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Fatwa CenterPausing after each verse of Al-Faatihah in prayer
Question
Is it recommended to pause after every verse of Surah al Fatihah so that the people behind Imam can recite it during this pause?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
It is recommended for the one praying to pause after each verse when reciting Al-Faatihah whether he is praying individually or in congregation, or praying as the Imaam or following an Imaam. This is because pausing after each verse is an act of Sunnah. When Umm Salamah 
was asked about the recitation of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, she said: "He used to pause after each verse: {Bismillaah Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem} {Alhamdu lil-laahi Rabbil-'Aalameen} {Ar-Rahmaan Ar-Raheem} {Maaliki Yawmid-Deen}." [Ahmad and Abu Daawood]
Pausing after each verse of Al-Faatihah is an act of Sunnah, but not so the followers can recite the verse after the Imaam. It is better for the followers to listen to the Imaam reciting Al-Faatihah and then recite it after he finishes. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen 
was asked: "When does the person praying in congregation recite Al-Faatihah in the prayer? Is it when the Imaam is reciting Al-Faatihah or is it when the Imaam recites the Soorah after Al-Faatihah?"
He replied: "It is better for the person led in prayer to recite Al-Faatihah after the Imaam has finished reciting it so that he can listen to the obligatory recitation which is a pillar of the prayer. If he recites Al-Faatihah while the Imaam is reciting it, then he would not have listened to the pillar (the recitation of Al-Faatihah) and he would instead listen (in this case) to what comes after Al-Faatihah which is an optional act (Sunnah). Therefore, it is better for him to listen to the recitation of Al-Faatihah, because listening to the recitation that is a pillar of the prayer is more important than listening to the Sunnah. Moreover, if the Imaam says 'wa la adh-dhaalleen' and you are not listening to him, you will not say 'Aameen', in which case, you are not following the congregation."
In any case, if the worshipper recites Al-Faatihah with the Imaam or during the pauses in his recitation, there is no harm in that. The Fatwa of The Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fataawa reads: "It is obligatory on the one led (in prayer) to recite Al-Faatihah – whether he recites it at the same time the Imaam recites Al-Faatihah in the loud prayers, or while the Imaam is reciting a Soorah after Al-Faatihah, or during the Imaam's pause after reciting Al-Faatihah if he pauses. This is optional. It is better, though, to recite it during the Imaam's pause after finishing the recitation of Al-Faatihah, if he paused, so as to reconcile between the differing evidence concerning this."
For further benefit, please refer to Fatwa 82626.
Allaah Knows best.
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