Ruling of Sūrat al-Fātiḥah in Prayer: Obligatory for Both Imam and Follower?
Source: Aḥkām wa Masā’il, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Vol. 1, p. 142
Question
Regarding Sūrat al-Fātiḥah in prayer: Is its recitation obligatory? If the imam or the follower (muqtadī) does not recite it, is their prayer valid?
✔ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʿammā baʿd!
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ clearly said:
"There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening of the Book (Sūrat al-Fātiḥah)."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: Kitāb al-Adhān, Bāb Wujūb al-Qirāʾah lil-Imām wal-Ma’mūm fī al-Ṣalawāt Kullihā; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Bāb Wujūb Qirāʾat al-Fātiḥah fī Kulli Rakʿah)
This ḥadīth explicitly states that reciting Sūrat al-Fātiḥah is obligatory in every prayer, whether for the imam or for the follower.
◈ If one does not recite Sūrat al-Fātiḥah, their prayer remains incomplete and invalid.
ھذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
"This is what I hold, and Allah knows best what is correct."
