Ibn al-Qayyim’s statement on the ruling of the pause after reciting al-Fatihah in his book al-Zad al-Ma’ad.

The Shaykh : Finally, I mention here what the Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his book al-Zad al-Ma’ad regarding the guidance of the best of people. He was discussing this issue and clarifying that it is not established in the Sunnah. He said: “If there had been a pause for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) after he finished reciting al-Fatihah aloud, the motivations to transmit this pause would have been as strong as the motivations to transmit the first pause, given its length. As for the first pause, it is mentioned in the two Sahihs in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: up to the end of the well-known supplication in the opening supplications. Ibn al-Qayyim says: This silence in this place, before reciting al-Fatihah, is exactly like the claimed silence after reciting al-Fatihah. Just as they asked the Messenger (peace be upon him) about his first pause, ‘What do you say in this long pause? Allahu Akbar,’ which is something that draws attention and is why they asked, and it became clear to them that he was reciting the opening supplication. If there had been a second pause of similar length after finishing al-Fatihah, they would also have asked, ‘Why, or what do you say, O Messenger of Allah?’ He would say, as many reciters do today, ‘I do not say anything, but I pause so that the one behind me can recite al-Fatihah,’ or as some reciters do, ‘I do not pause, but I recite from the surah I intend to recite after al-Fatihah. I recite its beginning silently, for the duration of the al-Fatihah that the one behind me is reciting, and then I begin reciting aloud.’ None of this occurred. The non-occurrence of this thing is evidence that this long claimed pause after al-Fatihah has no basis. This is sufficient, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. So depart with guidance.