Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalam-O-Aliqum Brother,

I want to just share one thing with u. you are refering Surah ARAF as follows:

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraf verse 204:

When the Quran is recited to you, listen to it with attention and keep silent. It may be that you also are blessed with mercy.

Surah Araf is MAKKI Surah , until then Namaz Bajamat was not obligatory. If   we see background of this surah , the ayaa mentioned by you was revealed as answer of another Ayaa which is Ayaa 26, chapter 41, Surah Ha Meem Sajda.  

The Unbelievers say, Listen not to this Quran and talk random while it is being read, that you may gain the upper hand .

If we read Surah Araf Ayaa as an answer for nonbelievers , then it is very clear the saying of Allah (SWT). When we have a clear Hadith from Bukhari that "

Sahih Al-Bukhari HadithHadith 1.723 Narrated by Ubada bin As Samit

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Whoever does not recite Al-Fatiha in his prayer, his prayer is invalid."

Then we no need to argue for not reciting Surah Fatiha silently in our hearts while prayers in JAMAAT. Because in this hadith its clearly mention that prayer is invalid. Many people say that this is just for individual prayers not for Ba JAMAAT prayers. My Question , If I say donot drink milk, and some one say that I mean that drink Habib Milk not else. So we should also see what most of our Sahabas and Tabaees realized about this matter. It is surly a dangerous matter ,   because it can cause all prayers invalid. May Allah Show us only right way and we donot stick on our own thinking and views.

Wasalam

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Answer:

Surah fateha aloud silent congregation imam

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraf verse 204:

When the Quran is recited to you, listen to it with attention and keep silent. It may be that you also are blessed with mercy.

Respected brother in Islam, you are absolutely right in your deduction that the above quoted Verse of Surah Aaraf is from the early/middle Makkan period of Revelation, and it is indeed also accurate that the performance of prayers in congregation was not made obligatory unto the believers until the end of the Makkan period; ie. on the Night of Israa-wal-Mairaaj.

As accurate as the deduction are brother, we wish to bring to your attention that the above quoted Verse of Surah Al-Aaraf is addressed to the believers and not the disbelievers; that the Command is not abrogated; and it is imperative that the believers obey and follow the Command and remain absolutely silent whenever the Quran is being recited to them.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.723 Narrated by Ubada bin As Samit

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Whoever does not recite Al-Fatiha in his prayer, his prayer is invalid."

The above quoted hadith from Sahih Al-Bukhari is accepted as absolutely authentic by the scholars and jurists of Islam; and it is an accepted diction in Islamic Fiqh or Jurisprudence that whoever does not recite the Surah Al-Fatihah in every rakah of his prayer, the prayer is invalid.

Your Statement: So we should also see what most of our Sahabas and Tabaees realized about this matter. It is surly a dangerous matter ,   because it can cause all prayers invalid. May Allah Show us only right way and we donot stick on our own thinking and views.

Respected brother in Islam, to recite the Surah Al-Fatihah by oneself when praying behind an Imam in congregation when the Imam recites the Quran aloud is a matter on which even the scholars and major schools of thought have differed…..each giving evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah supporting their opinion.

The most accepted opinion amongst the Ummah happens to be that of Imam Maalik of the Maliki school of thought who states that when offering prayers in congregation behind an Imam when he is silent, one should recite the Surah Al-Fatihah themselves; and when the Imam recites the Surah Al-Fatihah aloud one should listen silently to the recitation of the Surah and recite it with the Imam in their hearts. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.146

Topic: Sunnah acts of prayer, Reciting Behind an Imam

One's prayer is not accepted unless Surah ‘Al-Fatihah’ is recited in every rakah. But, one who is praying behind an imam is to keep quiet while the imam is reciting aloud, as Allah says in the Qur'an, "When the Qur'an is recited, listen and remain silent that you may attain mercy." The Prophet (saws) also said, "When the imam makes the takbir, (you too) make the takbir. When he recites the Quran, be silent." (Related by Muslim.) The Messenger of Allah (saws) also declared, "Whoever is praying behind an imam, the imam's recital is his recital.’ If the imam reads quietly, then all of the followers must also make their own recital. If one cannot hear the imam's recital, he must make his own recital.

Commenting on this subject, Abu Bakr al-Arabi says, "What we see as the strongest opinion is that one must recite during the prayers in which the imam's recital is subdued. But, during the prayers where the imam recites aloud, one may not recite. This is based on the following three proofs:

1. This was the practice of the people of Madinah.

2. It is the ruling of the Qur'an, as Allah says, "When the Qur'an is recited, listen and remain silent," and

3. This is supported by two hadith: one from Imran ibn Hussain who states, 'I know that some of you compete with me in my recital...’ and 'If the Quran is being recited, you should listen.' The preceding hadith is the weightiest position according to the following argument: If one cannot recite along with the imam, then when can one recite? If one says, 'While the imam is silent,' then we say, 'It is not necessary for him to be silent,' so how can something that is obligatory be dependent on something that is not obligatory? But we have found a way in which the person may 'recite' with the imam, and that is the recitation of the heart and of concentrating on what is being recited. This is the method of the Quran and the hadith, and the way the worship has been preserved. It is also part of following the Sunnah that one is to act by what is the strongest (opinion). This was also the opinion of Imam Az-Zuhri, and Ibn al-Mubarak, and it is a statement from Imam Malik, Imam Ahmad and Ishaq. Imam Ibn Taimiyyah supports this opinion and shows it to be the strongest opinion.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan