Reciting Surah al-Fatihah behind the Imam is not in conflict with this Qur’anic verse:
﴿وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنْصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ﴾ (al-A‘raf: 204)
“When the Qur’an is recited, then listen to it and remain silent, so that mercy may be shown to you.”
Question: Can this verse be used as evidence to prohibit recitation behind the Imam or not?
Answer: This reasoning is weak for many reasons:
1. The meaning of the verse is that one should not recite aloud behind the Imam, because that would conflict with listening and being silent. However, silent recitation does not conflict at all with listening and being silent. The proof is that the author of al-Hidayah in the chapter on the Friday khutbah said that listening and silence during the khutbah is obligatory. Yet, when the khatib recites “O you who believe, send blessings upon him and salute him with peace,” the listeners recite blessings upon the Prophet silently. And in al-Kifayah it is stated that they should say it quietly. This shows that silent utterance is not in conflict with listening and silence, otherwise the jurists would not have permitted it.
2. The follower (ma’mūm) recites during the pauses (saktāt) of the Imam, as al-Tirmidhi mentioned in Dhikr Ashab al-Hadith, and Imam al-Bukhari in Juz’ al-Qira’ah said that one recites during the first pause.
3. Even though this verse is general and includes Surah al-Fatihah, it has been specified (made particular) by the hadith of “There is no prayer for the one who does not recite al-Fatihah.”
So, the argument from this verse to prohibit reciting behind the Imam is weak.