Does a person who follows the imam read the chapter of al-Fatiha and additional verses? What should a person who follows the imam read?

What should a person who follows the imam read when he stands up from ruku'?

Dear Brother / Sister,

As it is known, the most important fard qiraah in prayer is to read the chapter of al-Fatiha. Form this viewpoint, different views regarding the details like the decree of reading al-Fatiha, in which rak'ahs it should be read, whether it should be read by those who follow the imam occurred. What lies under these different views is giving importance to different hadiths and practices reported from the Prophet (pbuh).

The cases that are dealt with about those who follow the imam reading al-Fatiha  is the necessity of al-Fatiha and the type of reading it in the prayer. As it is known, in terms of fard prayers, qiraah is aloud in night prayers (the evening, night and morning prayers) and silent in day prayers (the noon and afternoon prayers). In addition, it is aloud in the Friday prayer

According to Hanafis, the qiraah of the imam, whether it is silent or aloud, is enough for the congregation in all prayers. It is makruh tahrimi for those who follow the imam to read the Quran. The congregation reads "Subhanaka" only and keeps silent; they listen to imam's qiraah when he reads aloud; they keep silent when he reads silently. Hanafis base their view on the following verse:     

"When the Qur'an is read, listen to it with attention / read of the Qur'an as much as may be easy for you." (al-A`raf, 7/204. see also al-Muzzammil, 73/20)

Besides, they base their view on the following hadiths:

"If a person follows the imam, the reading of the imam is his reading." (Ibn Abi Shayba, Musannaf, 1/377; see also Ibn Majah, Iqamah, 18)

"The imam is there to be followed. then, when he does takbir; you do takbir, too. When he reads, keep silent." (Bukhari, Salah, 18; Abu Dawud, Salah, 68, 175)

According to Shafiis, a person who follows the imam has to read al-Fatiha in all prayers, whether the imam reads aloud or silently. The chapter of al-Fatiha is read in all rak'ahs. According to Shafiis, basmala is a verse of the chapter of al-fatiha; therefore, it is necessary to start al-fatiha with basmala. A person who follows the imam reads both al-fatiha and additional verses when the imam reads silently. However, when the imam reads aloud, he waits a bit after reading al-Fatiha; meanwhile those who follow the imam read only al-Fatiha silently. This view is based on the following hadiths:

"There is no prayer for the one who does not recite al-Fatiha." (Tirmidhi, Mawaqit, 69; Darimi, Salah, 36)

" Whoever does not recite al-Fatiha in his prayer, his prayer is invalid." (Bukhari, Adhan, 10/95; Abu Dawud, Salah, 2/136, no: 822)

For, the expression in this hadith is general and includes both the imam and those who follow him. The type of reading in the prayer is not important. Therefore, the prayer of a person who does not read al-Fatiha is not valid.

As for the dua read after standing up from ruku':

These duas are called tasmi' and tahmid. Tasmi': means to say "Samiallahu liman hamidah (Allah heard the one who praised Him)".

Tahmid: means to say "Rabbana lakal-hamd" (O Lord! Accept our prayer! Praise be to You because you gave us guidance.)

Those who perform a prayer alone, say both of them.

As for the person who follows the imam, according to Hanbalis and the trusted view of Hanafis, he says, "Rabbana lakal-hamd", or "Rabbana wa laka'l-hamd", or "Allahumma rabbana wa lakal-hamd". According to Shafiis, the first expression is better because there is sunnah about it.

According to Hanafis, the most virtuous one is "Allahumma rabbana wa lakal-hamd." Then comes, "Rabbana wa laka'l-hamd" Then comes "Rabbana lakal-hamd". According to Hanbalis and Malikis, the most virtuous one is "Rabbana wa laka'l-hamd".

To sum up, it is enough for a person who acts in accordance with the majority of the scholars to utter a tahmid expression.

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