53 - The importance of the Opening Surah, al-Fātiḥah

عن أبي هُريرة رضي الله عنه:أن رسول الله ﷺ دخل المسجد فدخَل رجلٌ، فصلَّى، فسلَّم على النبيِّ ﷺ، فرَدَّ وقال: «ارجِعْ فصَلِّ؛ فإنَّكَ لم تُصَلِّ»،فرجَعَ يُصَلِّي كما صَلَّى، ثم جاء، فسلَّمَ على النبيِّ ﷺ، فقال: «ارجِعْ فصَلِّ؛ فإنَّكَ لم تُصَلِّ» ثلاثًا، فقال: والذي بعَثَكَ بالحقِّ ما أُحسِنُ غَيرَه، فعَلِّمْني، فقال: «إذا قُمْتَ إلى الصلاةِ فكَبِّرْ،ثم اقرَأْ ما تَيسَّرَ معَكَ منَ القرآنِ، ثم اركَعْ حتى تَطمئِنَّ راكعًا، ثم ارفَعْ حتى تَعدِل قائمًا، ثم اسجُدْ حتى تَطمئِنَّ ساجِدًا، ثم ارفَعْ حتى تَطمئِنَّ جالسًا، وافعَلْ ذلك في صلاتِكَ كلِّها»

Abu Hurayrah narrated: 

1. God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) entered the mosque. A man came in and offered a prayer, then came forward and greeted God’s Messenger (peace be upon him). The Prophet replied with a greeting then said: ‘Go back and pray, for you have not prayed’.  2. The man went back and prayed in the same way as he prayed earlier. He then returned to the Prophet and greeted him. The Prophet said: ‘And peace be to you’. He then said: ‘Go back and pray, for you have not prayed’. He did this three times. The man said: ‘By Him who sent you with the message of the truth, I know nothing better than this. Teach me’.  3. The Prophet said: ‘When you stand up to pray, say Allah-u akbar.  4. then recite of the Qur’an what comes easy to you.  5. Then bow until you are well positioned in bowing, then raise yourself until you stand up well. Then you prostrate yourself until you are well positioned in prostration, then raise yourself until you are well positioned seated. Do this throughout your prayer’.

Related by al-Bukhari, 757; Muslim, 397.

Related Quranic Verses

It is by God’s grace that you deal gently with them. Had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would surely have broken away from you.

(3: 159)

Indeed there has come to you a Messenger from among yourselves: one who grieves much that you should suffer; one who is full of concern for you; and who is tender and full of compassion towards the believers.

(9: 128)

Call people to the path of your Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in the most kindly manner.

(16: 125)

Enjoin prayer on your people, and be diligent in its observance.

(20: 132)

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