Four Rulings on Reciting al-Fātiḥah During the Imam’s Pauses in Salah

❖ Four Rulings on the Follower’s (Muqtadī’s) Recitation During the Imam’s Pauses ❖
Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Volume 1, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Page 310

❖ Statement of Imām al-Bukhārī (رحمه الله):​

Imām al-Bukhārī said:


"We say: the follower should recite during the Imam’s pauses."
(Juzʾ al-Qirāʾah, p. 32)

❖ When and Why Should the Imam Pause?​

It is preferable for the Imam to make two pauses (saktāt) during Salah:


➊ First Pause: Immediately after Takbīr al-Taḥrīmah
➋ Second Pause: After completing the recitation (before going into rukūʿ)


Purpose: To allow the follower (muqtadī) time to recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah.

❖ How Should the Follower Recite?​

Sūrah al-Fātiḥah must be recited in every state.
Its recitation is essential for both the Imam and the follower.

✦ If the Imam is reciting aloud (e.g., in Fajr, Maghrib, ʿIshāʾ):​

◈ The follower should recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah during the Imam’s pauses.
◈ No additional surah should be recited by the follower in such cases.

✦ If the Imam is reciting silently (e.g., Ẓuhr, ʿAṣr):​

◈ The follower may recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah,
◈ and may also recite another surah after it.


➡ This ruling has been cited by ʿAbd al-Sattār Somro (Karachi).

❖ Important Clarifications:​

✔ When quoting an Imam or referencing a book, the citation should be clearly distinguished and presented with proper attribution.
✔ One’s own opinions should be presented separately from sourced material to maintain scholarly integrity.

❖ The Follower’s Responsibility:​

① Whether or not the Imam makes pauses, it is obligatory (farḍ) on the follower to recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah.
② If the Imam pauses, the follower should utilize those pauses to recite al-Fātiḥah.
③ If the Imam does not pause, the follower must still recite al-Fātiḥah, even if that means reciting quietly alongside the Imam’s recitation.


هذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب