Correct Method of Congregational Prayer in the Light of Sunnah

This excerpt is taken from the book Ṣaḥīḥ Ṣalāh an-Nabī ﷺ, authored by al-Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAzīz, published by Maktabah Dār al-Andalus.

When Should the Congregation Stand for Prayer?​

❀ The congregants should stand for the congregational prayer only when they see the Imam. Standing before that is not permissible. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

إِذَا أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَلَا تَقُومُوا حَتَّى تَرَوْنِي، وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّكِينَةُ

“When the prayer is called (iqāmah), do not stand until you see me, and remain calm.”

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 638; Muslim: 3604

❀ Some people enter the mosque and remain standing restlessly while waiting for the congregation. This method is incorrect. Rather, they should engage in voluntary prayers, remembrance (adhkār), supplication, and recitation of the Qur’an.

❀ Some people stand for the congregation when the mu’adhdhin says ḥayya ʿalaṣ-ṣalāh and ḥayya ʿalal-falāḥ. This practice is not established by any authentic ḥadīth.

Reciting the Opening Supplication (Duʿā’ al-Istiftāḥ)​

❀ If a follower joins the Imam while standing (qiyām), he should recite the opening supplication. The Companions رضي الله عنهم used to recite Duʿā’ al-Istiftāḥ.

Reference: Muslim: 601

❀ If the recitation is loud (jahrī), or there is fear of missing Sūrah al-Fātiḥah due to shortage of time, then one should recite al-Fātiḥah and omit the opening supplication.

The Issue of Reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah Behind the Imam​

❀ Authentic aḥādīth clearly establish that Sūrah al-Fātiḥah is a pillar of prayer. Therefore, every worshipper—whether praying alone, as an Imam, or as a follower—must recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, whether the Imam recites aloud or silently. Without it, prayer is invalid.

❀ Some people prohibit reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah behind the Imam due to sectarian adherence, even though they possess no proof from the Qur’an and Sunnah.

❀ In a ḥadīth qudsī, Allah Almighty says:

قَسَمْتُ الصَّلَاةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي نِصْفَيْنِ، وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ...

“I have divided the prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he asks for. When the servant says: ﴿الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ﴾, Allah says: ‘My servant has praised Me.’”

Reference: Muslim: 395

This proves that Sūrah al-Fātiḥah itself has been named Ṣalāh, which establishes that prayer cannot exist without it. Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه used this very ḥadīth as evidence.

❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

لَا صَلَاةَ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَقْرَأْ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ

“There is no prayer for the one who does not recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah.”

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 756; Muslim: 394

Imam al-Bukhārī رحمه الله titled a chapter:
“Reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah is obligatory upon every worshipper, whether Imam, follower, resident or traveler, in loud or silent prayer.”

❀ Another narration states:

اقْرَأْ بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ ثُمَّ اقْرَأْ بِمَا شِئْتَ

“Recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, then recite whatever you wish from the Qur’an.”

Reference: Musnad Aḥmad: 19204; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ: 324

These aḥādīth are general and apply to both individual and congregational prayer.

Explicit Proofs of Reciting al-Fātiḥah Behind the Imam​

❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

مَنْ صَلَّى خَلْفَ الإِمَامِ فَلْيَقْرَأْ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ

“Whoever prays behind the Imam must recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah.”

Reference: Musnad al-Shāmiyyīn: 291

❀ Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:

مَنْ صَلَّى صَلَاةً لَمْ يَقْرَأْ فِيهَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فَهِيَ خِدَاجٌ غَيْرُ تَمَامٍ

“Whoever prays a prayer in which he does not recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, his prayer is incomplete.”

When asked about praying behind the Imam, he replied:

اقْرَأْ بِهَا فِي نَفْسِكَ

“Recite it quietly within yourself.”

Reference: Muslim: 395

❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

لَا تَفْعَلُوا إِلَّا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا صَلَاةَ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَقْرَأْ بِهَا

“Do not recite anything except Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, for there is no prayer without it.”

Reference: Musnad Aḥmad: 23047; Ibn Ḥibbān: 1792

❀ Another narration:

فَلَا تَقْرَؤُوا بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ إِذَا جَهَرْتُ إِلَّا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ

“When I recite aloud, do not recite anything from the Qur’an except Sūrah al-Fātiḥah.”

Reference: Abū Dāwūd: 824

❀ And the Prophet ﷺ said:

لَا صَلَاةَ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَقْرَأْ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ خَلْفَ الإِمَامِ

“There is no prayer for the one who does not recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah behind the Imam.”

Reference: al-Bayhaqī, Kitāb al-Qirā’ah: 47

Saying “Āmīn” Aloud​

❀ The followers should say Āmīn aloud when the Imam says it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

إِذَا أَمَّنَ الإِمَامُ فَأَمِّنُوا

“When the Imam says Āmīn, then say Āmīn.”

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 780; Muslim: 410

❀ Even if a follower has not completed al-Fātiḥah, he should still say Āmīn with the Imam.

❀ The Prophet ﷺ said:

إِذَا أَمَّنَ الإِمَامُ فَأَمِّنُوا، فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ وَافَقَ تَأْمِينُهُ تَأْمِينَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ

“When the Imam says Āmīn, say Āmīn, for whoever’s Āmīn coincides with that of the angels, his previous sins will be forgiven.”

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 780; Muslim: 410

Following the Imam​

❀ One must not precede the Imam. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

أَمَا يَخْشَى الَّذِي يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ قَبْلَ الإِمَامِ أَنْ يُحَوِّلَ اللَّهُ رَأْسَهُ رَأْسَ حِمَارٍ

“Does the one who raises his head before the Imam not fear that Allah may turn his head into that of a donkey?”

Reference: Muslim: 427

When Differences with the Imam Are Permissible​

❀ Differences in intention are permissible: the Imam may be praying obligatory prayer while the follower prays voluntary, or vice versa.

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 711; Muslim: 465

❀ The Imam may pray sitting while followers pray standing, or vice versa.

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 713; Muslim: 418

Correcting the Imam​

❀ If the Imam forgets, the followers should correct him. The Prophet ﷺ said:

فَإِذَا نَسِيتُ فَذَكِّرُونِي

“If I forget, then remind me.”

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 401; Muslim: 572

❀ Men should say Subḥānallāh, and women should clap.

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 1203; Muslim: 422

Multiple Congregations in One Mosque​

❀ If some people arrive late, they may establish another congregation.

Reference: al-Tirmidhī: 220; Abū Dāwūd: 574

❀ Making this a habit deliberately is discouraged.

Changing Place for Sunnah Prayers​

❀ One should change place after obligatory prayer to perform Sunnah prayers. The Prophet ﷺ said:

أَتَعْجِزُونَ أَنْ تَتَقَدَّمُوا أَوْ تَتَأَخَّرُوا أَوْ تَعْدِلُوا يَمِينًا أَوْ شِمَالًا؟

“Are you unable to move forward, backward, or to the right or left (to pray voluntary prayers)?”

Reference: Abū Dāwūd: 1006; Ibn Mājah: 1427