Praise be to Allaah.
Reciting al-Faatihah is one of the essential parts of the prayer, and is to be recited in each rak’ah both by the imaam and by those who are being led by him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening of the Book [i.e., al-Faatihah].” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 714). With regard to one who is following an imaam reciting al-Faatihah behind the imaam in a prayer where Qur’aan is to be recited out loud, there are two scholarly opinions.
The first opinion is that it is obligatory, the evidence for that being the general meaning of the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening of the Book [i.e., al-Faatihah].” And because when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught the one who had not prayed properly, he told him to recite al-Faatihah.
It was narrated in a saheeh report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recite it in every rak’ah. Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said in Fath al-Baari: “It was proven that permission was given to the one who is praying behind an imaam to recite al-Faatihah in prayers in which Qur’aan is to be recited out loud, without any exceptions. That is what was narrated by al-Bukhaari in Juz’ al-Qiraa’ah, and by al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Hibbaan and others, from Makhool from Mahmood ibn al-Rabee’ from ‘Ubaadah, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stumbled in his recitation in Fajr, and when he finished he said, “Perhaps you recite behind your imaam?” They said, “Yes,” He said, “Do not do that, except for the Opening of the Book (al-Faaithah), for there is no prayer for the one who does not recite it.”
The second opinion is that the recitation of the imaam is also the recitation of the one who is praying behind him. The evidence for that is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“So, when the Qur’aan is recited, listen to it, and be silent that you may receive mercy” [al-A’raaf 7:204]
Ibn Hajar said: “Those who say that (the one who is praying behind an imaam) does not have to recite it in prayers where Qur’aan is to be recited out loud, such as the Maalikis, quote as evidence the hadeeth, ‘When he recites then listen attentively.’ This is a saheeh hadeeth which was narrated by Muslim from Abu Moosa al-‘Ash’ari.”
Those who say that it is obligatory say that it should be recited after the imaam has finished reciting al-Faatihah and before he starts to recite another soorah, or that it should be recited when the imam pauses. Ibn Hajar said: “He should listen when the imam is reciting, and recite it when he is silent.”
Shaykh Ibn Baaz said, “What is meant by when the imam pauses is when he pauses during al-Faatihah or after reciting it, or in the soorah that he recites after it. If the imam does not pause, then the one who is praying behind him has to recite al-Faatihah even if the imam is reciting, according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions.” (See Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, vol. 11, p. 221)
The Standing Committee was asked a similar question and replied as follows:
The correct scholarly opinion is that it is obligatory to recite al-Faatihah when praying alone and it is obligatory upon the imam and those whom he is leading both in prayers where Qur’aan is to be recited out loud and when it is to be recited silently, because of the soundness and specific nature of the texts which indicate that. The aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“So, when the Qur’aan is recited, listen to it, and be silent that you may receive mercy”
[al-A’raaf 7:204] is general in meaning. The hadeeth, “When the Qur’aan is recited then listen attentively” is general and applies both to al-Faatihah and other soorahs. These two texts are general in meaning, and the following hadeeth refer to an exception to that rule:
“There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening of the Book.” Thus we may reconcile all the proven evidence. The hadeeth “The recitation of the imaam is the recitation of the one who is praying behind him” is da’eef (weak). It is not correct to say that the Ameen of the congregation to the imaam’s recitation of al-Faatihah takes the place of their own recitation. The differences of opinion among the scholars concerning this matter should not be taken as a means to hate one another, and to divide and turn our backs on one another. Rather you have to study the matter in more detail and find out more. If one of you is following a scholar who says that the one who is praying behind an imam has to recite al-Faatihah during prayers in which Qur’aan is to be recited out loud, and others are following a scholar who says that they must be silent and listen to the imam in prayers where Qur’aan is to be recited out loud, and that the imam’s recitation of al-Faatihah is sufficient, there is nothing wrong with that. There is no need for one group to denounce the other, or to hate one another because of that.
They have to be open-minded about differences of opinion among the scholars, and about the reasons for that, and ask Allaah to guide them in matters concerning which there are differences of opinion as to what is correct, for He is the All-Hearing, Ever-Responsive. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

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IS READING SURAH FATIHAH COMPULSORY?

Narrated Ubada bin As Samit Allaah's Apostle said, "Whoever does not recite Al-Fatihah in his prayer, his prayer is invalid." (Bukhari 1.723)

Narrated Abu Said bin Al Mualla While I was praying, Allaah's Apostle passed me and called me, but I did not go to him until I had finished the prayer. Then I went to him, and he said, "What prevented you from coming to me? Didn't Allah say: "O you who believe! Answer the call of Allah (by obeying Him) and His Apostle when He calls you?" He then said, "I will inform you of the greatest Surah in the Qur'ân before I leave (the mosque)." When Allaah's Apostle got ready to leave (the mosque), I reminded him. He said, "It is: 'Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.' (i.e. Surat-al-Fatiha) As-sab'a Al-Mathani (the seven repeatedly recited Verses)." (Bukhari 6.170)

Narrated Abu Hurairah Allaah's Apostle said, "The Um (substance) of the Qur'ân is the seven oft-repeated verses (Al-Mathani) and is the Great Qur'ân (i.e. Surat-al-Fatiha)." (Bukhari 6.227)

Reciting: 'Al-Fatihah' and Salutations to the Prophet (Abu Hanifah and Malik regard these as two essential requisites of funeral prayer)

Ash-Shafi'i has in his Musnad narrated from Abu Umamah ibn Sahl that one of the Companions of the Prophet however, it is sunnah to utter the takbir and salutations aloud in order to communicate with those praying with him) The author of Al-Fath says: "The chain of narrators of this hadith is sound."

Bukhari reported from Talha ibn Abdullah that he said: "I offered a funeral prayer that was led by Ibn Abbas. He recited Al-Fatihah and said: 'This is a sunnah of the Prophet, " Tirmidhi also reported this and remarked that this has been the practice of some of the learned among the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them). Others prefer to recite Al-Fatihah after the first Takbeer. This is the opinion of Ash-Shaafa'i, Ahmad, and Ishaaq. Some others hold that Al-Fatihah is not to be recited in a funeral prayer. The funeral prayer should consist of praise for Allah (thana), blessings (salawat) upon the Prophet, and a prayer (du'a) for forgiveness of the deceased. This is the opinion of Al-Thawri and other scholars of Kufah. Those who hold the recitation of al-Fatihah in a funeral prayer obligatory argue that the Prophet, , called it a prayer (salat) when he said: "Offer prayer (sallu) for your deceased friend. " And as no prayer can be complete without al-Fatihah, for the Prophet, , also told us "no prayer is valid unless al-Fatihah is recited in it."

Sunnah acts of prayer Reciting Behind an Imaam

One's prayer is not accepted unless al-Fatihah is recited in every rak'ah. But, one who is praying behind an imam is to keep quiet while the imaam is reciting aloud, as Allaah says in the Qur'ân, "When the Qur'ân is recited, listen and remain silent that you may attain mercy." The Prophet, upon whom be peace, also said, "When the imam makes the takbir, (you too) make the takbir. When he recites, be silent." (Related by Muslim.) One hadith states, "Whoever is praying behind an imam, the imaam's recital is his recital. If the imam reads quietly, then all of the followers must also make their own recital. If one cannot hear the imaam's recital, he must make his own recital. Commenting on this subject, Abu Bakr al-'Arabi says, "What we see as the strongest opinion is that one must recite during the prayers in which the imaam's recital is subdued. But, during the prayers where the imam recites aloud, one may not recite. This is based on the following three proofs:

1) This was the practice of the people of Madeenah,

2) it is the ruling of the Qur'ân, as Allah says, "When the Qur'ân is recited, listen and remain silent," and

3) this is supported by two Hadith: one from 'Imran ibn Hussain states, 'I know that some of you compete with me (in my recital...),' and 'If it is recited, you should listen.' The preceding hadith is the weightiest position according to the following argument: If one cannot recite along with the imaam, then when can one recite? If one says, 'While he is silent,' then we say, 'It is not necessary for him to be silent,' so how can something that is obligatory be dependent on something that is not obligatory? But we have found a way in which the person may 'recite' with the imaam, and that is the recitation of the heart and of concentrating on what is being recited. This is the method of the Qur'ân and the hadith, and the way the worship has been preserved. It is also part of following the sunnah. One is to act by what is the strongest (opinion). This was also the choice of az-Zuhri and Ibn al-Mubarak, and it is a statement from Malik, Ahmad and Ishaq. Ibn Taimiyyah supports it and shows it to be the strongest opinion.

Recitation of Surah Fatihah behind an Imaam.

Ata'bin abi Raba (ra), who was a Taabi'een and also a teacher of Abu Hanifa is quoted "Sahabah recited Surah Fatihah in all the the Salaah." (Gaysul Gamam pg 157)

According to Imaam Mohammed (student of Abu Hanifah) the muqtadi should recite Surah Fatihah in sirri( Zohr and Asr). This is also preffered in the most trustworthy books of Hanafi fiqh ie. Hidaya and Mujtaba Sharhe Kuduri.

Even many of our Hanafi scholars have accepted this view. In the same way even in Jahri (Fajr, Magrib, Isha) salaah when the Imaam takes a pause the muqtadi's recitation cannot be denied" "Allama Abdul Hai Hanafi in Sharhe Waqaya Umdaturriaya page 41."

So it is obligatory to Recite Surah Fatiha.