercy on him
, graded it as Hasan; Imam Abu Zur’ah
, Imam Abu Awana
, Imam Ibn Khuzaymah
, and Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on them
, declared it “authentic.”
Its narrator, ‘Alaa bin ‘Abdur-Rahman, is considered “trustworthy” by the majority of hadith scholars.
❀ Imam Tirmidhi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هو ثقة عند أهل الحديث.
“He is trustworthy according to the majority of muhaddithin.”
❀ Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
قد أخرج له مسلم من حديث المشاهير دون الشاذ.
“Imam Muslim, may Allah have mercy on him, has narrated the well-known version after leaving aside the rare narrations.”
It is understood that Imam Muslim, may Allah have mercy on him, refined the narrations and mentioned the authentic and well-known ones. Therefore, the mentioned narration is absolutely authentic.
❀ Sayyidah Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
من صلى صلاة لا يقرأ فيها بأم القرآن فهي خداج.
“Whoever prays without Surah Al-Fatiha, his prayer is deficient (incomplete and invalid).”
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
كل صلاة لا يقرأ فيها بفاتحة الكتاب فهي خداج.
“Every prayer in which Surah Al-Fatiha is not recited is deficient (incomplete and invalid).”
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
لا صلاة إلا بقراءة.
“There is no prayer without the recitation (of Al-Fatiha).”
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
اقرءوا.
“Recite (Surah Al-Fatiha) in the prayer.”
In these hadiths, the command to recite Surah Al-Fatiha is general; there is no evidence to restrict it to the individual or the imam.
❀ Sayyiduna Ubada bin As-Samit, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
صلى بنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بعض الصلوات التى يجهر فيها بالقراءة، قال: فالتبست عليه القراءة فلما انصرف قال: هل تقرأون معي؟ قالوا: نعم، قال: لا تفعلوا إلا بأم القرآن؛ فإنه لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بها.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, led us in one of the audible prayers, and the recitation became burdensome for him. After the prayer, he said: Do you recite with me? The companions said: Yes. He said: Do not do that; rather, recite Surah Al-Fatiha, because the person who does not recite Surah Al-Fatiha has no prayer.
❀ Imam Dar Qutni, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا إسناد حسن ورجاله ثقات كلهم.
“This chain is good; all its narrators are trustworthy.”
❀ Hafiz Bayhaqi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا إسناد صحيح ورواته ثقات.
“This chain is authentic; its narrators are trustworthy.”
❀ The wording of a narration is:
صلى بنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بعض الصلوات التى يجهر فيها بالقراءة فقال: لا يقرأن أحد منكم إذا جهرت بالقراءة إلا بأم القرآن.
“The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, led us in one of the audible prayers, then he said: In the prayer in which I am reciting loudly, do not recite anything except Surah Al-Fatiha.”
❀ Sayyiduna Ubada bin As-Samit, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
صلى بنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم صلاة الغداة فثقلت عليه القراءة فلما انصرف قال: إني أراكم تقرؤون وراء إمامكم، قال: قلنا: أجل والله يا رسول الله هذا قال: فلا تفعلوا إلا بأم القرآن، فإنه لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بها.
“The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, led us in the Fajr prayer, and the recitation became heavy for him. When he finished the salam, he said: I think you recite behind your imam. We said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah! We recite quickly. He said: Do not recite anything except Umm al-Quran (Surah Al-Fatiha), because whoever does not recite it, his prayer is not valid.”
This hadith has been declared “authentic” by Imam Ibn al-Jarud, may Allah have mercy on him
, Imam Ibn Khuzaymah, may Allah have mercy on him
, Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him
, and Imam Bayhaqi, may Allah have mercy on him
. Imam Tirmidhi graded it as Hasan, and Imam Dar Qutni, may Allah have mercy on him
, called the chain “Hasan.”
❀ Hafiz Khattabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
إسناده جيد لا مطعن فيه.
“This chain is good; there is no dispute about it.”
❀ Hafiz Ibn Malqan, may Allah have mercy on him, called its chain “good.”
Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar is considered Hasan al-Hadith by most critics of the scholars.
❀ Hafiz Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
ألأكثرون وثقوه.
“Most scholars have authenticated him.”
❀ Hafiz Abu al-Abbas Dughuli, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
إمام فى المغازي صدوق فى الرواية.
“He was an imam of battles and truthful in narration.”
❀ Hafiz Bayhaqi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا قول أئمتنا فى محمد بن إسحاق.
“This is the opinion of our scholars about Muhammad bin Ishaq.”
❀ Allama Zaili Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
الأكثر على توثيقه.
“Most scholars authenticate him.”
❀ Allama ‘Ayni Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
موثق عند الجمهور.
“He is trustworthy according to the majority.”
❀ He also says:
إن ابن إسحاق من الثقات الكبار عند الجمهور.
“Undoubtedly, according to the majority, Muhammad bin Ishaq was among the great trustworthy narrators.”
Muhammad bin Ishaq explicitly stated his hearing in Musnad Ahmad, Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, and Sahih Ibn Hibban, and ‘Alaa bin Harith also followed him.
❀ A companion narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
لعلكم تقرؤون والإمام يقرأ، قالها ثلاثا، قالوا: إنا لنفعل ذاك، قال: فلا تفعلوا إلا أن يقرأ أحدكم بفاتحة الكتاب.
“When the imam recites, do you also recite along? The Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, asked this three times, and the companions said: We do so. He said: Do not do that; rather, recite Surah Al-Fatiha.”
❀ Hafiz Bayhaqi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا إسناد صحيح.
“This chain is authentic.”
❀ Imam Ibn Khuzaymah, may Allah have mercy on him, took proof from this hadith.
❀ Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, called this hadith “Mahfuz” (preserved).
❀ Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, graded its chain as Hasan.
❀ Hafiz Busayri, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا إسناد جيد.
“This chain is excellent.”
❀ Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
إن أحدكم إذا قام فى صلاته فإنه يناجي ربه.
“When any of you stands in prayer, he is conversing with his Lord.”
❀ Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
في هذا الخبر بيان واضح بأن على المأموم قراءة فاتحة الكتاب فى صلاته، إذ المصطفى صلى الله عليه وسلم أخبر أن المصلي يناجي ربه، والمناجاة لا تكون إلا بنطق الخطاب دون التسبيح والتكبير والسكوت.
“This hadith clearly states that it is necessary for the follower to recite Surah Al-Fatiha in prayer, because the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, informed that the one praying is conversing with his Lord, and conversation is done by addressing (meaning recitation), not by glorification, takbir, or silence.”
❀ He also says:
الأمر بقراءة فاتحة الكتاب فى الصلاة أمر فرض، قامت الدلالة من أحبار أخر على صحة فرضيته، ذكرناها فى غير موضع من كتبنا والأمر بقراءة ما تيسر غير فرض، دل الإجماع على ذلك.
“The command to recite Surah Al-Fatiha in prayer is obligatory; its obligation is proven in many other hadiths, which we have mentioned in many places in our books, whereas the command to recite other than Al-Fatiha is not obligatory; consensus is evidence for this.”
Imam Abdullah bin Mubarak, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
سألت سفيان الثوري قلت: الرجل إذا قام إلى الصلاة، أى شيء ينوي بقراءته وصلاته؟ قال: ينوي أنه يناجي ربه.
“I asked Sufyan ath-Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him: When a person stands for prayer, what intention should he make for recitation and prayer? He said: He should intend that he is conversing with his Lord.”
Benefit:
❀ Sayyiduna Ubada bin Samit رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب.
“Whoever does not recite Surah Al-Fatiha, his prayer is invalid.”
This hadith is evidence that prayer is not valid without Al-Fatiha. This is the correct meaning and interpretation of this narration.
Some say that the “la” here is not for negation of the entire category, but rather negation of perfection. Meaning that the prayer is valid but not perfect; they present this hadith as evidence for that.
❀ Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
لا صلاة بحضرة الطعام.
“When food is present, there is no prayer.”
Here, consensus prevents taking “la” as negation of the entire category, because all jurists and mujtahids agree that when food is present, prayer can be performed, though there is permission to leave the congregation.
❀ Hafiz Ibn Kathir رحمه الله
states:
يمنع من ذلك إجماع، لا يعرف خلافه عن مجتهد كبير محقق.
“Here, consensus prevents taking the meaning as invalidity of the prayer; no major scholar mujtahid is known to oppose this.”
Also, regarding the hadith about Surah Al-Fatiha, when taken as negation of perfection, this narration is presented:
لا صلاة لجار المسجد إلا فى المسجد.
“The prayer of the neighbor of the mosque is only valid inside the mosque.”
This narration is weak. Similarly, this narration also comes as Mauquf from Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه, which is also weak. It is not confirmed that Saeed bin Hayyan heard it from Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه.
The hadith from Ubada bin Samit رضي الله عنه establishes that whoever does not recite Surah Al-Fatiha in prayer, his prayer is invalid. This meaning is supported by many authentic hadiths.
❀ The words of a narration from Sayyiduna Ubada bin Samit رضي الله عنه are:
لا تجزئ صلاة لا يقرأ الرجل فيها بفاتحة الكتاب.
“The prayer is not sufficient in which Surah Al-Fatiha is not recited.”
❀ Imam Daraqutni رحمه الله said its chain is “authentic.”
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
لا تجزى صلاة لا يقرأ فيها بفاتحة الكتاب.
“The prayer is not sufficient in which Surah Al-Fatiha is not recited.”
From the words لا تجزى صلاة in the hadith, it is established that the “la” mentioned in Ubada’s hadith is negation of the entire category, not negation of perfection.
