The opinions of the jurists on this issue are as follows:
The Hanafi School:
In this matter, the Hanafi school holds that the Imam will say Ameen in a low voice, and in the narration of Imam Hasan al-Shaybani, which he reports from Imam Abu Hanifa:
لا يقولها مطلقا أى سرا ولا جهرا
“The Imam will not say Ameen absolutely, neither in a loud voice nor in a low voice.”
The Hanafi evidences are as follows:
1- They have taken evidence from the narration of Wail ibn Hujr رضي الله عنه:
أنه قال: آمين وخفض بها صوته
“We said Ameen and kept our voice low while saying Ameen.”
2- And they have also taken evidence from the statement of Abdullah ibn Mas’ud رضي الله عنه:
أربع يخفيهن الإمام التعوذ، والتسمية والتأمين والتحميد
“There are four things which the Imam will say in a low voice: seeking refuge (Ta’awwudh), Bismillah, Ameen, and Alhamdulillah.”
The discussion of the arguments of the Hanafis is as follows:
The first argument of the Hanafis, from which they deduce the non-existence of the Imam saying Ameen aloud, is the narration of Wail bin Hujr رضي الله عنه:
أنه قال: آمين وخفض بها صوته
“The Hanafis’ argument from this narration is not correct.”
And the discussion on this narration has already passed in the first chapter of the first section of Mabahith Awwal, refer to it; there is no need to present it again here.
And the Hanafis’ argument with the statement of Abdullah bin Mas’ud رضي الله عنه is also no proof for their claim, because in reality it is the statement of Ibrahim Nakha’i which Ibn Abi Shaybah has narrated in his Musannaf as has been mentioned before.
And even if this statement of Abdullah bin Mas’ud رضي الله عنه is proven and its chain is authentic up to him, still it cannot be taken as evidence because it explicitly contradicts the authentic Prophetic hadith, which is the hadith of Wail bin Hujr رضي الله عنه narrated with the narration of Sufyan Thawri, who narrates from Muslim bin Khail from Hujr bin Al-Anbas, and its words are:
قرأ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ﴿غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ﴾ قال آمين ومد بها صوته
“The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم recited غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ and said Ameen, and while saying Ameen he prolonged his voice.”
وفي رواية لأبي داود قال: آمين ورفع بها صوته
“And the wording of Abu Dawood’s narration is that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said Ameen and raised his voice while saying Ameen.”
The authentication of this hadith has already passed in the first chapter of the first section of Mabahith Awwal. You can see it from there. And there is another narration of Abu Dawood, its wording is:
أنه صلى خلف النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فجهر بآمين
“That they prayed behind the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, so he said Ameen aloud.”
And the reason the Hanafis have presented to support their madhhab is that Ameen is a supplication and the basis of supplication is that it is hidden. And in response to their reason, Mubarakpuri states: I say the strength of some people’s argument is based on the first premise that Ameen is a supplication and it must be kept hidden, according to Allah’s statement:
﴿ادْعُوا رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً﴾
“Call upon your Lord humbly and privately.”
So from this perspective, Ameen should also be considered hidden, and there is no doubt that if the minor and major premises are proven true, then the conclusion will also be correct. But there is doubt in the validity of the minor premise: we do not accept that Ameen is a supplication; rather, we say that Ameen is to supplication what a seal is to a letter, as Imam Abu Dawood has explained from the hadith of Abi Zuhair Al-Nimiri:
إن آمين مثل الطابع على الصحيفة
Indeed, Ameen is like a seal on a letter.
Then he mentioned the statement of the Prophet of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم:
إن ختم بآمين فقد أوجب
“That if a supplication ends with Ameen, then its acceptance becomes obligatory.”
And if we accept that Ameen is a supplication, then we say it is not originally an independent supplication but one of the accompanying things; therefore, Ameen alone is not said as a supplication but first the supplication is made and then Ameen is said. What appears evident is that saying Ameen aloud or silently depends on the nature of the supplication: if the supplication is aloud, then Ameen will also be aloud, and if the supplication is silent, then Ameen will also be silent. And even if we accept that Ameen is the original supplication, then we do not accept the major premise. Do you not see that indeed:
وَاهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ
“It is a supplication and it is recited aloud in audible prayers, and similarly many other supplications are recited aloud, thus it is proven that Ameen is said aloud.”
And this is the kind of argument of the Hanafis which is not to be inclined towards.
The Maliki School of Thought:
Here, there are two narrations in the Maliki school of thought:
First Narration:
Ibn al-Qasim narrates from Imam Malik:
إن الإمام لا يقول آمين إنما يقول ذلك من خلفه دونه
“The Imam will not say ‘Ameen’; rather, only those standing behind will say ‘Ameen’ except the Imam.”
This statement is from Ibn al-Qasim and the Egyptian students of Imam Malik.
Second Narration:
This is the narration from the people of Madinah from Imam Malik:
Among them are Abdul Malik bin Majshoon, Mutrif bin Abdullah, Abu Musab Al-Zuhri, Abdullah bin Nafi; the statement of all these people is:
That the Imam and those behind him will say Ameen, and some of the people of Madinah also say that Ameen should not be said aloud.
Their evidences are as follows:
The first group relied on the narration of Sumi, which he narrates from Abu Salih, and he narrates from Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه:
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: إذا قال الإمام ﴿غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ﴾ فقولوا: آمين
“Indeed, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: When the Imam غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ says, then you say Ameen.”
And a similar hadith to Sumi’s narration also comes from Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari رضي الله عنه.
The reason for the argument is as follows:
The first group said that this hadith proves that the Imam وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ will limit himself to the recitation and will not say more words, and the follower will say Ameen.
And the second group relied on the narration of Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه and Wail bin Hujr رضي الله عنه, both of which are authentically proven from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
The reason presented by the first group for their position is that the procedure in supplication is that the listener says Ameen, not the one who is supplicating, and the end of Surah Al-Fatiha is a supplication, therefore the Imam will not say Ameen, because he is the one supplicating.
The discussion and possibilities regarding their evidences are as follows:
The companions of Malik say that the Imam will not say Ameen. They relied on the apparent meaning of the hadith of Sumi Mawla Abi Bakr.
“Hafiz Ibn Hazm رحمه الله says about this: This matter is absolutely not proven from any of the Companions رضي الله عنهم, nor from any of the Tabi‘in, nor do they have any evidence to forbid it.”
Yes! Some people who are stuck in blind imitation said that Sumi Mawla Abi Bakr and Suhail bin Abi Salih both narrate from Abi Salih, who narrates from Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه:
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: إذا قال القارئ ﴿غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ﴾ فقال من خلفه آمين فوافق قوله قول أهل السماء غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه
“Indeed, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: When the reciter غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ says, those behind him say Ameen, and if his Ameen coincides with the angels of the heavens, then all his past sins are forgiven.”
These words are from Suhail’s narration.
And the words of Sumi’s narration are that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
إذا قال الإمام ﴿غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ﴾ فقولوا آمين
When the Imam غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ says, then you say Ameen.
So they say that this hadith does not mention the Imam saying Ameen.
Hafiz Ibn Hazm رحمه الله says that the reason given by the first group for their position is rejected because there is an authentic hadith narrated by the Four Sunan and others.
It is narrated in their books and contains these words:
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قرأ ﴿غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ﴾ He said: Ameen and prolonged his voice.
Indeed, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم recited غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ, he said Ameen and prolonged his voice.
And in some narrations, the words رَفَعَ بِهَا صَوْتَهُ “he raised his voice” are also present, and in some narrations it is mentioned that when he recited وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ, he said Ameen aloud.
Rather, when it is recommended for the listener to say Ameen, then it is all the more recommended for the one supplicating, and they also said as evidence for their madhhab: Just as in the language Ameen is called a supplication, similarly the supplication can also be called Ameen. So they took evidence from Allah’s statement:
قَدْ أُجِيبَتْ دَعْوَتُكُمَا
“Your two prayers have been accepted.”
These words were said for Prophet Musa عليه السلام and Prophet Harun عليه السلام.
There is no difference among the commentators that Prophet Musa عليه السلام was supplicating and Prophet Harun عليه السلام was saying Ameen, so Allah used these words for both of them: قَدْ أُجِيبَتْ دَعْوَتُكُمَا.
Hafiz Abu Umar Ibn Abdul Barr رحمه الله says:
Whatever they have said regarding this reference has no evidence whatsoever, nor is there anything in the language where the supplication is called Ameen.
If their claim is proven correct and their interpretation is accepted, then it might be possible that Ameen is called a supplication, but the supplication cannot be called Ameen because Allah said:
قَدْ أُجِيبَتْ دَعْوَتُكُمَا
“Your two prayers have been accepted,” it was not said that your two Ameens have been accepted.
The person who calls the supplication Ameen is heedless and has no insight regarding Allah’s statement قَدْ أُجِيبَتْ دَعْوَتُكُمَا. It is said here that the supplication is for both of them and its benefit returns to both of them regarding revenge from their enemies, therefore it is said قَدْ أُجِيبَتْ دَعْوَتُكُمَا ” دَعْوَتَا كُمَا“, not said.
And if Ameen were a supplication, then it should have been: قَدْ أُجِيبَتْ دَعْوَتَاكُمَا, and it would also be permissible to call the one who says Ameen a caller (da’i), because Ameen means O Allah, accept our supplication. Based on the evidences we have presented earlier, it is impermissible to call the supplication Ameen. And Allah knows best.
The Shafi’i School of Thought:
The Shafi’i school holds that in audible prayers, the Imam should say “Ameen” aloud.
Their evidences are as follows:
The Shafi’is have deduced from the hadith of Hazrat Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه:
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: إذا أمن الإمام فآمنوا فإنه من وافق تأمينه تأمين الملائكة غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه
The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: When the Imam says Ameen, you should also say Ameen. Indeed, whoever’s Ameen coincides with the Ameen of the angels, all his previous sins will be forgiven.
Similarly, they have also deduced from the narration of Wail ibn Hujr رضي الله عنه, who said:
سمعت النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قرأ ﴿غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ﴾ فقال: آمين مد بها صوته
I heard the Prophet of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم say Ameen in a prolonged voice when he reached it.
وفي رواية أبى داود: رفع بها صوته
And the wording of Abu Dawood’s narration is: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said Ameen aloud.
They have also deduced from the narration of Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه, who said:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا فرغ من قراءة أم القرآن رفع صوته فقال: آمين
When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم finished reciting Umm al-Qur’an (i.e., Surah Al-Fatiha), he used to say Ameen aloud.
They have also taken evidence from the report of Abdullah ibn Zubair رضي الله عنه, which is:
قال عطاء آمين دعاء أمن ابن الزبير ومن وراءه حتى إن للمسجد لجة
Ata said: Ameen is a supplication. Ibn Zubair رضي الله عنه and those praying behind him said Ameen so loudly that the mosque echoed.
The discussion of their evidences is as follows:
The hadith of Hazrat Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه إذا أمن الإمام فآمنوا has been used by the Shafi’is as evidence, and there is consensus on the authenticity of this narration.
The narration of Wail ibn Hujr رضي الله عنه, which contains these words: فقال: آمين مد بها صوته is undoubtedly authentic, and the narration of Hazrat Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه إذا فرغ من قراءة أم القرآن regarding this narration, Imam Darqutni رحمه الله says: هذا إسناد حسن This chain is of Hasan grade, and Imam Hakim رحمه الله says: هذا حديث صحيح This hadith is authentic.
And the report of Ibn Zubair رضي الله عنه was cited with a suspended chain by Imam Bukhari رحمه الله in his Sahih, and when Imam Bukhari رحمه الله suspends a narration with a jussive form, as he did with this report, then such a suspended narration is considered authentic by him and others. Imam Abd al-Razzaq has also reported it as Mawsul in his Musannaf.
The Religion of the Hanbalis:
The Hanabali school holds that the Imam will say Ameen aloud in the prayers.
Their evidences are as follows:
They have taken proof from the narration of Hazrat Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: إذا أمن الإمام فآمنوا
Indeed, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: When the Imam says Ameen, then you also say Ameen.
They have also taken proof from the narration of Wail ibn Hujr رضي الله عنه:
فقال: آمين مد بها صوته
That the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said Ameen and raised his voice.
And they have also taken proof from the narration of Ibn Zubair رضي الله عنه:
قال عطاء: آمين دعاء أمن ابن الزبير ومن وراءه حتى إن للمسجد لجة
Ata said: Ameen is a supplication; Ibn Zubair رضي الله عنه and those praying behind him said Ameen so loudly that the mosque echoed.
And they informed us that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said Ameen
ورفع بها صوته
and raised his voice.
And because the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم commanded the follower to say Ameen along with the Imam’s Ameen, and if Ameen were not said aloud, it would not have been linked with the Imam’s Ameen, just as it is not linked when said silently. And the evidences they have cited become invalid at the end of Surah Al-Fatiha, because it is a supplication and it will be said aloud, and the supplication in Tashahhud is also subordinate to it silently, whereas here Ameen is subordinate to the recitation, so it will be followed aloud.
Discussion of the evidences is as follows:
All the proofs and arguments from which they have derived their reasoning are correct, as has been mentioned in the Shafi’i school of thought.
The Preferred Position on the Issue of the Imam Saying Ameen Aloud:
I say: The preferred position on this issue is that the Imam should say Ameen aloud in audible prayers, based on the following evidences listed below:
Firstly:
Based on the Hadith of Hazrat Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه:
إذا أمن الإمام فآمنوا فإنه من وافق تأمينه تأمين الملائكة غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه
When the Imam says Ameen, you should also say Ameen, because whoever’s Ameen coincides with the Ameen of the angels, all his previous sins will be forgiven.
If the Imam does not say Ameen aloud, it is not possible for the follower to say Ameen with the Imam, nor can there be concurrence with him in saying Ameen.
Secondly:
Based on the Hadith of Hazrat Wa’il bin Hujr رضي اللہ عنہ:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا قال: وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ He said: Ameen, raising his voice with it.
When the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ, he used to say Ameen loudly.
وفي رواية: فجهر بآمين
And the words of one narration are: He used to say Ameen aloud.
وفي لفظ: وطول بها
And the words of another are: He used to prolong the Ameen.
This narration supports the Imam saying Ameen aloud. It is a more explicit and clear narration than the one from Hazrat Abu Hurairah رضي اللہ عنہ, and this Hadith is authentic without any doubt.
And the narration of Sha’bah رحمه اللہ in which these words are present: وخفض بها صوته that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم kept his voice low.
This has been discussed in the first chapter, first section, and this narration does not establish proof or evidence.
Thirdly:
Based on the Hadith of Hazrat Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه:
كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا فرغ من قراءة أم القرآن رفع صوته وقال: آمين
When the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم finished reciting Umm al-Quran, he used to say Ameen aloud.
Imam Darqutni رحمه الله said about this Hadith: Its chain of narration is Hasan (good) and this narration serves as a text to resolve this disputed issue.
And Imam Ibn Qayyim رحمه الله has mentioned several preferences, some of which are as follows:
Ibn Qayyim رحمه الله says: Certainly Abu al-Walid al-Tayalisi is sufficient for you. He narrates from Imam Shu’bah رحمه الله and his text is in agreement with Thawri رحمه الله.
He also stated that although these two narrations may contradict each other, the narration that mentions saying Ameen aloud contains some additional detail and is more deserving of acceptance.
And Imam Tirmidhi رحمه الله, after mentioning the narration of Wa’il bin Hujr رضي الله عنه, says: This is the opinion held by most scholars except a few, from the companions of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, the Tabi‘in, and those after them. All these people believe that a person should say Ameen not in a low voice but aloud. Regarding the narration which Imam Abdul Razzaq narrated from Ibn Jurayj, he said: I asked ‘Ata’ about his stance on Ameen, and he replied:
لا أدعها أبدا
“I never leave it (saying Ameen aloud).”
