If the imam finishes reciting al-Fatihah and the ma'mums precede him in saying "Ameen," and then the imam says it, do I raise my voice in saying "Ameen" alone after the imam says "Ameen," or...

The questioner : You mentioned earlier, O Shaykh, that when the imam recites al-Fatihah and finishes, we remain silent until he finishes.

The Shaykh : What if he recites al-Fatihah?

The questioner : And finishes, do you say "Ameen" until he says "Ameen"?

The Shaykh : Until he begins.

The questioner : They said that all the believers say "Ameen." Do I remain silent while the imam has said "Ameen" but I did not hear him?

The Shaykh : Do you not remain silent?

The questioner : Because the ma'mums say it before the imam.

The Shaykh : Never mind, but you do not hear?

The questioner : No, I hear it. After they finish, do I say "Ameen" alone by raising my voice, or do I lower my voice?

The Shaykh : This depends on your belief: is raising the voice a recommended practice (sunnah) or is lowering it? The issue does not differ. If you think the follower should raise his voice, you raise your voice. If you think you should say it quietly, you say it quietly. The issue does not differ. We hold, for example, that the imam raises his voice to achieve the following mentioned in the hadith. So you are in one of two states: either you hear or you do not hear. In the first case, the path is clear: do not precede him, as we were discussing. In the other case, strive not to precede him. "Strive" means, as long as you have not heard it. But the whole inquiry is when you hear the imam's "Ameen." In this case, what is obligatory for the followers? That they do not precede him. So you have brought up a branch now. This branch, first, does not result from the root, and second, every question has its answer. But what is your opinion? This is also a nice one. Are these Saudi brothers?