The Ruling on the Follower Reciting al-Fatihah in the Quiet and Loud Prayers
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Question:
A letter was sent by one of the listening brothers, saying: I hope you will be kind enough to answer these questions. This listener is Rahmat Allah Abdul Qadir, a teacher of Qur'an memorization in Mahayil Asir, Abha. He says: Do I recite Surat al-Fatihah if I am a follower, or not? Because some shaykhs say: It is obligatory to listen and pay attention to the recitation of the Noble Qur'an, and al-Fatihah is the first priority; because al-Fatihah is the Mother of the Qur'an, and Allah says: [Al-A'raf: 204], so listening and paying attention is obligatory, whether in prayer or outside of prayer. Because the one who says: Ameen, is as if he is making a supplication like His saying, the Exalted: [Yunus: 89], and Harun used to say: (Ameen) only. And some shaykhs say: It is obligatory for the imam and the follower to recite al-Fatihah; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) says: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 247Sahih (Darussalam). What is the application between the Qur'an and the hadith? Please inform us with complete evidence - may Allah reward you with good; because the first group says: The hadith: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 247Sahih (Darussalam), is for the imam and the one praying alone only, not for the follower?
Answer:
This issue has disagreement among the scholars -may Allah have mercy on them- among them is one who said: The follower is not required to recite al-Fatihah, as these people who informed you said, and they said: He must listen in the case of the loud prayers, and that the imam bears the recitation for him even in the case of the quiet prayers.
And another group of scholars said: He recites in the case of the quiet prayer, and does not recite in the case of the loud prayer, but rather he listens and pays attention; for the noble verse that you recited, which is His saying, the Exalted: [Al-A'raf: 204], and for the hadith: Sunan Ibn Majah 847Sahih (Darussalam).
And the third opinion: It is obligatory for him to recite al-Fatihah in both the quiet and loud prayers; for the hadith that you mentioned, which is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):Jami` at-Tirmidhi 247Sahih (Darussalam); and for his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) in the other hadith: Sunan Abi Dawud 823Da'if (Al-Albani), which was narrated by Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and a group with a good chain, and it has corroborating narrations.
And this opinion is the most correct of the three opinions, and that the follower recites al-Fatihah in the quiet and loud prayers with his imam, then he listens, and this hadith and what came in its meaning specifies the noble verse: [Al-A'raf: 204]. It is general, and the hadith specifies it, and the legal principle: The specific takes precedence over the general and specifies it.
And by this you know that there is no contradiction between the hadith and the verse, so the verse is general and the hadith regarding the follower's recitation of al-Fatihah is specific, and the specific is ruled by over the general, and takes precedence over the general, so my advice to you and to every Muslim is to recite al-Fatihah behind the imam absolutely in the loud and quiet prayers, then he listens after reciting al-Fatihah, he listens to his imam, and if the imam has a pause, he recites during the pause, and if he has no pause, he recites even if his imam is reciting, so when he finishes al-Fatihah, he listens to his imam, and may Allah guide them all, yes.
The presenter : O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.
A letter was sent by one of the listening brothers, saying: I hope you will be kind enough to answer these questions. This listener is Rahmat Allah Abdul Qadir, a teacher of Qur'an memorization in Mahayil Asir, Abha. He says: Do I recite Surat al-Fatihah if I am a follower, or not? Because some shaykhs say: It is obligatory to listen and pay attention to the recitation of the Noble Qur'an, and al-Fatihah is the first priority; because al-Fatihah is the Mother of the Qur'an, and Allah says:
So when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive mercy.
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ[Allah] said, "Your supplication has been answered."
قَالَ قَدْ أُجِيبَتْ دَعْوَتُكُمَاThere is no Salat for the one who does not recite Fatihatil-Kitab.
لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بفاتحة الكتابThere is no Salat for the one who does not recite Fatihatil-Kitab.
لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بفاتحة الكتابAnswer:
This issue has disagreement among the scholars -may Allah have mercy on them- among them is one who said: The follower is not required to recite al-Fatihah, as these people who informed you said, and they said: He must listen in the case of the loud prayers, and that the imam bears the recitation for him even in the case of the quiet prayers.
And another group of scholars said: He recites in the case of the quiet prayer, and does not recite in the case of the loud prayer, but rather he listens and pays attention; for the noble verse that you recited, which is His saying, the Exalted:
So when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنصِتُواWhen the Imam recites, then listen attentively
إذا قرأ الإمام فأنصتواAnd the third opinion: It is obligatory for him to recite al-Fatihah in both the quiet and loud prayers; for the hadith that you mentioned, which is his saying (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 الكتابPerhaps you recite behind your imam? We replied: Yes, it is so, Messenger of Allah. He said: Do not do so except when it is Fatihat al-Kitab, for he who does not recite it is not credited with having prayed.
لعلكم تقرؤون خلف إمامكم؟ قلنا: نعم، قال: لا تفعلوا إلا بفاتحة الكتاب، فإنه لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بهاAnd this opinion is the most correct of the three opinions, and that the follower recites al-Fatihah in the quiet and loud prayers with his imam, then he listens, and this hadith and what came in its meaning specifies the noble verse:
So when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنصِتُواAnd by this you know that there is no contradiction between the hadith and the verse, so the verse is general and the hadith regarding the follower's recitation of al-Fatihah is specific, and the specific is ruled by over the general, and takes precedence over the general, so my advice to you and to every Muslim is to recite al-Fatihah behind the imam absolutely in the loud and quiet prayers, then he listens after reciting al-Fatihah, he listens to his imam, and if the imam has a pause, he recites during the pause, and if he has no pause, he recites even if his imam is reciting, so when he finishes al-Fatihah, he listens to his imam, and may Allah guide them all, yes.
The presenter : O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.