When does the latecomer catch up with the imam in a unit of prayer, and what is the validity of the claim that catching up with a unit of prayer does not occur through bowing, because the recitation of al-Fatihah is a pillar without which the prayer is not valid?
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The questioner : May Allah honor you, O Shaykh. Is there a preference among the hadiths, as is mentioned in al-Bukhari and others? For example, some of the brothers do not consider catching up with the unit of prayer to be achieved by catching up with the bowing, and they justify this by saying that the hadiths regarding the recitation of al-Fatihah were reported in al-Bukhari, and this is in...
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : The hadiths regarding the recitation of al-Fatihah were reported in al-Bukhari.
The Shaykh : They were reported in al-Bukhari. Ask me whether he reads al-Fatihah or not. But, I know the hadiths you are referring to.
The questioner : They justify the second hadith by saying that it was reported in Abu Dawud.
The Shaykh : Leave us alone with this. What is your question?
The questioner : My question is about the elevation of some hadiths over others, as is mentioned in al-Bukhari and others.
The Shaykh : What do you want?
The questioner : I want to know that they say catching up with the unit of prayer does not occur by catching up with the bowing.
The Shaykh : That is it.
The questioner : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : Well, some scholars hold that the recitation of al-Fatihah is necessary in every unit of prayer, even for the latecomer if he catches up with the imam while he is bowing. In that case, he says the takbir and bows with the imam, and that unit of prayer is not counted. This opinion is undoubtedly weak, and it is weakened by the hadith of Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him), in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him when he informed him that he had hastened and rushed to catch up with the imam while he was bowing:Sunan Abi Dawud 683Sahih (Al-Albani) If he had not caught up with the unit of prayer, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have ordered him to make it up. The silence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding making it up indicates that by catching up with the bowing, one catches up with the unit of prayer. This is from the perspective of the report.
From the perspective of reasoning, it can be said: When is the recitation of al-Fatihah? In what state?
The questioner : In the state of standing.
The Shaykh : In the state of standing. The standing has now been dropped due to the obligation of following the imam, so the obligatory remembrance within it is dropped as a consequence. Do you understand?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is the correct view: that if a person catches up with the bowing, he has caught up with the unit of prayer.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : The hadiths regarding the recitation of al-Fatihah were reported in al-Bukhari.
The Shaykh : They were reported in al-Bukhari. Ask me whether he reads al-Fatihah or not. But, I know the hadiths you are referring to.
The questioner : They justify the second hadith by saying that it was reported in Abu Dawud.
The Shaykh : Leave us alone with this. What is your question?
The questioner : My question is about the elevation of some hadiths over others, as is mentioned in al-Bukhari and others.
The Shaykh : What do you want?
The questioner : I want to know that they say catching up with the unit of prayer does not occur by catching up with the bowing.
The Shaykh : That is it.
The questioner : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : Well, some scholars hold that the recitation of al-Fatihah is necessary in every unit of prayer, even for the latecomer if he catches up with the imam while he is bowing. In that case, he says the takbir and bows with the imam, and that unit of prayer is not counted. This opinion is undoubtedly weak, and it is weakened by the hadith of Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him), in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him when he informed him that he had hastened and rushed to catch up with the imam while he was bowing:
May Allah increase your eagerness! But do not do it again.
زادك الله حرصاً ولا تعدFrom the perspective of reasoning, it can be said: When is the recitation of al-Fatihah? In what state?
The questioner : In the state of standing.
The Shaykh : In the state of standing. The standing has now been dropped due to the obligation of following the imam, so the obligatory remembrance within it is dropped as a consequence. Do you understand?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is the correct view: that if a person catches up with the bowing, he has caught up with the unit of prayer.