Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Is it true that when in a congregation in zuhr and asr, we are not to recite surah Al Fatiha or any other surah – just remain silent?
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
In the Hanafi school, it is prohibitively disliked (makruh tahriman) and sinful to recite the Fatiha or anything of the Qur’an behind the imam, whether it is a loud or quiet prayer. [Marghinani, Hidaya; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]
Instead, one remains silent in the standing, contemplating on the tremendousness and majesty of Allah, and one’s slavehood to Him and need of Him. [Shurunbulali, Imdad al-Fattah] If it helps, one may bring to mind the Fatiha, without reciting it (i.e. without moving one’s tongue or lips).
Besides this, however, one performs all the dhikrs of the prayer.
(Search for ‘fatiha prayer’ in the Hanafi fiqh section atwww.sunnipath.com)
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani