Sayyiduna Ubadah bin Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The prayer of that person is not valid who does not recite Surah Al-Fatihah and (in addition) another Surah." (Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:) In the narration transmitted from Mak'hool, the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), "Do not do so, (however, the command regarding Surah Al-Fatihah is different)," these words are of prohibition, but the intent is to give a new command from the beginning. In narrating the word "fa-sa'idan" from Zuhri, only Mu'ammar is unique; other students of Zuhri have not transmitted this word.

Sayyiduna Rifa’ah bin Rafi’ al-Zuraqi, may Allah be pleased with him, who was among the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), narrates: A man came while the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was in the mosque. He performed prayer near the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Then, after completing the prayer, he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and greeted him with salam. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to him:“Repeat your prayer, for you have not prayed.”The narrator says that the man went back and performed the prayer as he had done before. Then he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), so the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:“Repeat your prayer, for you have not prayed.”He said:“O Messenger of Allah! What should I do?”The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:“When you stand for prayer, face the qiblah and say the takbir, then recite Surah al-Fatihah, then recite whatever you wish after it. Then when you bow, place your palms on your knees and keep your back straight. When you raise your head, stand up straight until every bone returns to its place. When you prostrate, perform the prostration firmly, and when you raise your head, sit on your left thigh. Then do this in every rak’ah of your prayer.”

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Every prayer in which Surah Al-Fatihah is not recited is incomplete. Every prayer in which Surah Al-Fatihah is not recited is incomplete. Every prayer in which Surah Al-Fatihah is not recited is incomplete."

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "That prayer is not valid in which Surah Al-Fatihah is not recited." (The narrator states: I said to Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him): What if I am behind the Imam? He took my hand and said: Recite (Surah Al-Fatihah) in your heart.) (Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:) In the narration transmitted by Alaa, the words "the prayer is not valid" have only been narrated by Shu’bah, and from him only Wahb bin Jarir and Muhammad bin Kathir have narrated it. Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says: These are the types of narrations about which we have mentioned in the book "Shara’it al-Akhbar" that sometimes the command of the Book of Allah is permanent in one situation, while in another situation it is not permanent, until it is used in its general sense regarding which the command has come. And in some situations, it is not permanent, until it is attributed to a general word, which is an absolute address in the Book, unless the Sunnah clarifies it. However, the Sunnahs of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) are, in their existence, independent; they do not need the Book of Allah for their clarification. The Sunnahs clarify the general commands of the Book of Allah and explain its ambiguous rulings. Allah Almighty has said: "And We have sent down to you the Reminder so that you may clarify to the people what has been sent down to them." So here Allah Almighty has informed that the clarification of His command, "Establish prayer and give zakat," and similar commands in the Book of Allah with general words, is to be done by the Messenger of Allah. So it is impossible that something which is meant to clarify should itself need something ambiguous, because the need is for the ambiguous thing to be clarified by something explanatory. This is contrary to the position of the one who holds that it is necessary to present the Sunnah before the Book of Allah, so such a person, on the basis of his principle, has presented something whose report does not agree, and reflection rejects its correctness.

Sayyiduna Abu Sa‘id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: Our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded us to recite Surah Al-Fatihah and to recite whatever (part of the Qur’an) is easy (for us). (Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says: The command to recite Surah Al-Fatihah during prayer is a command of obligation; the obligation of this command is established by other narrations, which we have mentioned in other places in our books. The command to recite“whatever is easy”is not obligatory; consensus indicates this.)

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Go and announce among the people that the prayer of the one who does not recite Surah Al-Fatihah and in addition to it (any other Surah) is not valid."

Sayyiduna Ubadah bin Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) led us in the Fajr prayer, and it became difficult for him to recite (the Qur'an). When he finished the prayer with salam, he said: "You people recite behind me." We said: "Yes." He said: "Do not do so. Only recite Surah Al-Fatihah, because the prayer of the one who does not recite Surah Al-Fatihah is not valid."

Sayyiduna Ubadah bin Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The prayer of that person is not valid who does not recite Surah Al-Fatihah and (in addition) some other Surah."

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The prayer is not valid in which Surah Al-Fatihah is not recited." The narrator says (I said to Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him): If I am behind the Imam, so he took my hand and said: You should recite it in your heart.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Whoever performs prayer and does not recite Surah Al-Fatihah in it, his prayer is incomplete." (The narrator says), I said: O Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), sometimes I am behind the Imam. He said: O son of Farsi! Recite it in your heart. I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say this: "Allah Almighty says: I have divided the prayer (i.e., Surah Al-Fatihah) between Myself and My servant into two halves. Half of it is for Me and half is for My servant. And My servant will have what he asks for. My servant stands and says: 'All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.' Allah Almighty says: My servant has praised Me. The servant says: 'The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.' Allah Almighty says: My servant has extolled Me. The servant says: 'Master of the Day of Judgment.' Allah Almighty says: My servant has glorified Me. This (i.e., the next verse) is between Me and My servant: 'You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help.' Then, from the end of the Surah onwards, all of it is for My servant, and My servant will have what he asks for."