Shafi'i Madhab and Pause After al-Fatiha

[Younes]

As-salamu 'alaikum wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakatuh

I heard a person say that for the Imam to pause after reciting al-Fatiha in the audible prayers in order to allow the followers to recite al-Fatiha is a bid'ah.

As far as I understand, this is the/a position in the Shafi'i madhab, which for me is sufficient proof. However, can anybody knowledgable in the Shafi'i madhbad show the proof from the hadiths that the pause is a SUnnah, so that even a Salafi can understand that fiqh is a little bit more complex.

Jazakumu Allahu khairan

[amr123]

This is an answer by Shaykh Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti, He mentions Imam Al Bajuri's explaination on it also.


Finally, we come to the heart of the article, namely with regard to your fiqhi question, (question no. 2): “How does one recite behind the imam in an audible prayer? Is it better to recite at the same time that the imam is reciting or wait for him to completely finish the Fatiha (and then recite)? Should the imam pause between the fatiha and the second surah to give the follower a chance to recite?”

It is Mandub, Sunna or recommended for the Imam to have a pause after reciting the Fatiha aloud [jahr], long enough for the Ma’mum to finish reciting the Fatiha. There is no khilaf in the school regarding this rule. The meaning of ‘pause’ here is for the Imam not to recite anything aloud but to recite instead to himself [sirr]. During the ’sakta’ period for the Imam, it is Sunna for him either to busy himself with reciting some verses from the Qur’an (while the Ma’mum recites his Fatiha) or to recite a supplication [Du'a], and some also allow Dhikr (such as Subhan Allah). According to our school, this is one of the six instances of sakta requested (but not required) in our five daily prayers. The most complete discussion of this, both for scholars and public, is by Imam al-Bajuri (may Allah be pleased with him!):

(Some useful technical terms here (all of which are recited in Arabic): Taharrum [opening "Allahu Akbar"; or the Takbirat al-Ihram]; Tawajjuh [opening supplication; or also technically called the Du'a Iftitah or Istiftah]; Ta’awwudh [the words, "I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Devil"]; Basmala [the words, "In the name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate"]; Fatiha [the opening sura of the Qur'an; also known in our books as Umm al-Qur'an]; Amin [the words, "Ameen"; also known technically as Ta'min]; Sura [any other verses other than the Fatiha]; Takbir al-Ruku’ [saying "Allahu Akbar" during the movement from standing to bowing, while raising one's hands in the process, i.e., a type of Takbir al-Intiqal].

“It is recommended [Mandub] to have a slight pause: (1) between the Tawajjuh and the Ta’awwudh; (2) just as it is recommended [to pause] between the Taharrum and the Tawwajjuh, (3) between the Ta’awwudh and the Basmala, (4) between the Fatiha and the Amin, (5) between the Amin and the Sura, and (6) between the Sura and the Takbir al-Ruku’. These are the six pauses that are recommended in a prayer. The length of all of those (pauses) is saying the words, “Subhan Allah”; except for the one between the Amin and the Sura [i.e., the fifth pause], with respect to the Imam in the audible prayers, to the extent of the Ma’mum’s recitation of the Fatiha. It is [also] recommended for the Imam to be occupied there with reciting the Qur’an or with saying a Du’a to himself [sirr]; but reciting the Qur’an is better [Awla]. So the meaning of ‘pause’ there is not reciting aloud, for otherwise the pause would not in effect be requested in the prayer [meaning that the pause is not a 'real pause', one that is devoid of recitation; Fa'ida note for students: among the legal proof-construction [Istidlal] of this sakta is the analogy [Qiyas] with the sakta of the Imam awaiting the second group (and the succeeding third or fourth, if applicable) in the second rak’a of Salat al-Khawf or the Prayer of Peril].” [al-Bajuri, Hashiya, 1:166].

The only exception to this rule, when it is not recommended for the Imam to pause allowing for his Ma’mum to recite the Fatiha, is when the Imam knows that the Ma’mum will not be able to hear him, such as the Ma’mum being deaf [cf. Ibn al-'Imad, Qawl Tamm, 1:70].

[Younes]

As-salamu 'alaikum wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakatuh

Jazakumu Allahu khairan, for answering. I had read that article before posting. It does not mention the sources upon which the pause is based which is common in texts of fiqh. Thus I was wondering what the primary sources were since that's what Salafis can relate to.

[amr123]

As-salamu 'alaikum wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakatuh

Jazakumu Allahu khairan, for answering. I had read that article before posting. It does not mention the sources upon which the pause is based which is common in texts of fiqh. Thus I was wondering what the primary sources were since that's what Salafis can relate to.

I think you will have to ask an alim to know the 'primary sources'. I think one must have a minimum amount of Fiqhi and usooli knowledge to understand how the rulings are derived. I m not sure if we laymen will be able to comprehend such things. Allahu alam.

[Younes]

I think you will have to ask an alim to know the 'primary sources'. I think one must have a minimum amount of Fiqhi and usooli knowledge to understand how the rulings are derived. I m not sure if we laymen will be able to comprehend such things. Allahu alam.

As-salamu 'alaikum wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakatuh

I definately agree asking an alim is a must. However, the reason I ask here is because I have got the impression that people on this forum know scholars and scholarly sources so they might be able to answer.

Jazakumu Allahu khairan

[amr123]

As-salamu 'alaikum wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakatuh

I definately agree asking an alim is a must. However, the reason I ask here is because I have got the impression that people on this forum know scholars and scholarly sources so they might be able to answer.

Jazakumu Allahu khairan

Yes there are a few brothers who know shafi'i fiqh here. they ll help you out.

[SASLAMS]

we have to wait fro Sheikh ABBE, the rest of us know little fiqh but no daleel akhi. there is another big scholar who reads SF from time to time, hope he reads this & then answers just this once. insha Allah. I would really like to know this.

[Shafi Fiqh]

Wa alaykum salam wr wb,

In Sharh al-Sunnah, Imam Baghawi related the pause, saktah after Fatihah, to be the view of al-Shafi’i, Ahmad, Ishaq, and Awza’i.

Perhaps dalil for it is in a hadith Imams Bukhari in al-Qira’ah Khalfa al-Imam, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Ahmad, Ibn Khuzaymah, Baghawi, Hakim, and others related on the authority of Samurah b. Jundub,

أنه حفظ عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم سكتتين سكتة إذا كبر وسكتة إذا فرغ من قراءته

“I preserved two pauses from Allah’s Messenger (sallaAllahu alayhie wa sallam): a pause when he made takbir and a pause when he finished reciting Qur’an.”

This wording is Bukhari’s. In Sunan Abi Dawud,

وسكتة إذا فرغ من فاتحة الكتاب

“And a pause when he finished Fatihah.”

The narration is related via Hasan < Samurah which is a point of discussion amongst hadith scholars. ‘Ali b. al-Madini, Bukhari, Hakim, and others established it. And some like Darimi, Ibn Ma’in, Ibn Hibban, and others did not establish Hasan’s hearing hadith from Samurah. And some, like Bazzar, limited the hearing to select hadith.

Imam Tirmidhi said the hadith of Samurah is “hasan.” As a point of interest, Ibn Hibban does not accept Hasan < Samurah but relied on Hasan’s hearing from ‘Imran b. Husayn; thus, accepted the hadith of the pauses. The narrators of the hadith are to the standard of Shaykhayn. If the problem some have found with it is Hasan < Samurah, then the Madhhab of ‘Ali b. al-Madini and Bukhari has been mentioned.

And Allah knows best.

[SASLAMS]

shukran, is this shafi fiqh the website. could we ask the mods to now have a Shafi' Q & A section since in the past we couldnt because there wasnt enough ulama of the madhab on SF.

[mospike]

Wa jazaakALLAHU khairan Shaykh

With the name of Allah the most gracious,most merciful

In my edition of Imam Nawawi's Al Adhkaar (Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah pg,48), under the chapter of recitation after the ta'awudh, the places at which the imaam should pause is mentioned. (as discussed by our beloved shaykh above0

In the footnotes the Hadith of Abu Salama bin Abdurahmaan is brought " For the imaam their are 4 pauses, so take the opportunity to recite during them" and then he mentions the hadith from Imaam Bukhari's al-Qira’ah Khalfa al-Imam. One from Abi Salama an Abi Hurayra and another from Urwa bin Zubayr. " Recite when the Imaam pauses and be quiet when he recites aloud. For indeed there is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Faatihatil Kitaab "