What is the ruling on reciting al-Fatihah in prayer, and if a man catches the bowing with the imam and did not recite al-Fatihah, is the rak'ah counted for him?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on reciting al-Fatihah in prayer, and if a man catches the bowing with the imam and did not recite al-Fatihah, is the rak'ah counted for him or not? Please give us a ruling, and may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : The stronger opinion in my view is that reciting al-Fatihah in prayer is a pillar (rukn) for the imam, the ma'mum, and the one praying alone, due to the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):Jami` at-Tirmidhi 247Sahih (Darussalam).
And it is the same whether the prayer is one of silence or one of loud recitation, based on the hadith of 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit, which was narrated by the people of the Sunan, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) turned away one day from the Fajr prayer and said:Sunan Abi Dawud 823Da'if (Al-Albani) They said: Yes. He said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 311Sahih (Darussalam).
And its recitation is obligatory in every rak'ah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) taught the one who prayed incorrectly how to pray, and then said:Sahih Muslim 397a.
However, it is dropped for the ma'mum who joins late if he arrives while the imam is bowing; he says the takbir for entering the state of prayer and then bows, and the recitation of al-Fatihah is dropped for him in this case. Likewise, if he arrives just before the bowing and then enters the prayer, saying the takbir, opening with the basmalah, and beginning al-Fatihah, but the imam bows before he is able to finish reciting it, and he bows with the imam, then in this case the remainder of al-Fatihah is dropped for him, because he did not catch the pillar in which he could have been able to recite it.
And what indicates this is that Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was bowing, so he hurried and bowed before entering the row, and then entered the row. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) finished the prayer, he asked who had done that? Abu Bakrah said: I did. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:Sunan Abi Dawud 683Sahih (Al-Albani) And he did not order him to make up the rak'ah whose bowing he had caught. This indicates that he is considered to have caught the rak'ah, and that he is not required to recite al-Fatihah in such a case.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : The stronger opinion in my view is that reciting al-Fatihah in prayer is a pillar (rukn) for the imam, the ma'mum, and the one praying alone, due to the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):
There is no Salat for the one who does not recite Fatihatil-Kitab.
لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بفاتحة الكتابAnd it is the same whether the prayer is one of silence or one of loud recitation, based on the hadith of 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit, which was narrated by the people of the Sunan, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) turned away one day from the Fajr prayer and said:
Perhaps you recite behind your imam?
لعلكم تقرءون خلف إمامكمDo not do that, except for Umm Al-Kitab, for there is no Salat for one who does not recite it.
لا تفعلوا إلا بأم القرآن فإنه لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بهاAnd its recitation is obligatory in every rak'ah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) taught the one who prayed incorrectly how to pray, and then said:
and do that throughout all your prayers
افعل ذلك في صلاتك كلهاHowever, it is dropped for the ma'mum who joins late if he arrives while the imam is bowing; he says the takbir for entering the state of prayer and then bows, and the recitation of al-Fatihah is dropped for him in this case. Likewise, if he arrives just before the bowing and then enters the prayer, saying the takbir, opening with the basmalah, and beginning al-Fatihah, but the imam bows before he is able to finish reciting it, and he bows with the imam, then in this case the remainder of al-Fatihah is dropped for him, because he did not catch the pillar in which he could have been able to recite it.
And what indicates this is that Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was bowing, so he hurried and bowed before entering the row, and then entered the row. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) finished the prayer, he asked who had done that? Abu Bakrah said: I did. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:
May Allah increase your eagerness! But do not do it again.
زادك الله حرصا ولا تعدThe questioner : May Allah bless you.