11/23. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 909 — Al-Fatihah Divided in Prayer
Not reciting "In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful" in Al Fatihah
Hadith About Al-Fatihah in Prayer and Allah’s Response
Sunan an-Nasai : 909
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 909
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا السَّائِبِ، مَوْلَى هِشَامِ بْنِ زُهْرَةَ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ صَلَّى صَلاَةً لَمْ يَقْرَأْ فِيهَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فَهِيَ خِدَاجٌ هِيَ خِدَاجٌ هِيَ خِدَاجٌ " . غَيْرُ تَمَامٍ . فَقُلْتُ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ إِنِّي أَحْيَانًا أَكُونُ وَرَاءَ الإِمَامِ . فَغَمَزَ ذِرَاعِي وَقَالَ اقْرَأْ بِهَا يَا فَارِسِيُّ فِي نَفْسِكَ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَسَمْتُ الصَّلاَةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي نِصْفَيْنِ فَنِصْفُهَا لِي وَنِصْفُهَا لِعَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ " . قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " اقْرَءُوا يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ { الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ } يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حَمِدَنِي عَبْدِي . يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ { الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ } يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَثْنَى عَلَىَّ عَبْدِي . يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ { مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ } يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مَجَّدَنِي عَبْدِي . يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ { إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ } فَهَذِهِ الآيَةُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ . يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ { اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ * صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ } فَهَؤُلاَءِ لِعَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ " .
Abu As-Sa'ib Narrated from:
I heard Abu Hurairah say: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Whoever offers a prayer in which he does not recite Umm Al-Quran (Al Fatihah), it is deficient, it is deficient, it is deficient, incomplete." I (Abu As-Sa'ib) said: 'O Abu Hurairah, sometimes I am behind the Imam.' He poked me in the arm and said: 'Recite it to yourself, O Persian! For I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: "Allah says: "I have divided prayer between Myself and My slave into two halves, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.'"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Recite, for when the slave says: All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of all that exists, Allah says: 'My slave has praised Me.' And when he says: The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, Allah says: 'My slave has extolled Me.' And when he says: The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection), Allah says: 'My slave has glorified Me'.And when he says: You (alone) we worship, and You (alone) we ask for help (for each and everything), He says: 'This is between Me and My slave, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.' And when he says: 'Guide us to the straight way, the way of those on whom You have bestowed Your grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray, He says: 'This is for My slave, and My slave shall have what he asked for.'"
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 909In-book reference : Book 11, Hadith 34English translation : Vol. 2, Book 11, Hadith 910
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 909
This hadith about Al-Fatihah in prayer gives a deep but clear message. The Prophet said that whoever prays without reciting Umm Al-Quran has a deficient, incomplete prayer. Abu Hurairah then told Abu As-Sa'ib to recite it to himself when behind the imam. The hadith also reports that Allah divided prayer between Himself and His slave. When the slave praises Allah, Allah says that His slave has praised Him. When the slave asks for guidance to the straight way, Allah says it is for His slave and the slave shall have what he asked for. This makes Al-Fatihah a prayer of praise, worship, help, and guidance.
What we learn from this hadith
- A prayer without Umm Al-Quran is described as deficient and incomplete.
- Abu Hurairah told the questioner to recite Al-Fatihah to himself behind the imam.
- The hadith presents Al-Fatihah as speech between the slave and Allah.
- Al-Fatihah includes praise, worship, seeking help, and asking for guidance.
