Du`aa al-Istiftaah - Part 1

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Ruling pertaining to Du`aa al-Istiftaah*:

* Du`aa al-Istiftaah: the opening supplication which is recited after the first Takbeer and before reciting Surah al-Faatihah. Example:

سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك، وتبارك اسمك، وتعالى جدك، ولا إله غيرك

How perfect You are O Allaah, and I praise You. Blessed be Your name, and lofty is Your position and none has the right to be worshiped except You.

[See “Hisnul Muslim” for other such Du`aa which are mentioned in the Sunnah]

Question: If a person joins the congregation and the Imaam is reciting Surah al-Faatihah, should he recite the Du`aa al-Istiftaah?

Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen: If a person joins the congregation while the Imaam is reciting Surah al-Faatiḥah, then he should say the Takbeer and silently listen to it. Then, after the Imaam completes his recitation of Surah al-Faatiḥah, the person should then say the Du`aa al-Istiftaaḥ and recite Surah al-Faatiḥah. But if he joins the congregation after the Imaam has already recited Surah al-Faatiḥah and is now reciting some other Surah after it, then in this case, he should only recite Surah al-Faatiḥah and he should not say the Du`aa al-Istiftaaḥ because there is no place for saying the Du`aa al-Istiftaaḥ in this situation. When the Imaam is reciting, one should not recite (anything behind him) except for Surah al-Faatiḥah.

So upon this, this is how it is to be done:

1) If a person joins the congregation while the Imaam is reciting Surah al-Faatihah, he should remain silent. Then when the Imaam completes his recitation of Surah al-Faatihah, he should say the Du`aa al-Istiftaah and recite Surah al-Faatihah.

2) If he joins the congregation after the Imaam has already recited Surah al-Faatihah and he is reciting some other Surah, then he would say the Takbeer and only recite Surah al-Faatihah without saying the Du`aa al-Istiftaah, as this is not the place to say the Du`aa al-Istiftaah.

[Liqaa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh (5/42)]