The Book of Prayers - Sahih Muslim 394 b

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He who does not recite Umm al-Qur'an is not credited with having observed the prayer.

Commentary on the Hadith

This noble hadith from Sahih Muslim establishes the fundamental obligation of reciting Surah al-Fatihah (Umm al-Qur'an) in every rak'ah of the prayer. The phrase "not credited with having observed the prayer" indicates that the prayer is invalid without its recitation.

Umm al-Qur'an, meaning "Mother of the Qur'an," is the opening chapter that contains the essence of the entire Qur'an. Its recitation is a pillar (rukn) of the prayer according to the majority of scholars, without which the prayer is null and void.

The wisdom behind this ruling is that Surah al-Fatihah constitutes the essential dialogue between the servant and his Lord during prayer, containing praise, worship, seeking guidance, and affirmation of divine sovereignty.

Scholarly Consensus

All four schools of Islamic jurisprudence agree on the obligatory nature of reciting Surah al-Fatihah in every rak'ah of obligatory prayers. The Hanafi school makes an exception for the follower in congregational prayer when the recitation is audible.

This ruling applies to both the imam and individual worshipper in silent and audible prayers. The one who deliberately omits it invalidates his prayer, while one who forgets must perform the prostration of forgetfulness.