Is sura al-fathia necessary to recite in prayers?
Answer
It is important to recite the sura al-fathia in the prayers before any sura and this should be recited in every prayers before any other sura, so other sura should be preceded by the sura al-fathia , the opening sura of QURAN.As Allah’s apostle says:
Narrated 'Ubada bin As-Samit: Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever does not recite Al-Fatiha in his prayer, his prayer is invalid." sahih al-bukhari (Volume 1, Book 12, Number 723: )
As Allah’s apostle says:
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Qur'an is recited in every prayer and in those prayers in which Allah's Apostle recited aloud for us, we recite aloud in the same prayers for you; and the prayers in which the Prophet recited quietly, we recite quietly. If you recite "Al-Fatiha" only it is sufficient but if you recite something else in addition, it is better. sahih al-bukhari(Volume 1, Book 12, Number 739: )
As Allah’s apostle says:
Narrated 'Abdullah bin Abi Qatada: My father said, "The Prophet uses to recite Al-Fatiha followed by another Sura in the first two Rakat of the prayer and used to recite only Al-Fatiha in the last two Rakat of the Zuhr prayer. Sometimes a verse or so was audible and he used to prolong the first Rak'a more than the second and used to do the same in the 'Asr and Fajr prayers." sahih al-bukhari(Volume 1, Book 12, Number 743: )
