standing, then bow with the imām. In that case he has caught the rakʿah and is not required to recite Sūrat al-Fātiḥah, because its prescribed place has passed. The position for reciting the Fātiḥah is the standing posture, and that has elapsed. Hence, if he reaches the imām in rukūʿ and bows with him, he has caught the rakʿah and his prayer is sound, God willing.

The evidence is the incident of Abū Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him). He arrived while the Prophet ﷺ was in bowing, so he bowed with him, and the Prophet ﷺ did not tell him to make up that rakʿah. Rather, he said to him, “May Allah increase your eagerness, but do not do that again,” because Abū Bakrah had hurried toward the row, uttered the takbīr before reaching it, and then entered the row. The Prophet ﷺ forbade such haste when the imām is in bowing; instead one should come with composure and tranquillity, as he ﷺ said: “When you hear the iqāmah, walk to the prayer with calmness and dignity. Whatever you catch, pray; and whatever you miss, complete.” In another narration: “…and whatever you miss, make up.” What the Prophet ﷺ reproved was only the haste; he did not instruct him to repeat the rakʿah he had joined. This proves that whoever catches the imām in bowing and bows with him has in fact caught the rakʿah. The contrary view you may have heard from some people is weak; the correct position is what we have stated. Allah knows best.

Question: And what about the ḥadīth, “There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening of the Book”?

Answer: This concerns the imām and the lone worshipper. As for the congregant, he listens attentively to his imām’s recitation when it is audible, for Allah the Exalted says, “When the Qur’an is recited, listen to it and pay heed, that you may receive mercy” (al-Aʿrāf 7:204). The congregant should therefore recite the Fātiḥah during the silent pauses of his imām’s recitation.