Is reciting al-Fatihah in the loud prayers obligatory for the ma'mum, or is it dropped from him by the imam's recitation?
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The questioner : Is reciting al-Fatihah obligatory for the ma'mum? Or is the imam's recitation sufficient for him?
The Shaykh : The stronger position is that it is obligatory for the ma'mum to recite al-Fatihah, whether in the quiet prayers or the loud ones, due to the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Jami` at-Tirmidhi 247Sahih (Darussalam).
And because of what is in the Sunan in the hadith of 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned away from the Fajr prayer and said:, they said: Yes, he said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 311Sahih (Darussalam).
And on this basis, it is obligatory for the ma'mum to recite al-Fatihah in full, whether in the quiet prayers or the loud ones, except that it is dropped from the masbuq, meaning if a person comes and the imam is bowing, so he says the takbirat al-ihram and then bows, then al-Fatihah is dropped from him in this case, because he did not catch the standing in which al-Fatihah is obligatory. For this reason, when Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the mosque and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was bowing, he hurried forward and then bowed before reaching the row. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him after the prayer ended:Sunan Abi Dawud 683Sahih (Al-Albani), and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did not order him to make up the rak'ah in which he did not catch the recitation of al-Fatihah.
Likewise, if a person comes and the imam is standing, then he says the takbir for ihram, begins the opening, and starts al-Fatihah, and then the imam bows, he bows with him and the rest of al-Fatihah is dropped from him because he did not catch a standing in which he could recite it.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : The stronger position is that it is obligatory for the ma'mum to recite al-Fatihah, whether in the quiet prayers or the loud ones, due to the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
There is no Salat for the one who does not recite Fatihatil-Kitab.
لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بفاتحة الكتابAnd because of what is in the Sunan in the hadith of 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned away from the Fajr prayer and said:
Why do I compete with the Qur'an? Perhaps you are reciting behind your imam?
ما لي أنازع القرآن لعلكم تقرؤون خلف إمامكم ؟Do 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 on this basis, it is obligatory for the ma'mum to recite al-Fatihah in full, whether in the quiet prayers or the loud ones, except that it is dropped from the masbuq, meaning if a person comes and the imam is bowing, so he says the takbirat al-ihram and then bows, then al-Fatihah is dropped from him in this case, because he did not catch the standing in which al-Fatihah is obligatory. For this reason, when Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the mosque and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was bowing, he hurried forward and then bowed before reaching the row. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him after the prayer ended:
May Allah increase your eagerness! But do not do it again.
زادك الله حرصاً ولا تعدLikewise, if a person comes and the imam is standing, then he says the takbir for ihram, begins the opening, and starts al-Fatihah, and then the imam bows, he bows with him and the rest of al-Fatihah is dropped from him because he did not catch a standing in which he could recite it.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.