Indexed OCR Text

Reciting Behind the Imam
Ibn Taymiya writes:
Imam Ahmad has reported a consensus that reciting is not necessary
for the muqtadi when the imam is reciting audibly (Majmu' al-Fatawa
23:269).
li is reported in al-Mughni that Imam Ahmad explicitly said:
We have never heard any Muslim scholar state that if a follower observes
silence when his imam recites aloud, his prayer will not be valid. He
further states, "This was [the practice of ] the Messenger of Allah , the
Companions [Sahaba], and the Followers [ Tabi'in], This is [the opinion
of] Malik from Hijaz, Thawri from Iraq, Awza'i from Syria, and Layth
from Egypt. None of them have said that a muqtadi's prayer will be invalid
if he does not recite while his imam is reciting" (al-Mughni 1:602).
Both Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim in their commentaries [tafasir],
und Imam Bayhaqi in his Kitab al-gira'a have related a hadith from
the great exegete Mujahid:
This verse was revealed concerning some Companions of the Messenger
# reciting behind the imam.
Although this report is mursal (i.e. one in which a Follower reports
directly from the Messenger 1 without mentioning a Companion
in between), it will still stand as strong evidence since it is reported
by Mujahid, who is known as one of the greatest exegetes of the
Holy Qur'an [a'lam al-nas bi 'I-tafsir]. Hence, his mursal reports are
accepted by the scholars.
Ibn Jarir al-Tabari relates another hadith from Yasir ibn Jabir
regarding Ibn Mas'ud 4:
Ibn Mas ud 4: was performing prayer when he heard a few people reciting
with the imam. Upon completing his prayer he remarked, "Has the time
not come for you to understand? Has the time not come for you to realize
that when the Qur'an is being recited, you must listen to it attentively
and remain silent just as Allah has ordered you to?" (Fla' al-sunan 4:43,
Mfsir al-Tabari 11:378)
Hence, all the aforementioned points and statements justify that the
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FIQH AL-IMAM
verse was indeed revealed concerning prayer in general and not just
for the Friday sermon. It is also worth knowing that this is a Makkan
verse, whereas the Friday prayer (during which the sermon is delivered)
only became obligatory later on in Madina.
2. Allah says,
"So recite as much ["ma'] of the Qur'an as may be easy |for you]" (al-
Qur'an 73:20).
"This verse commands that some portion of the Qur'an, regardless of
its length, should be recited during the prayer. It does not confine the
obligation to Surat al-Fatiha but rather indicates that any portion of
the Qur'an can be recited to meet the obligation [fardiyya]. However,
those who hold the view that it is obligatory to recite Surat al-Fatiha
in prayer have used this verse with the hadith, "There is no prayer
except with Surat al-Fatiha," as proof to substantiate their claim.
They state that the article "ma" in the above verse is an "unexplained"
or mujmal term and that the above hadith serves as its explanation.
Hence, according to them, the Qur'anic verse means: "So recite Surat
al-Fatiha from the Qur'an [during prayer]."
The problem with this explanation is that the article "ma" is not an
"unexplained" or mujmal term, as they propose, but a "general" or 'am
term. According to the principles of jurisprudence [usul al-fiqh], the
article "ma" is normally used in this context, and the verse should read,
"Recite whatever is possible for you to recite from the Qur'an." This
means that any portion of the Qur'an could be recited to fulfill the
obligation laid down by this verse, since its general tone encompasses
the whole Qur'an. By confining it to Surar al-Fatiha only, it would
abrogate the general nature of the verse.
This does not mean that the Hanafis have disregarded the hadith
altogether. Through the hadith, they have rendered the recitation
of Surat al-Fatiha to be wajib [necessary]. According to Hanafi
jurisprudence, there is a difference between wajib and fard. Fard is
an obligation that is established through decisive proof [dalil qar'i],
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Reciting Behind the Imam
and wajib is an obligation that is established through speculative
proof [dalil zanni]. Although it is important and necessary to fulfill
both types of obligations, there is a difference in the ruling of one
who does not fulfill them. For instance, neglecting a fard act in the
salat will render the entire prayer invalid, whereas neglecting a wajib
will render ir deficient but not entirely invalid. A wajib act that is
neglected can be compensated through the "prostrations of forget-
fulness" [sajdat al-sahw); however, neglecting a fard act cannot be
compensated in this manner. There are many other rulings concern-
ing these two types of obligations that can be found in other works
of jurisprudence [figh].
The Hanafis thus conclude that reciting any portion of the Qur'an
in prayer is fard based on the above-mentioned verse. And based on
The above-mentioned hadith, they conclude that the recital of Surat
al-Fatiha in prayer is wajib. In summary, the imam and the person
praying alone have to recite Surat al-Fatiha along with some other
verses, but the mugtadi does not have to recite at all because he has
been commanded to remain silent and because his imam's recitation
is sufficient for him (as will be further discussed under hadith 5).
4. Allah 24 says,
"And say your prayer neither aloud nor in a low voice, but follow a way
between" (al-Qur'an 17:110).
Ihn 'Abbas me relates the circumstances of revelation for this verse:
Lhis verse was revealed when the Messenger # was still in the stage of
discreetly inviting [mutawarin] people to Islam in Makka. He would lead
the Companions in prayer and would recite aloud. When the polythe-
ists [musbrikin] would hear his recitation, they would revile the Holy
Qur'an, the One Who revealed it [Allah], and the one who conveyed it
IMuhammad %J. Thus, Allah instructed His Messenger , "And say your
prayer neither aloud," that the polytheist hear your recitation, "nor in
too low a tone," but make it so that the believers can hear you (al-Ta liq
al-mibtb 1:366, Sahih Muslim).
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In this verse, Allah @ commanded His Prophet $$ to recite loud
enough for his Companions behind him to hear, which would only be
possible if they remained silent during the prayer. Hence, this proves
that the muqtadi needs to remain silent, and that the recitation is the
responsibility of the imam only.
THE HADITHS ON THIS ISSUE
1. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri « relates:
The Messenger ! delivered a sermon in which he outlined our Way
[Sunna] for us and taught us our prayer, He instructed, "When you
prepare for prayer, straighten your rows; then one of you [should become
the imam to] lead the others in prayer. When he proclaims the takbir
you also proclaim it; when he recites remain silent; and when he reaches
"ghayr al-maghdubi 'alayhim wala 'Ldallin," say "amin," and Allah will
answer your prayer (Sahib Muslim 1:174).
2. Abu Hurayra 46 narrates that the Messenger of Allah & said:
The imam has been assigned to be followed. When he proclaims the
takbir you also proclaim it; when he recites remain silent; and when he
says "sami" Allahu liman hamidah," say "Rabbana laka 'Thamd" (Sunan
Abi Dawud 1:96, Sunan al-Nasa'i 46).
These two hadiths give a better explanation of verse i above. They
clearly distinguish between the duty of the imam and the follower.
Where the Messenger of Allah % commanded the follower to follow
the imam in proclaiming the takbir and other prayers, he did not
command him to recite Surat al-Fatiha with the imam, but rather
instructed him to remain silent. This proves that if reciting the Fatiha
had been necessary for the follower, the Messenger # would never
have ordered the contrary. Therefore, it becomes clear that the imam's
duty is to recite and the follower's duty is to remain silent and listen
to the imam's recitation.
It is also understood from hadith i that the only time the fol-
lower is permitted to say anything is when the imam reaches "wala
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Reciting Behind the Imam
" dallin," when he should say amin. The reason why the follower says
amin-which means "O Allah, accept"-is to strengthen and endorse
the du'a' [invocation] the imam made to Allah in the Fatiha.
Surat al-Fatiha begins with praises to Allah , then follows up
with a du'a' to Him, in which the servant humbly asks:
Guide us to the straight pach, the path of those on whom You have
bestowed Your grace, not [the path] of those who earned Your anger, nor
of those who went astray (al-Qur'an 1:5-7).
If it had been necessary for every follower to recite Surat al-Fatiha,
they would have been ordered to say amin at the end of their own
recitations; which is not the case since the Messenger # ordered it
to be said collectively upon completion of the imam's recital of the
Fariha.
Another important point, which is derived from hadith 2, is in
the statement, "The imam has been assigned to be followed," Here
the Messenger # explains that the main reason for the muqtadi to
remain silent during the prayer is so that he can follow his imam by
listening to his recitation. It would be very rude for the follower to
begin reciting on his own while the imam is reciting, as it is virtually
impossible to listen attentively to someone else while absorbed in
one's own recitation.
The next hadith furthers explain why the muqtadi has been
exempted from reciting and how his obligation stands absolved by
the imam:
Jabir de narrates that whoever prays behind an imam, his imam's recitation
is sufficient for him (al-Jawhar al-naqi 2:159, I'la' al-sunan 4:61, Musannaf
Ibn Abi Shayba 1:377).
| 'The Messenger said:
Whoever prays behind the imam, his imam's recitation is sufficient for him
('Undat al-gari 3:12, Muwatta Muhammad 96, I'la' al-sunan 4:61),
8. The following hadith of 'Abdullah ibn Shaddad explains this in
more detail:
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FIQH AL-IMAM
The Messenger of Allah # led the "Asr prayer. A person began reciting
behind him, so the person next to him gave him a nudge. After finishing
his prayer the person asked, "Why did you nudge me?" The other person
replied, "The Messenger of Allah % was in front of you, and I did not
approve of you reciting behind him." The Messenger @ heard this and
said, "Whoever has an imam, the recitation of the imam is sufficient for
him" (Minuatta Imam Muhammad 98, I'ld'al-sunan 4;70).
6. Someone asked the Messenger :
O Messenger of Allah! Is there recitation in every prayer? The Messenger 4;
said yes. Somebody from amongst the people asked, "[Does that mean] it
is necessary?" The Messenger 4 replied, "I consider the imam's recitation
to be sufficient [for the mugtadi]" (Majma" al-zawa'id 2:110).
The above hadiths have made it clear that "the imam's recitation
is sufficient for the follower," and that the follower does not have to
recite behind the imam. If he were to recite, how would he fulfill the
obligation of listening and remaining silent? Ibn Taymiya writes in
his Fatawa:
The recitation of the imam is sufficient for the muqtadi. The consensus
of the Companions and the Followers proves this. The hadiths from
which this [rule] is established are narrated without any Companion
being omitted from the transmission [musnadan], as well as some with
the Companion being omitted from the transmission [mursalan). The
legal rulings (fatawa] among the Followers were also that the [ imam's]
recitation is sufficient. Above all, it is in toral accordance with the Qur'an
and Sunna (Majmu' al-fatawe 23:271).
7. The Messenger of Allah # even expressed disapproval at a person
who recited behind him, as indicated in the following narration of
Abu Hurayra :
The Messenger # turned towards [us] after completing a salat in which he
had recited aloud and asked, "Did one of you recite with me?" A person
replied, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." The Messenger # remarked, "I
was wondering why I felt as if the words of the Qur'an were being taken
from my tongue."
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Reciting Behind the Imam
Abu Hurayra relates that when the people heard him say this, they
discontinued reciting behind him during the audible prayers (Sunan al-
Tirmidhi 1:71, Muwatta Imam Malik 51, Sunan al-Nasa'i 1:146, Sunan
Abi Dawud 1:146, Sunan Ibn Maja 61, Sunan al-Bayhagi 2:157).
X. There is another similar narration from 'Imran ibn Husayn :
The Messenger # was performing the Zuhr prayer when a person behind
him began to recite "Sabbih isma rabbik al-a'la" [Surat al-A'la]. Upon
completing his prayers, the Messenger # asked who it had been. The
person identified himself, so the Messenger # remarked, "I thought one
of you was taking it [the verses] from my tongue" (Sahih Muslim 1:172,
I'la al-sunan 4:56).
9. There is yet another hadith of this nature in which 'Abdullah ibn
Mas'ud says,
The Companions would recite behind the Messenger #. [Once] he said
to them, "You have caused me confusion in my recitation of the Qur'an"
(Majma' al-zawa'id 2:no, al-Jawhar al-nagi 1:162).
These hadiths are concrete evidence that the Messenger $5 was not
too pleased with people reciting behind him. It is also clear that the
Companions would not have been reciting very loudly either, as that
would constitute gross disrespect on their behalf, which is unthinkable
regarding the Companions. Therefore, even though they were reciting
in subdued tones, the Messenger of Allah is admonished them, as it
was disturbing his recitation.
The same type of disturbance can occur if the muqtadi recites Surat
al-Fatiha or some other verses with it while praying behind the imam.
In either case, it is possible that the imam may be led to confusion. This
proves that the command of the Qur'an, for the muqtadi to remain
silent, is indeed concerning both silent and audible prayers.
THE COMPANIONS AND FOLLOWERS ON THIS ISSUE
'Allama 'Ayni writes in his commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, 'Umdat
al-gari, that it was the opinion of approximately eighty Companions
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FIQH AL-IMAM
that the muqtadi should not recite behind the imam. Some of them
very strictly implemented and enforced their opinion. A few of their
reports and comments are mentioned here so as to gauge the serious-
ness of this issue.
I. 'Ata' ibn Yasar enquired from Zayd ibn Thabit % regarding recita-
tion behind the imam. He said,
There is no recitation behind the imam (Sahih Muslim 1:215).
2. Malik reports from Nafi' that
'Abdullah ibn 'Umar $ was asked whether anything should be recited
behind the imam. He replied, "Whenever one of you prays behind the
imam, the recitation of the imam is sufficient for him; but when you pray
alone, you should recite for yourself." The narrator reports that 'Abdullah
ibn 'Umar & would not recite behind the imam (Muwatta Imam Malik
51. l'la' al-sunan 4:76).
3. 'Ubaydullah ibn Muqsim narrates that
he enquired from Abdullah ibn 'Umar, Zayd ibn Thabit, and Jabir ibn
'Abdillah & [concerning this issue]. They informed him that there should
be no recitation behind the imam in any prayer (Athar al-sunan 1:116,
l'la' al-sunan 4:81).
4. In the following report, 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud # expresses great
disapproval at reciting behind the imam. He says,
Would that the mouth of the person reciting behind the imam be filled
with dust (Athar al-sunan 1:116, l'la' al-sunan 4:81).
5. Abu Jamra reports:
I asked Abdullah ibn "Abbas , "Should I recite when the imam is in
front of me?" He said no (Athar al-sunan 1:116, I'ld' al-sunan 4:81).
6. Ibn 'Abbas & narrates from the Messenger & that the recitation
of the imam is sufficient for the mugtadi, whether he recites silently
or aloud (Daraqutni 1:331, I'la' al-sunan 4:82).
7. Musa ibn 'Uqba reports that the Messenger of Allah , Abu Bakr,
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Reciting Behind the Imam
'Umar, and 'Uthman & would forbid [people from] reciting behind
the imam ('Umdat al-qari 3:67 U, I'ld' al-sunan 4:84).
8. Musa ibn Sa'd ibn Zayd ibn Thabit narrates from his grandfather
[Zayd bin Thabit do]:
Whoever recites behind the imam, there is no prayer for him (Muwatta
Imam Muhammad 100, I'la' al-sunan 4:87).
9. Ibrahim al-Nakh'ay states:
The first thing the people innovated [in religion] was recitation behind
the imam-the Companions did not recite behind the imam (al-Jawhar
al-nagi 4:169).
io. This statement is further strengthened by the following one, in
which he states:
The first person to recite behind the imam was a person accused [of inno-
vation] (Muwatta Imam Muhammad 100, I'la' al-sunan 4:89).
1. Muhammad ibn Sirin informs us:
I do not consider reciting behind the imam to be from the Sunna
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba 1:377, l'la' al-sunan 4:90).
12. Abdullah ibn Zayd ibn Aslam reports from his father that
ten Companions of the Messenger i strongly prohibited reciting behind
the imam: Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, 'Umar al-Faruq, 'Uthman ibn 'Affan, 'Ali
ibn Abi Talib, Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqgas, Abdullah
ibn Mas'ud, Zayd ibn Thabit, 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, and 'Abdullah ibn
'Abbas % (Qald'id al-azhar 2:42 U).
13. 'Ali ibn Abi Talib said:
Whoever recites behind the imam, his prayer is not valid,
and in another narration he said:
[ ... ] such a person has deviated from the natural path (fitra] (al-Jawhar
al-naqi 2:218, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba 1:376).
14. Sa'd % says,
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FIQH AL-IMAM
I desire that a burning ember be placed in the mouth of one who recites
behind the imam (Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq 2:138, Musannaf Ibn Abi
Shayba 2:376).
15. A similar statement has been related from 'Umar 4s:
Would that there be a stone in the mouth of one who recites behind the
imam (Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq 2:128).
It becomes very clear from the above reports that the Hanafis are
not isolated in their position, since it was the view of many of the
Companions and Followers.
OTHER REASONS FOR NOT RECITING BEHIND THE IMAM
(1) The imam has been ordered to recite aloud in the audible prayers
so that the followers can listen to him. In order for that to happen,
they have to remain silent. If the follower is commanded to recite
as well, he will not be able to concentrate on his imam's recitation.
This in turn would mean that the imam has been ordered to recite
aloud to a congregation which does not need to pay attention to
his recitation. It is quite clear that the Shari'a would not encourage
such a practice.
(2) As mentioned earlier, part of Surat al-Fatiha constitutes a du'a'
[invocation] for guidance to Allah; and all those who recite this sura
[chapter] make the du'a for themselves. In the case of the follower,
his du'a' is made by the imam since the imam's recitation is sufficient
for the entire congregation.
In a typical everyday situation, a group of people who intend to
submit a proposal or make a request to someone of authority, would
normally not do so on an individual basis; rather, they would appoint
someone to represent them. The representative would then act in the
interest of the group and would do so without any interference from
other group members. Anyone who does not adhere to this arrange-
ment would be frowned upon.
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Reciting Behind the Imam
The same is the situation with the imam in prayer. He beseeches
Allah % on behalf of the whole congregation, while they stand by
in an orderly manner listening to him. Once he completes his dia,
they endorse it by proclaiming amin, just as the aforementioned
group would do so with their signatures. Hence, the hadiths clarify
this by stating that the recitation of the imam is sufficient for all the
members of the congregation.
(3) If a person arrives late for the congregational prayer and finds the
imam in the bowing posture [ruku'], the correct procedure for him to
follow would be to first raise his hands and say "Allahu akbar" [takbir]
while standing; and then to join the imam in ruku. Although this
musalli has missed the standing posture [qiyam], he is still considered
to have acquired that whole rak'a with the imam, and therefore does
not have to make up that rak'a later on.
Everyone agrees that if the person did not say the takbir while
standing, but went directly into the bowing posture instead, his
mik'a is not valid since he has missed the takbir and the standing
posture. However, no scholar has stated that his rak'a will be invalid
because he was not able to recite the Fatiha. This not only proves
that Surat al-Fatiha is not fard on the muqtadi, as the opening takbir
and standing posture are; but it also proves that his imam's recitation
is sufficient for him.
(4) When the imam makes a mistake in his prayer, the whole con-
gregation is obligated to perform the "prostrations of forgetfulness"
(sujud al-sahw] with him; and when he recites a "verse of prostration"
layat al-sajda], the whole congregation is also obliged to perform the
"prostration of Qur'an recital" [sajdat al-tilawa] with him, even if the
mam recited it silently. Likewise, a single barrier [sutra] in front of
the imam is sufficient for the whole congregation. In light of these
commonalities, would it be a stretch of the imagination to take the
Imam's recitation as being sufficient for the entire congregation?
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ANALYZING THE SEEMINGLY CONTRADICTORY HADITHS
There are a number of hadiths, authentic as well as weak, which
apparently contradict the verses and hadiths that were mentioned
earlier in this chapter. These seemingly contradictory hadiths have
been used to establish the claim that it is obligatory to recite behind
the imam. However, in reality, there is no contradiction between these
hadiths and those previously mentioned proof texts, as the scholars
have reconciled the apparent contradictions between them and have
brought their meanings to be in complete harmony with one another.
We will now take a look at some of these hadiths.
I. 'Ubada ibn al-Samit narrates that the Messenger # said:
There is no prayer for the one who does not recite Surat al-Fatiha (Sahih
Muslim),
and in another narration he says:
There is no prayer for the one who does not recite Surat al-Fatiha and
[some] more [verses] (Sahib Muslim).
This hadith has been classified as rigorously authenticated [sahih] and
is normally presented as evidence for the recitation of Surat al-Fatiha
being fard on the muqtadi. It seems to be in apparent conflict with the
Hanafi opinion. However, the scholars have provided many explana-
tions to remove the conflict between it and the previously quoted
proof texts of the Hanafis. The following are some explanations which
should assist in understanding the true implications of the hadith:
(a) The imam and the muqtadi are both obligated to recite Surat
al-Fatiha according to this hadith, as it seems to entail a general com-
mand that also includes the muqtadi. The Hanafis do not reject this,
but instead state that the obligation upon the follower to recite the
Fatiha will be fulfilled through his imam's recitation. This is because
the Messenger @@ has said that the imam's recitation is sufficient for
the muqtadi.
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Reciting Behind the Imam
(b) This hadith will be interpreted as concerning the imam and the
person praying by himself only and will not relate to the follower,
since he has been commanded in the Holy Qur'an to remain silent
and listen. Hence, the follower is excluded from the obligation of
this hadith.
(c) There are rigorously authenticated hadiths (as presented above)
that totally prohibit the follower from reciting behind the imam.
Hence, in purview of those hadiths, he is exempt from the obligation
of this hadith, and it becomes clear that this hadith is actually directed
at the imam and the person praying by himself only.
(d) The first narration only mentions Surat al-Fatiha as being neces-
sary; whereas the second narration also includes the word "fasa'idan"
which means "and more." What is difficult to understand here is that
even though the second narration mentions both the Surat al-Fatiha
and "some more verses" as being necessary, only reciting the Fatiha
has been considered to be fard and not reciting anything beyond it.
Hence, whatever explanation is offered for not considering the extra
verses as being equally obligatory upon the follower, will also be our
explanation for not making even the Fatiha obligatory upon him. The
only difference will be that we would have considered the full hadith
by declaring the same ruling for both Surar al-Fatiha and the extra
verses-that they are both absolved by the imam's recitation-and
according to the other view, only one half of the hadith would have
been considered (i.e. by making only the recital of the Fatiha neces-
sary and not the extra verses).
On the other hand, if the explanation is that the imam's recitation
of the extra verses is sufficient for the follower, as is sometimes sug-
gested by the proponents of the other view, then that is exactly what
the Hanafis stare about the Fatiha also.
(4) The obligation of Surat al-Fatiha, as understood from this hadith,
is not directed at the muqtadi but rather is directed at the imam
and the person praying alone only. Imam Tirmidhi has narrated the
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FIQH AL-IMAM
following statement of Jabir 4 with a reliable transmission:
Whoever performed a rak'a in which he did not recite Surat al-Fatiha, it
is as though he has not performed it, unless he was [praying] behind the
imam (Sunan al-Tirmidhi 1:71).
This clearly proves that the command in the above hadith is not for
the follower. Imam Tirmidhi further mentions the comments of Imam
Ahmad concerning the above statement;
This [Jabir >] is a Companion of the Messenger & who has interpreted
the statement of the Messenger , "There is no prayer for the one who
did not recite Surat al-Fatiha," to mean that this is the case only when
the person is praying by himself (l'la' al-sunan 4:75).
We ask: Who can explain the meaning of a hadith better than a close
Companion of the Messenger of Allah ?
2. 'Ubada ibn al-Samit % narrates:
We were performing the Fajt prayer behind the Messenger of Allah 5%.
He began reciting but experienced difficulty in doing so. Upon finishing
he said, "Perhaps you were reciting behind your imam?" We replied, "Yes,
O Messenger of Allah." So he said, "Do not recite anything besides Surat
al-Fatiha, for there is no prayer for the one who does not recite it."
Imam Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, and Nasa'i have transmitted similar
reports to this one in their Sunans. A narration from Sunan Abi
Dawud states:
The Messenger of Allah ( exclaimed, "I was wondering why the words of
the Qur'an were being taken from my tongue. Do not recite any portion
of the Qur'an while I am reciting aloud, except Surat al-Fatiha" (Mishkat
al-Masabih 1:81 from Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasd'i),
In another narration from Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 'Ubada ibn al-Samit
reports:
The Messenger of Allah # performed the Fajr prayer but experienced dif
ficulty in reciting, so upon finishing he remarked, "I noticed you reciting
behind your imam!" We said, "Yes, by Allah." So he instructed, "Do not
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recite anything besides the Umm al-Qur'an [Surat al-Fatiha], for there
is no prayer for the one who does not recite it."
The apparent wording of the above narration in its various forms indi-
cates that a muqtadi is obligated to recite Surat al-Fatiha. The scholars
have mentioned a number of reasons why this hadith cannot be taken
for its literal meaning. They have either interpreted it in light of the
above mentioned hadiths, or they have completely waived it due to
its weakness. Some of these interpretations are presented below.
(a) First, present in the chain [isnad] of this hadith is a Muhammad
ibn Ishaq. Although some have called him a trustworthy narrator, most
hadith scholars have criticized him in very harsh terms. Sulayman
al-Taymi and Hisham have called him a "flagrant liar" [kadhdhab],
and Imam Malik has labelled him a "flagrant liar from among the
flagrant liars" [dajjalun min al-dajajila]. Ibn Zahir, Wahb ibn Khalid,
Jarir ibn 'Abd al-Hamid, Daraqutni, and others also have made grave
statements about him. Therefore, it will be completely unfair to accept
such a transmission as evidence.
(b) Second, its transmission is full of confusion. Makhul sometimes
relates the hadith from Muhammad ibn Rabi', sometimes from Nafi'
iba Mahmud, and sometimes from others. With regards to Nafi ibn
Mahmud, hadith experts, such as Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, Tahawi, and Ibn
Qudama, state that he is "unknown" [majhul]. Since there is a mul-
titude of other rigorously authenticated hadiths regarding this issue,
which are not defective in their transmission, there remains no need
to employ such hadiths (like the one under discussion), especially
when it contradicts the other rigorously authenticated ones.
(1) Third, some hadith experts have classified this hadith as being
defective [ma'lul) since its transmission has been said to have only
renched 'Ubada ibn al-Samit % [mawquf ] and not the Messenger of
Allah & [marfu' ]. Ibn Taymiya explains in more detail:
This hadith is defective Imu'allal], according to the hadith experts
(mubaddithin], for a number of reasons. Imam Ahmad and others have
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FIQH AL-IMAM
judged it to be weak, A discussion on its weaknesses has already been
detailed at another place [in the book], where it was clarified that the
actual authenticated (sahih) narration of the Messenger of Allah [in
this regard] is. "There is no prayer without the Umm al-Qur'an." This
hadith has been transmitted by Imam Bukhari and Muslim in their col-
lections [Sahihayn], and Zuhri has related it from 'Ubada da through
Muhammad ibn Rabi'. As for this hadith, some narrators of Sham [the
Levant] have erred in its transmission. The reality of this is that 'Ubada
ibn al-Samit + was the Imam of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] when he
related this hadith. They confused his narration, which was meant to end
with him [mawguff, as having been related directly from the Messenger
$ [marfu']." (Sunan al-Tirmidhi 1:71)
Hence, this hadith is inadmissible as evidence as it is not a direct
report from the Messenger of Allah 4%.
(d) Fourth, if we were for a moment to accept the hadith as rigorously
authenticated and unblemished, even then, statements like, "Perhaps
you were reciting behind your imam," indicate that the Messenger
had not instructed them to recite anything. He would not have
asked such a question otherwise.
3. Abu Hurayra % narrates
that the Messenger & said: "Whoever performs a prayer in which he
does not recite the Umm al-Qur'an, his prayer is incomplete and deficient."
A narrator of the hadith enquired from Abu Hurayra do, "I am sometimes
behind the imam [so what am I to do]?" Abu Hurayra e instructed,
"Recite it in your mind" (fi nafsik] (Majmu' al-fatawa 23:287).
If we look at this narration carefully, we find that it actually consists
of two segments; the first is the portion in which Allah's Messenger
himself emphasizes the importance of Surat al-Fatiha (hence, marfu');
and the second is a statement of Abu Hurayra 46 (hence, mawquf)
and not of Allah's Messenger . It is from the second segment that
some attempt to attribute the obligation of reciting Surat al-Fatiha
to the muqtadi, by taking it to mean, "recite it yourself," and not
"recite it in your mind."
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Reciting Behind the Imam
Since the first segment of this narration is quite similar to the first
hadith analyzed in this section, the explanations mentioned there will
also be in effect here. The conclusion is: "The recitation of the imam is
sufficient for the follower," and hence, the follower will automatically
have his obligation of reciting Surat al-Fatiha fulfilled by his imam.
The second segment of the hadith is explained as follows:
(a) It is a mawquf narration, which in this case is a statement of Abu
Hurayra 4, not related directly from the Messenger . Since the
second portion (if taken as some interpret it) also contradicts many
other rigorously authenticated hadiths that are narrated directly from
the Messenger # [marfu'], it cannot be used as evidence.
(b) As mentioned earlier, the Hanafis have taken the words, "igra'ha
fi nafsik," in the narration to mean: "recite it in your mind and pon-
der over it, and do not utter it with your tongue." No doubt, if the
muqtadi concentrates on his imam's recitation, he would be fulfilling
this requirement. The Hanafis have not interpreted these words to
mean that the muqtadi is obligated to recite Surat al-Fatiha.
(c) The words, "igra'ha fi nafsik,"could also be translated as, "Recite it
when you are performing prayer individually." The following hadith,
which the Messenger s narrated directly from Allah hadith
quesi], contains a similar expression and supports this translation.
Allah says,
If the servant remembers Me while he is alone (fi najsibi], I remember
him similarly (fi nafsi); and if he remembers Me in a gathering, then I
remember him in a gathering more superior to his.
The opposite of being in a gathering with a group of people is being
alone. Hence, the meaning of Abu Hurayra's statement will be, "Recite
Surat al-Fatiha when you are performing prayer alone," i.e. when not
in congregation.
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FIQH AL-IMAM
CONCLUSION
After reaching the end of this discussion, one can quite easily conclude
that there is overwhelming evidence in favor of the Hanafi opinion on
whether or not one should recite behind the imam. The understanding
acquired from the verses of the Holy Qur'an and the many hadiths
is that the muqtadi has two obligations to fulfill: one is to remain
silent, and the other to listen carefully. According to the hadiths, the
imam's recitation is considered sufficient for the follower. The reci-
tation undertaken by the imam is considered by the hadiths to be
totally sufficient for the muqtadi. Since the Qur'an actually prohibits
that any word be uttered while the recitation of the Qur'an is taking
place, it will be accepted as such; and the muqtadi will be required to
maintain perfect silence, in both silent and audible prayers.
There should now remain no doubt as to why the follower should
remain silent when praying behind the imam, even in a silent prayer
when he is unable to hear his imam's recitation. It has been explained
that verse i above contains two commands: one of them being the
observance of silence, which relates to the silent prayers, and the other
of listening attentively, which relates to the audible prayers.
The Hanafis have taken all of these points into consideration and
formed an opinion that encompasses all the various aspects of the
hadiths. Hence, it could be concluded that their opinion is probably
the closest to the Qur'an and Sunna.
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4
The Issue of Amin-Explained
SAYING AMIN (pronounced aameen) after completing the recitation of
Surat al-Fatiha holds great virtue and is a sunna of the Messenger of
Allah 35. The Messenger of Allah $$ states in one hadith:
When the imam says "ghayr al-maghdubi'alayhim wala 'I-dallin" say amin,
because the angels say amin. And whoever's amin coincides with the amin
of the angels, all his past sins are forgiven (Sabih al-Bukhari 1:108).
"There is no controversy whatsoever regarding the virtue of saying amin
at the completion of Surat al-Fatiha. All scholars are unanimous that it
is sunna to say amin at that time. The difference of opinion, however,
is regarding whether it should be uttered audibly or silently.
It is established that the Messenger 4% said amin audibly as well as
silently during his lifetime; therefore, it should not be made an issue
of great debate. At times, it is taken so seriously that some of those
who choose to say it aloud criticize the practice of those who say it
xilently by labelling them ignorant and even deviant; and some from
the latter group criticize the practice of the former group as well.
It must be realized that the difference of opinion is only concerning
which method is superior, i.e. is it more virtuous to say amin aloud or
silently? Ibn al-Qayyim, explaining the nature of this issue, writes:
This issue is from among the valid differences of opinion in which no
criticism should be directed at those who do it [i.e. say amin aloud] nor
at those who do not [i.e. who say it silently]. This issue is similar to
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FIQH AL-IMAM
that of raising or not raising the hands [raf" al-yadayn] in prayer (Zad
al-ma'ad 1:70).
Thus, the following discussion will constitute a combined study of
verses of the Holy Qur'an and hadiths of the Messenger & that are
relevant to the issue of amin, in order to ascertain the more preferred
procedure. As mentioned earlier, it is clearly established that the
Messenger # did say amin aloud as well as silently. The Hanafis and
many others accept this.
However, the question is: for how long did the Messenger # say
amin aloud? Since there seems to be no evidence to establish that amin
was said aloud on a permanent basis, it is necessary to take a closer
look at the various evidences on this issue that have been utilized by
the different schools of figh.
THE VARIOUS OPINIONS
The Hanafi opinion is that amin should be said inaudibly at all times
during the prayer. They uphold that it was said aloud by the Messenger
& a few times, in order to familiarize the Companions with saying
amin after the Fatiha; after which he would say it silently just like all
other invocations and supplications of prayer. Others state that amin
should be said aloud in all the audible prayers (i.e. Fajr, Maghrib, and
'Isha) and silently in the silent prayers (i.e. Zuhr and 'Asr),
The following points detail how the imam and the follower
[muqtadi] should say amin:
(a) All scholars agree that the imam should say amin silently during
the silent prayers. As for the audible prayers, Imam Malik and Imam
Abu Hanifa are of the opinion that amin should be said silently in
them, and another group of scholars says it should be said audibly.
(b) Imam Malik (according to al-Mudawwanat al-kubra) and Imam
Abu Hanifa are of the opinion that the follower should always say
amin silently in both the audible and silent prayers. This is also one
opinion of Imam Shafi i. Another group is of the opinion that the
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