Reciting Chapter Al-Faatihah for those led in congregational prayers

7-3-2012 | IslamWeb

Question:

When the Imaam reads Chapter Al-Faatihah in the ‘Ishaa’ (night) prayer and follows it with another chapter, what should I read? Should I remain silent after reading Al-Faatihah?
I hope from Allah and you that I receive a detailed answer.

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 ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

Before answering the question, we would like to draw your attention to a mistake that many people make. Saying, “I hope from Allah and you such and such,” constitutes minor Shirk (polytheism). Ibn ‘Abbaas  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him narrated that a man said to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention )What Allah and you willed.” The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) told the man that "by saying so, he had associated him with Allah The Almighty." He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) educated him to say the correct form: “What Allah alone willed (Maa shaa’a Allah wahdah).” [An-Nasaa’i: in his Saheeh]

Saying, “Maashaa’ Allah wahdah” ascribes perfection to Allah, The Almighty, as mentioned by the author of Fat'h Al-Majeed ‘ala Sharh Kitaab At-Tawheed. It is permissible to say, “Allah willed then you willed” and “I hope from Allah then from you…

Qutaylah bint Safiyy Al-Ansaariyyah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him narrated that a Jew once told the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) that Muslims committed Shirk by saying, “Allah and you willed” and, “By the Ka‘bah.” The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) therefore ordered Muslims to say whenever they wanted to swear: “By the Lord of the Ka‘bah” and: “Allah willed, then you willed.” [An-Nasaa’i: Saheeh (Authentic). Ahmad: in his Musnad. Al-Albaani: Saheeh (Authentic)]

The rationale behind using the conjunction “then” instead of “and” is to indicate subordination of man’s will to the will of Allah, according to the creed of Ahlus-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa‘ah (the Sunni mainstream). Allah, The Almighty, says (what means): {For whoever wills among you to take a right course. And you do not will except that Allah wills - Lord of the worlds.} [Quran 81: 28-29]

According to the opinion that suggests that the person led in prayer reads Al-Faatihah, then after reading it, he should listen to the Imaam's recitation and read nothing more. However, in a silent prayer the person led in prayer may read Al-Faatihah and as much of the Quran as he would like to.

Allah knows best.

www.islamweb.net