Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
Is there any authentic evidence that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ or his Companions said Āmīn quietly after Sūrah al-Fātiḥah?
There is no authentic ḥadīth that proves the Prophet ﷺ or any of his Companions ever said Āmīn quietly.
All narrations reported on this matter are unreliable and weak (ḍaʿīf).
In contrast, numerous authentic aḥādīth and reports from the Companions (āthār aṣ-ṣaḥābah) clearly establish that Āmīn was said aloud after the recitation of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah.
Imām Isḥāq ibn Rāhwayh رحمه الله said:
“I asked Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal رحمه الله:
‘Should Āmīn be said aloud?’
He replied: ‘Yes, by Allah! Both the imām and the follower should say Āmīn aloud.’”
He further said:
“Loud Āmīn is the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions.
The imām should say Āmīn loud enough so that at least the people in the first rows can hear him — and if it reaches the last rows, that is even better — so that even the women standing behind the men can hear it.”
He added:
“Even if others abandon it, neither the imām nor the follower should leave this Sunnah.
One should not be shy or afraid in acting upon it, for Allah does not feel shy of the truth.”
(Masā’il Aḥmad wa Isḥāq ibn Rāhwayh, narrated by al-Kawsaj, 1/138)
Conclusion:
❖ Question:
Is there any authentic evidence that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ or his Companions said Āmīn quietly after Sūrah al-Fātiḥah?
✿ Answer:
There is no authentic ḥadīth that proves the Prophet ﷺ or any of his Companions ever said Āmīn quietly.
All narrations reported on this matter are unreliable and weak (ḍaʿīf).
In contrast, numerous authentic aḥādīth and reports from the Companions (āthār aṣ-ṣaḥābah) clearly establish that Āmīn was said aloud after the recitation of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah.
✿ Statement of the Early Imams:
Imām Isḥāq ibn Rāhwayh رحمه الله said:
“I asked Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal رحمه الله:
‘Should Āmīn be said aloud?’
He replied: ‘Yes, by Allah! Both the imām and the follower should say Āmīn aloud.’”
He further said:
“Loud Āmīn is the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions.
The imām should say Āmīn loud enough so that at least the people in the first rows can hear him — and if it reaches the last rows, that is even better — so that even the women standing behind the men can hear it.”
He added:
“Even if others abandon it, neither the imām nor the follower should leave this Sunnah.
One should not be shy or afraid in acting upon it, for Allah does not feel shy of the truth.”
(Masā’il Aḥmad wa Isḥāq ibn Rāhwayh, narrated by al-Kawsaj, 1/138)
Conclusion:- There is no evidence from the Prophet ﷺ or the Companions for saying Āmīn quietly.
- Saying Āmīn aloud after Sūrah al-Fātiḥah is the authentic Sunnah, practiced and emphasized by the Prophet ﷺ, his Companions, and the early scholars of ḥadīth.
