The ruling on the follower reciting al-Fatihah and whether it is prescribed for the imam to pause

Q: The scholars have differed on the recitation of the follower behind the imam, so what is the correct position in this matter? Is it obligatory for him to recite al-Fatihah? When does he recite it if the imam does not have pauses that allow the follower to recite it? And is it prescribed for the imam to pause after reciting al-Fatihah to enable the follower to recite al-Fatihah?

A: The correct position is that it is obligatory for the follower to recite al-Fatihah in all prayers, whether secret or loud, due to the generality of the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “There is no prayer for one who does not recite al-Fatihah of the Book,” and his statement (peace and blessings be upon him): We said: Yes. He said: Imam Ahmad narrated it with a sound chain, and it is prescribed to recite it during the imam’s pauses. If he does not have a pause, he recites it even if the imam is reciting, and then he listens.
This is an exception to the generality of the evidence indicating the obligation of listening to the imam’s recitation. However, if the follower forgets it, or leaves it out due to ignorance or the belief that it is not obligatory, he owes nothing, and the imam’s recitation suffices for him according to the majority of the scholars. Likewise, if he arrives and the imam is bowing, he bows with him, and that rak'ah suffices for him, and the recitation is dropped from him because he did not catch it, based on what is established from the hadith of Abu Bakrah al-Thaqafi (may Allah be pleased with him) that he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) while he was bowing, so he bowed before the row, then entered the row. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer, he said to him: and he did not order him to make up the rak'ah. Al-Bukhari narrated it in his Sahih. The meaning of his statement (peace and blessings be upon him): is to bow before the row. By this, it is known that it is prescribed for one who enters the mosque and the imam is bowing not to bow before the row, but rather he must be patient until he reaches the row, even if he misses the bowing, based on the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): agreed upon as authentic.
As for the hadith: it is a weak hadith that is not relied upon by the scholars, and even if it were authentic, al-Fatihah would be an exception to that, in order to reconcile the hadiths.
As for the pause after al-Fatihah, nothing authentic has been established regarding it, as far as I know, and the matter is broad in it, if Allah wills. So whoever does it, there is no blame on him, and whoever leaves it, there is no blame on him; because nothing has been established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding it, as far as I know. What is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) are two pauses:
The first is: after the takbir of ihram, where it is prescribed to recite the opening supplication.
And the second pause is: after finishing the recitation and before bowing, and it is a light pause that separates the recitation from the takbir. And success is from Allah.