Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta Addresses Prayer Behind an Imam Who Does Not Recite Basmala Aloud

Dr Ali Fakhr, a fatwa secretary at Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta, has addressed a question about praying behind an imam who does not recite the basmala aloud during Al-Fatiha.

The question concerns whether a congregant’s prayer remains valid when the imam does not audibly say the opening invocation, “In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.”

Al-Fatiha is the opening chapter of the Quran, recited during Muslim prayers. The issue raised was specifically about saying the basmala aloud, rather than whether the imam recites Al-Fatiha itself.

The available summary identifies Fakhr as responding to the question but does not include his ruling or explanation. It therefore does not establish what guidance he gave on the prayer’s validity.