Pray alone and his anger will not harm you Fatwa No: 66009
- Fatwa Date:23-8-2015
Sometimes I pray behind my husband, whose recitation is so quick, especially in the inaudible prayers; that sometimes I am not able to recite Al-Faatihah in full, or I recite it very quickly, but in most cases I cannot complete its recitation. I alerted him many times to recite in a slower manner, and he responds for some time, but then he returns to his habit again. Is it better for me to pray alone, taking into consideration that doing this annoys him?
May Allaah Almighty reward you.
All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
First, you should advise your husband to perform prayers in congregation at the mosque, due to the great virtue that this action involves, and in order not to miss the reward by failing to do so. It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Whoever hears the call to prayer and does not come (to pray at the mosque), his prayer is invalid unless he has a valid excuse." [Ibn Maajah and Ibn Hibbaan]
Moreover, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Prayer in congregation is twenty-seven times superior to prayer offered by a person alone." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, also said:
"He who purified himself in his home and then walked to one of the houses of Allaah for the sake of performing one of the obligatory acts that are enjoined by Allaah (i.e. prayer): for every two steps he takes, one will erase a sin and the other will raise him one degree in status." [Muslim]
If he insists on praying at home, advise him to offer the prayer with due submissiveness and reflection, since Allaah Almighty made attaining success dependent on offering prayer with submissiveness. Allaah Almighty says (what means): {Certainly will the believers have succeeded: They who are during their prayer humbly submissive.} [Quran 23:1-2]
If he still insists on offering prayers hastily, in such a way that it makes you unable to perform the pillars of prayer while praying behind him, then pray alone and inform him that you cannot offer the prayer correctly when you pray behind him. Having advised him, your husband's being angry with you for praying alone will incur you no harm.
We would also like to inform you that reciting a Surah after Al-Faatihah is an act of Sunnah in prayer and not a pillar.
Allaah Knows best.