Al-Kāfi - The Book of Prayer

Chapter: Recitations in Salah (prayer) َّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ عَنْ ٠ٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الَّذِي لاَ يَقْرَأُ فَاتِحَةَ الْكِتَابِ فِي صَلاَتِهِ قَالَ لاَ صَلاَةَ لَهُ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَبْدَأَ بِهَا فِي جَهْرٍ أَوْ إِخْفَاتٍ قُلْتُ أَيُّهُ٠َا أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ إِذَا كَانَ خَائِفاً أَوْ ٠ُسْتَعْجِلاً يَقْرَأُ بِسُورَةٍ أَوْ فَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ قَالَ فَاتِحَةَ الْكِتَابِ.

He must begin with it (al-Fatihah) that which is read aloud or quietly.’ I then asked, ‘Which one is more beloved to you: if one is afraid or in a hurry, is it reading a Surah (chapter) or al-Fatihah of al-Kitab?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘al-Fatihah of al-Kitab is more beloved.’” (Ahadith 20-28 are best explained in the form of fatwa.) صحيح - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (15/116))