Imams and Muktadi must recite Surah Fatiha in every Rakat of all kinds of prayers. Note that Surah Fatiha is divided into two parts. The first three verses in the first part contain the praises of Allah.
And the last three verses in the second part, contain the servant’s prayer. However, the Eyyaka Na’budu wa Iyakanasain is regarded as an intermediate verse, which is divided between Allah and His servant.
According to Imam Abu Hanifa (RA), muqtadis should remain silent regardless of whether the Imam’s Qiraat is high or low. According to Imam Malik (RA) and Imam Ahmad Bin Hamble (RA), only the Muqtadi should remain silent during the loud Qiraat of the Imam. However, according to Imam Shafi (RA), the Muqtadi should recite Surah Fateha in both the situations of the imam.
In which Rakat to read Surah Fatiha?
Surah Fateha must be recited in every rak’at in Farz Sunnah and Nafal prayers. It is obligatory to recite Surah Fatiha first after starting the prayer. After that, in the first two rak’ats of the four rak’at prayers, it is necessary to add any other sura or small verses to Surah Fateha in the first two Rak’ats.
And if it is a two-Rakat prayer, Surah Fatiha should be combined with another surah in each Rakat.
In a three or four-rakat prayer, after combining Surah Fatiha with other surahs in the first two Rakats, only Surah Fateha should be recited in the next two Rakats. There is no need to add any other surahs or verses to it.
Hadith about this
In the hadith narrated by Abu Qatada (RA), Rasulullah (SAW) used to recite Surah Fateha and another Surah in the first two rak’ahs of Zuhr and Asr prayers. And in the last two Rakas, only Surah Fateha was recited. (Bukhari, Hadith No: 759; Muslim, Hadith No: 451; However, in Muslim Sharif No. 452, there is evidence of a different period from the Prophet (PBUH).)
On the authority of Abu Saeed Khudri (RA), he said, Rasulullah (SAW) used to recite 30 verses in each rak’at of the first two Rakats of Zuhr. And he used to recite 15 verses in the last two verses. And he recited 15 verses in each rak’ah of the first two rak’ahs of Asr and half of it in each rak’ah of the last two rak’ahs.
Although there is evidence of different practices in this hadith, the ulama of all four madhhabs have acted on the hadith narrated by Keram Abu Qatada for several reasons-
Explanation of hadith
One. The hadith of Abu Qatada is purer than the hadith of Abu Saeed Khudri narrated in Muslim Sharif. The hadith of Abu Qatada has been narrated by both Bukhari and Muslims. On the other hand, the hadith of Abu Saeed Khudri is only Imam Muslim. described
Two. The hadith of Abu Qatada coincides with the deeds of many Sahaba-Tabeyids. For example, Umar Ibnul Khattab (RA), Ali (RA), Abdullah Ibn Mausad (RA), Jaber (RA), Abu Darda (RA) and Ayesha (RA). It has been narrated that, according to the hadith of Abu Qatada, they used to combine Surah Fateha with other Surahs in the first two rak’ahs of the obligatory prayer, and recited only Fateha in the last two Rakats.’
The statement of Ibn Sirin (RA) shows that there is consensus among the Companions that only Fateha should be recited in the last two rak’ahs of the obligatory prayer. Other sura will not match.
Ibn Sirin (RA) said, “I do not know about the Sahabah that they have ever disagreed about reciting Surah Fateha and other Surahs in the first two Rak’ats of the obligatory prayer and only Surah Fateha in the last two Rak’ats.” ’ (Al Mughni: 2/281)
Umar (R.A.) wrote to the famous Tabi’i Shuraih Ibn Hani (R.A.), “Recite Surah Fateha and other Surahs in the first two rak’ahs and recite only Surah Fateha in the next two rak’ahs.” (Al-Muzamul Awasat: 3/268)
Other Explanation
On the other hand, the deeds of Mujahid (R.A.), Ibn Sirin Hasan Basri (R.A.) etc. also agree with the hadith narrated by Abu Qatada (R.A.). There are two narrations about this in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaiba.
Abu Qatada narrates from his father that the Prophet (PBUH) used to recite Surah Fateha and another Surah in the first two rak’ahs of the obligatory prayer. And in the last two Rakats, only Surah Fateha was recited. (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaiba: 3/265; Hadith No: 3762)
Ibn Sirin (RA) said, ‘Abdullah Ibn Masud RA. In the first two Rakats of Zuhr and Asr, he recited Surah Fateha and as much as he could from the Qur’an. And in the next two rak’ahs, only Surah Fateha was recited. (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaiba 3/261, Hadith No: 3743)
Therefore, in the last two rak’ahs of the obligatory prayer, only Surah Fathai will be recited. Will not recite another surah intentionally. However, Sahu Sajda will not be wajib if combined. (Albahrur Rayeq 1/326; Sharhul Muniyah 331; Raddul Muhtar 1/459)
Reasons for not reciting Surah Fatiha in prayer behind the Imam
In Surah A’raf, verse 204, it is said to listen to it silently while reciting it. No particular surah has been ‘specialised’ there. If the hadith is ‘excluded’ from Surah Fatiha, it would amount to abrogating the ‘mansukh’ or commandment of the Quranic verse.
However, “Quranic orders cannot be modified by Hadith”. There is a difference of opinion among the Imams on this matter. (Nurul Anwar p. 213-14; Naylul Awtar 3/67)
Answer: There is no question of ‘mindfulness’ here. Rather, it is described in the hadith as exegetes and the Umm al-Qur’an is ‘excluded’ from the Qur’an (Hijr 15/87).
For example, in the Qur’an, the general command of the distribution of ‘miras’ has been given to all Ummahs (Nisa 4/7,11). But in the hadeeth, it has been “specially” instructed that the heirs of the property of the Prophet (PBUH) will not be given to his children.
Abu Huraira (R.A.) said, “Once the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) returned his salutations to the Muslims and asked them, ‘Have any of you recited the Qur’an with me just now?’ One said, yes yes.
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, so I say, ‘Why is there a disturbance in my recitation’? Rabi said, “After that, people stopped reciting the Qur’an with the Prophet (PBUH) in the Zehri Salat”. (Abu Dawud, Nasa’i)
According to the hadith, some of the Muqtadis recited Qira’at together with the Prophet (PBUH). Because of this, there was a disturbance in the Qira’a of the Prophet (SAW) as an Imam.
Previously, in two hadiths narrated by Anas and Abu Huraira (RA), it is said to read silently, so as not to cause disturbance. Shah Waliullah Dehlavi (RA) said, “Zehri Chalatemuktadi will recite Surah Fatiha in such a way that the Imam’s recitation is not disturbed.”
FAQs
Should Surah Fatiha be combined with another Surah in every rak’ah in obligatory prayers?
It is not necessary to match Surah Fatiha with Surah Fatiha in every rakat in Fard. Surah Fatiha should be combined with Surah Fatiha in the first two Rakats of a four-rakat or three-rakat obligatory prayer, and only Surah Fatiha should be recited in the remaining two Rakats or one rakat. In the Sunnah prayer, Surah Fatiha should be combined with Surah in every Rakat.
How many rakat Sunnah to recite Surah Fatiha?
In the case of four rakat Sunnah, as in the first two Rakats, Surah Fatiha must be combined with another surah in the last two Rakats, but in the case of four rakat obligatory prayers, Surah Fatiha is combined with another surah in the first two Rakats, but in the last two Rakats, Surah Fatiha is not combined with another surah.
Is it necessary to offer sahu-sajda when reading the surah in the third rak’ah?
It is against the Sunnah to combine Surah Fateha with another Surah in the 3rd and 4th Rakat of the obligatory prayer. The Sunnah is to read only Surah Fateha in the last two rak’ahs.
In the hadith narrated by Abu Qatada (RA), Rasulullah (SAW) used to recite Surah Fateha and another Surah in the first two rak’ahs of Zuhr and Asr prayers. And in the last two Rakats, only Surah Fateha was recited. (Bukhari, Hadith No: 759; Muslim, Hadith No: 451; However, in Muslim Sharif No. 452, there is evidence of a different period from the Prophet (PBUH).)
