Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
Does Surah Al-A‘rāf (verse 204) negate the recitation of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah by the follower (muqtadī)? Please also provide the views of the Companions on this matter.
Those who prohibit the follower (muqtadī) from reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah during prayer often cite the following verse from Surah Al-A‘rāf as evidence:
﴿وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنْصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ﴾
“When the Qur’an is recited, listen to it attentively and remain silent, so that you may receive mercy.”
(Al-A‘rāf: 204)
① None among the early generations (khayr al-qurūn) ever interpreted this verse as a prohibition for the follower from reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah.
② This verse was revealed during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, yet he ﷺ never forbade his followers from reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in audible (jahri) prayers; rather, he commanded them to do so.
③ The verse is general in meaning. While the general command of the Qur’an requires attentive listening during recitation, hadith evidence provides a specific exception — the recitation of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah by the follower.
يعني في الصلاة المفروضة.
“That is, during the obligatory prayer.”
(Al-Qirā’ah by al-Bayhaqī, p. 88)
However, this narration is weak because:
في الصلاة.
“It refers to the prayer.”
(Al-Qirā’ah by al-Bayhaqī, p. 87)
This narration is very weak because:
“When the leaders (imāms) among the Children of Israel used to recite, their followers would also recite along with them. Allah disliked this practice for this Ummah and revealed:
﴿وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنْصِتُوا﴾
‘When the Qur’an is recited, listen attentively and remain silent.’”
(Al-Durr al-Manthūr by al-Suyūṭī, 3/156)
This report is unsourced (mursal, without chain).
Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه once said to his followers:
لعلكم تقرؤون؟ قلنا: نعم، قال: ألا تفقهون؟ ما لكم لا تعقلون؟ ﴿وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنْصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ﴾
“Perhaps you recite (along with me)? We said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘Do you not understand? Why do you not reason? Allah says:
When the Qur’an is recited, listen to it attentively and remain silent so that you may be shown mercy.”
(Tafsīr Ibn Abī Ḥātim: 1775 – chain ḥasan)
There is no mention here that Ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه forbade his followers from reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah specifically. The wording refers to general recitation, which is best understood as applying to the recitation following Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, not to al-Fātiḥah itself.
Conclusion:
The verse (Al-A‘rāf: 204) instructs attentive listening during Qur’anic recitation in prayer, but does not prohibit the follower from reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah.
Authentic hadith evidence clearly establishes that the follower must recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, while refraining from other recitation when the Imām recites aloud.
❖ Question:
Does Surah Al-A‘rāf (verse 204) negate the recitation of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah by the follower (muqtadī)? Please also provide the views of the Companions on this matter.
✿ Answer:
Those who prohibit the follower (muqtadī) from reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah during prayer often cite the following verse from Surah Al-A‘rāf as evidence:
﴿وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنْصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ﴾
“When the Qur’an is recited, listen to it attentively and remain silent, so that you may receive mercy.”
(Al-A‘rāf: 204)
✿ Analytical Review:
① None among the early generations (khayr al-qurūn) ever interpreted this verse as a prohibition for the follower from reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah.
② This verse was revealed during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, yet he ﷺ never forbade his followers from reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in audible (jahri) prayers; rather, he commanded them to do so.
③ The verse is general in meaning. While the general command of the Qur’an requires attentive listening during recitation, hadith evidence provides a specific exception — the recitation of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah by the follower.
✿ Statements of the Companions:
① Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما:
يعني في الصلاة المفروضة.
“That is, during the obligatory prayer.”
(Al-Qirā’ah by al-Bayhaqī, p. 88)
However, this narration is weak because:
- ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥah did not hear directly from Ibn ʿAbbās.
- ʿAbdullāh ibn Ṣāliḥ, the scribe of al-Layth, is a frequently erroneous narrator.
② Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Mughaffal رضي الله عنه:
في الصلاة.
“It refers to the prayer.”
(Al-Qirā’ah by al-Bayhaqī, p. 87)
This narration is very weak because:
- Abū Miqdām Hishām ibn Ziyād is weak and abandoned (matrūk).
- Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī is a mudallis and has not clearly stated hearing this report.
③ Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما:
“When the leaders (imāms) among the Children of Israel used to recite, their followers would also recite along with them. Allah disliked this practice for this Ummah and revealed:
﴿وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنْصِتُوا﴾
‘When the Qur’an is recited, listen attentively and remain silent.’”
(Al-Durr al-Manthūr by al-Suyūṭī, 3/156)
This report is unsourced (mursal, without chain).
Important Clarification:
Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه once said to his followers:
لعلكم تقرؤون؟ قلنا: نعم، قال: ألا تفقهون؟ ما لكم لا تعقلون؟ ﴿وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنْصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ﴾
“Perhaps you recite (along with me)? We said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘Do you not understand? Why do you not reason? Allah says:
When the Qur’an is recited, listen to it attentively and remain silent so that you may be shown mercy.”
(Tafsīr Ibn Abī Ḥātim: 1775 – chain ḥasan)
There is no mention here that Ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه forbade his followers from reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah specifically. The wording refers to general recitation, which is best understood as applying to the recitation following Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, not to al-Fātiḥah itself.
Conclusion:The verse (Al-A‘rāf: 204) instructs attentive listening during Qur’anic recitation in prayer, but does not prohibit the follower from reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah.
Authentic hadith evidence clearly establishes that the follower must recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, while refraining from other recitation when the Imām recites aloud.
