Can You Recite Al-Fatihah when Making Du`a?

Question: 196421

I would like to know if we can read Surah Al-Fatihah when making supplication to Allah or is this an innovation to use Al-Fatihah in supplication?

Summary of answer

There is no report from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about reciting Surah Al-Fatihah when offering Du`a. This indicates that aiming to do this is a kind of innovation.

Answer

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and his family.

There is no report from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about reciting Surah Al-Fatihah when offering supplication, although there are so many reports about how he offered supplication and the words of his supplications, but he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not teach us to do that. This indicates that aiming to do this is a kind of innovation.

The Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas was asked: Did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recite Al-Fatihah after offering supplication?

They replied:

“There is no proof that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite Al-Fatihah after offering supplication, as far as we know. Hence reciting it after offering supplication is an innovation. And Allah is the source of strength.” (Fatawa Al-Lajnah Ad-Da’imah, vol. 1, 2/528)

Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“Reciting Al-Fatihah before offering supplication or at the end of a supplication is an innovation, because there is no report from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to suggest that he used to start his supplication by reciting Al-Fatihah or that he used to end his supplication by reciting it. If an act of worship was not narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), introducing it comes under the heading of innovation.” (Majmu` Fatawa Ibn `Uthaymin (14/159)

Shaykh `Abd Ar-Rahmaan ibn Nasir Al-Barrak (may Allah preserve him) said:

“Reciting Al-Fatihah when concluding supplication is an innovation for which there is no basis in the Quran or Sunnah, or the actions of the Companions and those who followed them in truth. Hence it is not permissible to do that. Singling out a Dhikr or recitation for a particular time, situation or place is not permissible except on the basis of evidence. Allah has enjoined recitation of Al-Fatihah in the prayer, and it is a Ruqyah that may be recited over one who is sick, and reciting it is an act of worship like any other Surah of the Quran. Indeed it is the best Surah of the Quran, but I do not remember any particular situation in which it is prescribed to recite Al-Fatihah, apart from what is mentioned above.”

And Allah knows best.

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