How to catch up with a unit of the prayer

The sixth question, Your Eminence, is from the brother Sa'd Musa al-Suwayriq al-Salahi from al-Hujrah in the land of Zahrān. He says: If the prayer is established and I do not recite Surat al-Fatihah with the worshippers, but I catch up with the bowing, and I have heard from many people that if I do not recite al-Fatihah, I am required not to say the closing salam with the imam and I am required to complete the unit in which I did not catch up with the recitation of al-Fatihah with the imam and the worshippers. Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good?
Answer: The correct view in this matter is that if a Muslim catches up with the imam while he is bowing, he bows with him and the unit suffices for him, and he is not required to make it up. This is the correct view, and it is the position of the majority of the scholars, the four imams: Abu Hanifah, Malik, al-Shafi'i, and Ahmad, and the majority of the scholars all hold that the unit suffices and that his prayer is valid and complete, and he is not required to make up the unit. The evidence for this is what is established in Sahih al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) from 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 he entered the row. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said the closing salam, he asked about that, and Abu Bakrah informed him that he was the one who did it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: He did not order him to make up the unit, but he forbade him from bowing before the row, and he ordered him to be patient until he reached the row, then to bow in the row. This is what is obligatory: that the believer does not rush. If he comes and the imam is bowing, he does not rush until he reaches the row, then he bows with the people, and the unit suffices for him, and he is excused for not reciting al-Fatihah, because he did not catch up with the standing. It is known that reciting al-Fatihah is a required matter for the one praying behind the imam and others, indeed it is obligatory, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: But this one who caught up with the bowing is excused, because he missed the standing, so he became excused. This is the correct view.
Likewise, if the one praying behind the imam forgets the recitation, or he is ignorant of its ruling and thinks that it is not required of him, then his prayer is valid and sufficient, and he is not required to make up anything.
As for the one who knows the ruling of Allah, he recites al-Fatihah as long as he catches up with the standing. He recites it with the imam during the imam's silence. If the imam does not remain silent, he recites it secretly in his heart, then he listens, due to his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): This is a general statement from which is excepted the one who catches up with the bowing, due to the hadith of Abu Bakrah.
The legal principle is: that the general is specified by the particular. The general Sunnah is specified by the particular Sunnah, and likewise the general Qur'anic verses are specified by the specifying verses and by the Sunnah as well. So the hadith of Abu Bakrah specifies the generality of his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): And with this it becomes clear to the questioner that the unit suffices and that he is not required to make it up. This is the correct view and the position of the majority of the scholars. Some of the scholars held that he is required to make up the unit, but it is a weak opinion due to the evidence you have come to know. And success is from Allah.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.