When does the follower recite al-Fatihah in the loud prayers if the imam does not pause after al-Fatihah, and is this pause a recommended practice or obligatory?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : May Allah reward you. He says:The questioner : When is the recitation of al-Fatihah for the follower behind the imam in the loud prayers completed if the imam does not pause, meaning the pause after al-Fatihah, and is the imam's pause a recommended practice or obligatory?
The Shaykh : The pause of some imams after they finish reciting al-Fatihah has no basis in the Sunnah whatsoever. We mean a long pause that takes up as much time as the imam took when he recited al-Fatihah. For example, if the imam's recitation of al-Fatihah takes two minutes, there is no evidence in the Sunnah that the imam pauses for two minutes after finishing al-Fatihah to allow the followers to recite al-Fatihah. Everything that has come in the Sunnah, despite differences in its authenticity, is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had two pauses: a pause at the opening takbir of the prayer and a pause after finishing the recitation. This is the hadith of al-Hasan al-Basri from Samurah ibn Jundub and Ubayy ibn Ka'b. This second pause has differences among the narrators in its specification. Some of them stated it generally, saying "when he finishes the recitation," meaning the entire recitation, meaning before bowing. Others said: "when he finishes reciting al-Fatihah." Here, we cannot say that there are two images, one general and one specific, because the narration is one. Rather, the science of hadith intervenes here to prefer one narration over another. Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) did this in his book *Zad al-Ma'ad*. He mentioned that the narrators who said "when he finishes the entire recitation" are more trustworthy and more numerous than those who said "when he finishes reciting al-Fatihah." Therefore, this pause after al-Fatihah was not reported; rather, it was reported via al-Hasan, as we said, from Samurah and Ubayy, before bowing.
Ibn al-Qayyim says that this pause is a natural pause to catch one's breath and spirit, such that he intends to bow and prostrate, and so on for the other actions of the prayer. Then, even if it were established that the stronger opinion is the opposite of what we mentioned, meaning that the imam, who was the Messenger (peace be upon him), also paused after finishing the recitation of al-Fatihah, this pause does not have that length that allows the follower to recite al-Fatihah. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) confirms this by saying: "If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had paused for a long time after finishing the recitation of al-Fatihah, the motives would have been present to transmit this pause and to turn to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to ask him about this pause, as happened with the first pause". The Shaykhs al-Bukhari and Muslim reported in their *Sahih*s from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: up to the end of the supplication mentioned in the two Sahihs, and it is mentioned in the description of the prayer and other books of dhikr. This long pause, which allowed for this supplication, attracted the attention of the Companions, so they turned to him (peace be upon him) and asked what he was saying, and he answered them. If the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) had paused after this pause, after finishing al-Fatihah, they would have asked him as well, and he would have answered them: "I pause so that the follower can recite al-Fatihah, for there is no prayer for one who does not recite the Opening of the Book." But none of that happened, which indicates that this pause was a natural pause. Because when the imam began to finish reciting al-Fatihah, he began to take a breath to recite the recitation that follows. So this pause is a completely ordinary pause, not a long devotional pause to create time for the follower to recite the Opening of the Book.
On this occasion, I say: It is upon those people, especially the imams who see the legitimacy of this pause after the imam finishes reciting al-Fatihah, if they see that, and it is not established as we explained. But we cannot impose an opinion on people who have adopted an opinion for themselves. However, it is upon us to clarify to people what we have of knowledge. Then whoever wishes may adopt it, and whoever wishes may remain with what he had adopted. But if one adopts something, he must apply it as he adopted it. So you, O imam, see the legitimacy of your pause after al-Fatihah in order for the follower to be able to recite it, but you do not pause this long pause. The reader behind this imam or that one hardly recites less than half of al-Fatihah before he is what? He is saying the takbir for bowing. So either you follow the recitation after finishing al-Fatihah without the intended long pause, or you lengthen it by an amount that allows the followers behind you to recite this blessed surah, Surat al-Fatihah. Yes.
The Shaykh : The pause of some imams after they finish reciting al-Fatihah has no basis in the Sunnah whatsoever. We mean a long pause that takes up as much time as the imam took when he recited al-Fatihah. For example, if the imam's recitation of al-Fatihah takes two minutes, there is no evidence in the Sunnah that the imam pauses for two minutes after finishing al-Fatihah to allow the followers to recite al-Fatihah. Everything that has come in the Sunnah, despite differences in its authenticity, is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had two pauses: a pause at the opening takbir of the prayer and a pause after finishing the recitation. This is the hadith of al-Hasan al-Basri from Samurah ibn Jundub and Ubayy ibn Ka'b. This second pause has differences among the narrators in its specification. Some of them stated it generally, saying "when he finishes the recitation," meaning the entire recitation, meaning before bowing. Others said: "when he finishes reciting al-Fatihah." Here, we cannot say that there are two images, one general and one specific, because the narration is one. Rather, the science of hadith intervenes here to prefer one narration over another. Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) did this in his book *Zad al-Ma'ad*. He mentioned that the narrators who said "when he finishes the entire recitation" are more trustworthy and more numerous than those who said "when he finishes reciting al-Fatihah." Therefore, this pause after al-Fatihah was not reported; rather, it was reported via al-Hasan, as we said, from Samurah and Ubayy, before bowing.
Ibn al-Qayyim says that this pause is a natural pause to catch one's breath and spirit, such that he intends to bow and prostrate, and so on for the other actions of the prayer. Then, even if it were established that the stronger opinion is the opposite of what we mentioned, meaning that the imam, who was the Messenger (peace be upon him), also paused after finishing the recitation of al-Fatihah, this pause does not have that length that allows the follower to recite al-Fatihah. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) confirms this by saying: "If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had paused for a long time after finishing the recitation of al-Fatihah, the motives would have been present to transmit this pause and to turn to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to ask him about this pause, as happened with the first pause". The Shaykhs al-Bukhari and Muslim reported in their *Sahih*s from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pause for a moment when he said the takbir for the prayer. We said: O Messenger of Allah, what do you say in your pause between the takbir and the recitation? He said: I say: O Allah, distance me from my sins as You have distanced the East from the West.
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم إذا كبر للصلاة سكت هنية فقلنا يا رسول الله : أرأيت سكوتك بين التكبير والقراءة ماذا تقول؟ قال : أقول: اللهم باعد بيني وبين خطاياي كما باعدت بين المشرق والمغربOn this occasion, I say: It is upon those people, especially the imams who see the legitimacy of this pause after the imam finishes reciting al-Fatihah, if they see that, and it is not established as we explained. But we cannot impose an opinion on people who have adopted an opinion for themselves. However, it is upon us to clarify to people what we have of knowledge. Then whoever wishes may adopt it, and whoever wishes may remain with what he had adopted. But if one adopts something, he must apply it as he adopted it. So you, O imam, see the legitimacy of your pause after al-Fatihah in order for the follower to be able to recite it, but you do not pause this long pause. The reader behind this imam or that one hardly recites less than half of al-Fatihah before he is what? He is saying the takbir for bowing. So either you follow the recitation after finishing al-Fatihah without the intended long pause, or you lengthen it by an amount that allows the followers behind you to recite this blessed surah, Surat al-Fatihah. Yes.