Question

Bismillahi rahmani raheem, Assalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, I would like to ask you the following questions regarding a custome I witnessed in a womens doroos circle in my city in a european country. When they start their circle one of the women (they take turns to include everyone in this custom) recites al fatiha- whilst reciting all the women present put their hands as in dua but keeps their hands in their lap- after reciting everyone wipes their faces and then the dars begins. Im familiar with a lot of the benefits of al-fatiha, alhamdulillah- as this was one of the arguments used when I confronted them about this. Another argument I was presented from them is this fatwa /en/fatwa/82584 . I dont doubt their intentions to do good. But my question is if doing this is known from the sunnah? Do you hold it to be permissible?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The scholars of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) were not used to reciting Chapter Al-Faatihah when commencing a circle of knowledge. Therefore, doing this regularly turns this act into (what is called) an added innovation. In principle, reciting the Quran is permissible but specifying a given Chapter at a given time that is not specified in the Sharee’ah (Islamic law) is something that should not be done. ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that the Prophet said: “Whoever introduces into this matter of ours (Islam) that which is not part of it, it will be rejected." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

As regards the Fatwa which you referred to in the question, it is about concluding a supplication with Takbeer (saying Allahu Akbar) and we clarified that this is also a religious innovation. We have also clarified in this Fatwa –and probably this is what you mean –the matter of wiping the face with the hands after supplicating and we mentioned that this is permissible and we stated the evidence. Some scholars –like Ibn Hajar –classified the Hadeeth about wiping the face after supplicating as Hasan [good]. Therefore, this is one issue and what you mentioned in the question is another completely different issue.

Allah Knows best.

Fatwa answered by: The Fatwa Center at Islamweb