May A Person Who Follows An İmam Recite Surah Al-Fatiha?

May a person who follows an imam recite Surah al-Fatiha?

According to the Hanafi school, a person who follows an imam does not recite with imam Surah al-Fatiha and the verses or surahs that are recited after Fatiha . The person who follows an imam has no responsibility of reciting the Qur’an in the prayer (Mawsili, al-Ikhtiyar, I, 170-171).

According to the Shafi’i and Hanbali schools, one is not completely exempted from the responsibility of reciting Qur’an. The person who follows an imam recites Fatiha and a surah in the prayers in which the imam recites silently. For the prayers in which imam recites aloud, the congregation only recites Fatiha during the short pause given by the imam after reciting Fatiha (Shirbini, Mughni al-muhtaj, I, 249-250).

Hanafis accept as evidence the verse, “When the Qur’an is read, listen to it with attention, and hold your peace: that ye may receive mercy.” (A’raf, 7/204) and the hadiths, “Whoever has an imam, the recitation of the imam is his recitation.” (Ibn Majah, Iqamat al-Salat, 13), “The imam is appointed to be followed.” (Bukhari, Adhan, 51), and “When the imam recites, then listen quietly.” (Ibn Majah, Iqamat al-Salat, 13). Shafi’is, on the other hand, takes as reference the following hadith, “Whoever does not recite al-Fatiha in his prayer, his prayer is invalid.” (Muslim, Salat, 34) and similar hadiths.

Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWAS