Should the Imam Remain Silent for a While After Reciting the Fatihah?

As for the Imams who do that and do not remain silent between the recitation of the Fatihah and the recitation of the Surah that is after it, their action may be done out of ignorance, or it may be done knowingly. This is because of the Hadeeth of Samurah in establishing the two moments of silence in Salah (prayer); one of which is after reciting the Fatihah. The scholars differed regarding its authenticity, some of them considered it to be authentic and acted upon it, and said that it is legislated/permissible for the Imam to remain silent after reciting the Fatihah. And the moment of silence that was reported (in the Hadith) is unrestricted. It is not restricted as some Fuqaha’ determined it to be to the extent of the recitation of the Fatihah for the one praying. Rather it is only an unrestricted moment of silence to separate between the obligatory recitation and the voluntary recitation. And some scholars do not deem the Hadeeth to be authentic and believe that the recitation after the Fatihah should start immediately. And we cannot deny anyone what his knowledge has led him to (conclude) based on his ‘Ilm (Islamic knowledge) and Ijtihad (hardwork). However, we consider the Hadith to be proof, and al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar has deemed it to be authentic in Fath Al-Bari, and said: This moment of silence was established from the Prophet ﷺ. And this is with regard to the Imam. As for the one who is praying behind the Imam, he should recite the Fatihah even if the Imam is reciting, according to the view that we choose because of the generality of the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: “There is no Salah (prayer) for the one who does not recite Umm al-Qur’an (i.e., Al-Fatihah).” And this Hadith is authentic. It is in the two Sahihs (Bukhari and Muslim) and in others. And in the Hadith of ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit in the Sunan, that the Prophet ﷺ prayed the morning prayer (i.e., Fajr) with them and then left. He said: “Perhaps you were reciting behind your Imam?” They said: “Yes.” He said: “Do not do so except with the Umm al-Qur’an (i.e., Al-Fatihah), as there is no prayer for one who does not recite it.” And this is what is apparent (from the Hadith), that the one praying behind the Imam should recite (the Fatihah) even in the jahri prayers. That’s because this was in the morning prayer, and it is a jahri prayer. This Hadeeth is clear that you recite even if the Imam is reciting, and the generality of the previous Hadeeth testifies to it. So based on this, we say to the one who is praying behind the Imam: Read the Fatihah; if you complete it before the Imam begins reciting the Surah after it, then so be it. And if the Imam begins reciting the Surah after it before you complete Surah Al-Fatihah, then continue reciting it until you complete it. Questioner: But Sheikh Muhammad, I think that it is difficult for the one praying behind to recite the Fatihah while the Imam is reciting, because this may cause confusion in recitation and the recitation may also be incorrect. Because this person who is praying behind reads quietly and the Imam reads aloud. Sheikh: I hope that you are referring only to some people, and not referring to all types of people. Because it is as you said: difficult for some people to recite while the Imam recites, but for some people it is not difficult. They can recite while the Imam recites, and this is something that we have tried. Questioner: But what about the one who it is difficult for? Sheikh: He should try to recite it.