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Fatwa CenterWhat a praying person does if he has not finished Al-Faatihah behind Imaam
Question
I was in congregation prayer. In 3rd rakaat, as imaam made rukuk, i still standing to complete my al-fathihaah. But i managed to sujud with imam. But, when i finished the prayer, one of the guy beside me told that i shall follow the imam to rukuk without to complete my al fathihaah. I told him that, as the follower of imaam shafie school of thought, i must complete al fathihaah and i shall not missed 3 long action do entitle for that rakaat. Question: Is my understanding is correct? Please advice. Thank you.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
The most preponderant opinion and the Fatwa that we adopt here in Islamweb is that a person led in the prayer is obliged to follow the Imaam and he should bow down for Ruku’ with him even if he did not finish the recitation of Al-Faatihah. However, the Shaafi’i School of jurisprudence, has two opinions in regard to the person led in the prayer if he did not finish the recitation of Al-Faatihah. The first opinion is that he should follow the Imaam and not complete the recitation of Al-Faatihah, and the second opinion – which is their most correct opinion – is that he should complete the recitation of Al-Faatihah, and when he finishes the recitation of Al-Faatihah he continues the sequence of the prayer unless the Imaam precedes him with more than three pillars of the prayer, in which case, he should follow the Imaam in the pillar which the Imaam is performing – according to their most correct opinion – and he should not follow the sequence of his prayer and then he would pray whatever (Rak’ahs) he missed with the Imaam on his own after the Imaam concludes the prayer with Salaam. Therefore, what you did is correct according to the Shaafi’i School of jurisprudence.
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