- Reciting Surah Al-Fatihah is compulsory in every prayer according to hadiths from Prophet Muhammad. - Scholars differ on whether it must be recited aloud or quietly when praying behind an imam. Most say it should be recited quietly during prayers where the imam recites aloud, based on Quran and hadith. - The majority Hanafi view is that the follower should recite Surah Al-Fatihah quietly in prayers where the imam recites quietly (zuhr, asr), and when the imam pauses in loud prayers (fajr, maghrib, isha).

1. Q113. IS READING SURAH FATIHAH COMPULSORY?
Answer. Narrated Ubada bin As Samit Allaah's Apostle
said,
"Whoever does not recite Al-Fatihah in his prayer, his prayer is invalid."
(Bukhari 1.723)
Narrated Abu Said bin Al Mualla While I was praying, Allaah's Apostle
passed me and called me, but I did not go to him until I had finished the prayer. Then I
went to him, and he said, "What prevented you from coming to me? Didn't Allah say: "O
you who believe! Answer the call of Allah (by obeying Him) and His Apostle when He
calls you?" He then said, "I will inform you of the greatest Surah in the Qur'ân before I
leave (the mosque)." When Allaah's Apostle got ready to leave (the mosque), I reminded
him. He said, "It is: 'Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.' (i.e. Surat-al-Fatihah)
As-sab'a Al-Mathani (the seven repeatedly recited Verses)." (Bukhari 6.170)
Narrated Abu Hurairah Allaah's Apostle
said, "The Um (substance) of the
Qur'ân is the seven oft-repeated verses (Al-Mathani) and is the Great Qur'ân (i.e. Suratal-Fatihah)." (Bukhari 6.227)
Reciting: 'Al-Fatihah' and Salutations to the Prophet (Abu Haneefah and Malik regard
these as two essential requisites of funeral prayer)
Ash-Shaafa'i has in his Musnad narrated from Abu Umamah ibn Sahl that one of the
Companions of the Prophet
however, it is sunnah to utter the takbir and
salutations aloud in order to communicate with those praying with him) The author of AlFath says: "The chain of narrators of this Hadith is sound."
Bukhari reported from Talha ibn Abdullah that he said: "I offered a funeral prayer that
was led by Ibn Abbas. He recited Al-Fatihah and said: 'This is a sunnah of the Prophet,
" Tirmidhi also reported this and remarked that this has been the
practice of some of the learned among the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be
pleased with them). Others prefer to recite Al-Fatihah after the first Takbeer. This is the
opinion of Ash-Shaafa'i, Ahmad, and Ishaaq. Some others hold that Al-Fatihah is not to
be recited in a funeral prayer. The funeral prayer should consist of praise for Allah
(thana), blessings (salawat) upon the Prophet,
and a prayer (du'a) for
forgiveness of the deceased. This is the opinion of Al-Thawri and other scholars of Kufah.
Those who hold the recitation of al-Fatihah in a funeral prayer obligatory argue that the
Prophet,
, called it a prayer (salat) when he said: "Offer prayer (sallu) for
your deceased friend. " And as no prayer can be complete without al-Fatihah, for the
Prophet,
it."
, also told us "no prayer is valid unless al-Fatihah is recited in
Sunnah acts of prayer Reciting Behind an Imaam
One's prayer is not accepted unless al-Fatihah is recited in every rak'ah. But, one who is
praying behind an imam is to keep quiet while the imaam is reciting aloud, as Allaah
says in the Qur'ân, "When the Qur'ân is recited, listen and remain silent that you may
attain mercy." The Prophet, upon whom be peace, also said, "When the imam makes the
takbir, (you too) make the takbir. When he recites, be silent." (Related by Muslim.) One
hadith states, "Whoever is praying behind an imam, the imaam's recital is his recital. If
the imam reads quietly, then all of the followers must also make their own recital. If one
cannot hear the imaam's recital, he must make his own recital. Commenting on this
subject, Abu Bakr al-'Arabi says, "What we see as the strongest opinion is that one must

2. recite during the prayers in which the imaam's recital is subdued. But, during the
prayers where the imam recites aloud, one may not recite. This is based on the following
three proofs:
1) This was the practice of the people of Madeenah,
2) it is the ruling of the Qur'ân, as Allah says, "When the Qur'ân is recited, listen and
remain silent," and
3) this is supported by two Hadith: one from 'Imran ibn Hussain states, 'I know that
some of you compete with me (in my recital...),' and 'If it is recited, you should listen.'
The preceding hadith is the weightiest position according to the following argument: If
one cannot recite along with the imaam, then when can one recite? If one says, 'While
he is silent,' then we say, 'It is not necessary for him to be silent,' so how can something
that is obligatory be dependent on something that is not obligatory? But we have found
a way in which the person may 'recite' with the imaam, and that is the recitation of the
heart and of concentrating on what is being recited. This is the method of the Qur'ân and
the hadith, and the way the worship has been preserved. It is also part of following the
sunnah. One is to act by what is the strongest (opinion). This was also the choice of azZuhri and Ibn al-Mubarak, and it is a statement from Malik, Ahmad and Ishaq. Ibn
Taimiyyah supports it and shows it to be the strongest opinion.
Recitation of Surah Fatihah behind an Imaam According to
Hanafi Fiqh.
Ata'bin abi Raba (ra), who was a Taabi'een and also a teacher of Abu Hanifa is quoted
"Sahabah recited Surah Faatihah in all the the salaah." (Gaysul Gamam pg
157)
According to Imaam Mohammed (student of Abu Hanifah) the Muqtadi should recite
Surah Fatihah in sirri (Zohr and Asr). This is also preferred in the most
trustworthy books of Hanafi Fiqh i.e.. Hidaya and Mujtaba Sharhe Kuduri.
Even many of our Hanafi scholars have accepted this view. In the same way
even in Jahri (Fajr, Magrib, Isha) salaah when the Imaam takes a pause the
muqtadi's recitation cannot be denied" "Allama Abdul Hai Hanafi in Sharhe
Waqaya Umdaturriaya page 41."