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Is it permissible for someone who cannot hear the imam's recitation due to a hearing impairment to recite another surah after Al-Fatiha in audible prayers?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The prevalent opinion is that the congregant is required to recite Al-Fatiha in both silent and audible prayers. This is an exception to the command to listen attentively. As for reciting a surah in an audible prayer, it is disliked for the congregant to recite a surah if he hears the imam's recitation, due to the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "And when he recites, then listen attentively," and also his saying: "Do not do so except with the Opening of the Book (Al-Fatiha)." However, if he does not hear the imam's recitation (due to his distance or deafness), it is recommended for him to recite a surah after Al-Fatiha, while taking care not to disturb those around him and to recite only by moving his tongue.

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

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