4/11. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 396a — Prayer Requires Recitation
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
Recitation in Prayer: Loud and Silent Salah from Abu Huraira
Sahih Muslim : 396a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 396a
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ الشَّهِيدِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَطَاءً، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ صَلاَةَ إِلاَّ بِقِرَاءَةٍ " . قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ فَمَا أَعْلَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَعْلَنَّاهُ لَكُمْ وَمَا أَخْفَاهُ أَخْفَيْنَاهُ لَكُمْ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: One is not credited with having observed the prayer without the recitation (of al-Fatiha). So said Abu Huraira: (The prayer in which) the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited in a loud voice, we also recited that loudly for you (and the prayer in which) he recited inwardly we also recited inwardly for you (to give you a practical example of the prayer of the Holy Prophet).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 396aIn-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 44USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 778
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 396a
This Hadith speaks about recitation in prayer. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said that one is not credited with having observed the prayer without recitation. Abu Huraira then explained the practical example he gave to people: what the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم recited aloud, they recited aloud for the people; and what he recited inwardly, they recited inwardly for the people. The core topic is prayer recitation, especially the place of recitation in salah. The wording does not name a long list of chapters here, so the explanation should stay with recitation itself. For readers searching about loud and silent recitation in prayer, this Hadith shows that Abu Huraira taught by matching the Prophet’s public and inward recitation as a model for others.
What we learn from this hadith
- Prayer is linked here to recitation.
- Abu Huraira distinguished between what was recited aloud and inwardly.
- The report presents practice as a way of teaching prayer.
- The lesson should stay focused on recitation, as the Hadith does.
