Ruling on Reciting al-Fatihah for the Purpose of Seeking Blessing
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Q227: The questioner says: Some groups recite al-Fatihah after the prayer on the basis that it is a supplication or a blessing. Is this part of the Sunnah in any way, and what is the ruling on reciting it for the souls of the deceased inside the mosque and not in the cemetery?
A227: As for reciting it after the prayers, I do not know of any evidence for it in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Rather, it is the recitation of the Verse of the Throne, and Say: He is Allah, the One, and Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the Daybreak, and Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind. Hadiths have been reported regarding the recitation of these surahs after the five daily prayers. As for al-Fatihah, I do not know of any evidence for the prescription of reciting it after the prayer. The surahs we mentioned are not recited in a group with a loud voice; rather, each Muslim recites it for himself, between himself and his Lord. As for reciting al-Fatihah for the souls of the deceased,
this is a religious innovation. Al-Fatihah is not recited for the souls of the deceased, nor is any part of the Qur'an recited for the souls of the dead; because this has not been reported in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) nor from the Salaf of this Ummah. Rather, it is an innovated matter. So al-Fatihah is not recited for the souls of the deceased, neither in the mosque, nor in the cemetery, nor anywhere else. What is prescribed for the deceased is supplicating for them with forgiveness if they were Muslims, giving charity on their behalf, and performing Hajj on their behalf. This is what the evidence has come regarding. As for reciting the Qur'an for the souls of the deceased, or reciting al-Fatihah for the souls of the dead, this is a newly invented matter and a religious innovation.
A227: As for reciting it after the prayers, I do not know of any evidence for it in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Rather, it is the recitation of the Verse of the Throne, and Say: He is Allah, the One, and Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the Daybreak, and Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind. Hadiths have been reported regarding the recitation of these surahs after the five daily prayers. As for al-Fatihah, I do not know of any evidence for the prescription of reciting it after the prayer. The surahs we mentioned are not recited in a group with a loud voice; rather, each Muslim recites it for himself, between himself and his Lord. As for reciting al-Fatihah for the souls of the deceased,
this is a religious innovation. Al-Fatihah is not recited for the souls of the deceased, nor is any part of the Qur'an recited for the souls of the dead; because this has not been reported in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) nor from the Salaf of this Ummah. Rather, it is an innovated matter. So al-Fatihah is not recited for the souls of the deceased, neither in the mosque, nor in the cemetery, nor anywhere else. What is prescribed for the deceased is supplicating for them with forgiveness if they were Muslims, giving charity on their behalf, and performing Hajj on their behalf. This is what the evidence has come regarding. As for reciting the Qur'an for the souls of the deceased, or reciting al-Fatihah for the souls of the dead, this is a newly invented matter and a religious innovation.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.