The Imaam Ought to Recite Surah Faatiha Slowly

Q: Salaah- 623: In his Tafseer Hidaayatul Qur'aan, Hadhrat Moulana Sa'eed Ahmad Paalanpuri RAH. states in his commentary of verse 87 of Surah Hijr that Rasulullaah SAW. used to recite Surah Faatiha with seven stops. In a Hadith in Tirmidhi, Hadhrat Ummu Salamah RADI. recited the verses separately and said that this was the manner in which Rasulullaah SAW. recited.

The question is that if an Imaam does not recite the Surah Faatiha in this manner, but only with two or three stops, how wrong will he be?

Answer: It is best to recite the Surah Faatiha in Tarteel (slowly). Although there is no harm in occasionally reciting it in two to three breaths to make it easy for the people, this should not become a habit. Rasulullaah SAW. did state that the Imaam should make the salaah brief because there are weak and old people following him.
Considering the ease of the people, one is also allowed to recite it in two to three breaths, but the condition is that it is recited clearly and that all can understand it without any major or minor errors being committed in the recitation. The Qiraa'ah after the Surah Faatiha may be recited either in Tarteel (slowly) or as Hadar (quickly), Again, it must be heeded that no any major or minor errors are committed in the recitation. And Allaah knows best what is most correct.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah vol.2