Does the congregation also say the prayer “samiallahu liman hamidah”?

-Some scholars say that the imam says “samiallahu liman hamidah” in congregational prayers and the congregation only says “Rabbbana lakal hamd”. Others say we can say both. Which one is correct?

Dear Brother / Sister,

The scholars have different opinions regarding the issue.

According to Shafi’i madhhab, the muqtadi (the congregation following the imam) says the prayer “Rabbana lakal-hamd” like the imam, after saying “samiallahu liman hamidah”. According to the scholars of the other three madhhabs (the majority), the muqtadi only says “Rabbana (wa) lakal-hamd”... (see Nawawi, al-Majmu, 3/419-420; al-Jazari, al-Fiqhu alal-Madhahibil-Arba’a, 2/227-228; W. Zuhayli, al-Fiqhul-Islami, 2/79)

A hadith in Bukhari and Muslim supports the scholars of the three madhhabs, and another hadith supports Shafi’is. (Nawawi, ibid; V. Zuhayli, ibid)

It is understood from these explanations that both of these forms are permissible. Your prayer is valid whether you say it or not.

However, Imam Nawawi’s advice is that prayer is dhikr, and these two sentences are dhikr. Therefore, it is better for every praying person to recite both of them because the congregation does dhikr with the imam, by saying the tasbih in ruku’ and prostrations. The moderate way should not be different from it (i.e., since the congregation does the dhikr and tasbihat in other parts of the prayer as the imam does, they should say the same thing here). (Nawawi, ibid.)

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