4/11. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 395c — Incomplete Prayer Without Al-Fatiha
It Is Obligatory To Recite Al-Fatihah In Every Rak'ah; If A Person Cannot Recite Al-Fatihah Or Cannot Learn It, Then He Should Recite Whatever Else He Can Manage
No Prayer Without Fatiha: The Hadith on an Incomplete Salah
Sahih Muslim : 395c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 395c
حَدَّثَنِي أَحْمَدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْمَعْقِرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا النَّضْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُوَيْسٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي الْعَلاَءُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مِنْ أَبِي وَمِنْ أَبِي السَّائِبِ، وَكَانَا، جَلِيسَىْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالاَ قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ صَلَّى صَلاَةً لَمْ يَقْرَأْ فِيهَا بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ فَهْىَ خِدَاجٌ " . يَقُولُهَا ثَلاَثًا بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِهِمْ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He who said his prayer, but did not recite the opening chapter of al-Kitab, his prayer is incomplete. He repeated it thrice.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 395cIn-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 43USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 777
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 395c
This Hadith states the point in a shorter form. Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said whoever prays but does not recite the opening chapter of al-Kitab has an incomplete prayer. He repeated this three times. The core topic is Al-Fatiha in prayer, and the wording “opening chapter” makes the subject easy to identify. The narration does not include the longer Hadith Qudsi wording in the translation given here, but it keeps the warning strong by repeating “incomplete.” For a person searching “no prayer without Fatiha hadith,” this report gives a clear and memorable wording. It teaches that reciting Al-Fatiha is not a light matter in salah. The worshipper should treat this opening chapter with care.
What we learn from this hadith
- The opening chapter of al-Kitab is linked here to prayer being complete.
- The warning is repeated three times in the Hadith.
- The report is short and should not be stretched beyond its wording.
- Care for Al-Fatiha is part of care for prayer.
