11/20. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 903 — Beginning Prayer with Al-Fatihah
Starting with Fatihatil-Kitab (The Opening of The Book) before another Surah
Hadith About Beginning Prayer Recitation with Al-Fatihah
Sunan an-Nasai : 903
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 903
أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الزُّهْرِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَمَعَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ - رضى الله عنهما - فَافْتَتَحُوا بِـ { الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ }
Anas Narrated from:
I prayed with the Prophet (ﷺ) and with Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, and they started with "All the praise and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of all that exists."
[2] Al-FâtihahReference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 903In-book reference : Book 11, Hadith 28English translation : Vol. 2, Book 11, Hadith 904
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 903
This hadith about beginning prayer recitation with Al-Fatihah comes from Anas, who says he prayed with the Prophet, Abu Bakr, and Umar. He observed that they started with All praise and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of all that exists. The narration is direct and focused on practice. It does not mention a long explanation, but it gives a clear picture of how the recitation began when Anas prayed with them. For someone searching for a hadith about Al-Fatihah in salah, this report points to the opening words of praise as the start of recitation and shows that Anas remembered this detail across different prayers with respected leaders.
What we learn from this hadith
- Anas personally observed the opening recitation in prayer.
- The Prophet, Abu Bakr, and Umar began with the words of praise in Al-Fatihah.
- The report teaches care in preserving small details of prayer.
- The hadith keeps the focus on the start of recitation, not on added issues.
