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What is the ruling on one who cannot recite Surat Al-Fatiha silently behind the Imam, but can do so audibly, thereby disturbing other worshippers? Does the congregational prayer become waived for him? And is his prayer valid?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The worshiper (ma'mum) is required to recite Al-Fatihah silently in both the silent and audible prayers, without vocalizing it so as not to disturb other worshipers. As for the audible prayer, if the Imam recites, the worshiper is required to listen attentively, in accordance with the Almighty's saying: "And when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention." If they find an opportunity to recite Al-Fatihah during the Imam's pauses, they should do so; otherwise, they should not recite, and their prayer remains valid, based on the two hadiths. The congregational prayer is not forfeited due to the aforementioned excuse. And if one imagines an inability to recite silently while being capable of it, this is difficult to conceive and might be from the whispers of Satan. Therefore, one must strive to cast it away and get rid of it by seeking refuge [in Allah] before reciting.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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