An individual inquired, ‘Alhumdulillah, in this summer vacation I had the opportunity of offering few salat e janaza (prayers for the dead) led by you. I noticed that the gap between the first and second takbir is much longer than it takes to complete thana. Is it because of recitation of sura e Fatiha as Mawlana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (Allah have mercy on him) used to do?

Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) smiled and acknowledged,
‘Yes. I do recite sura e Fatiha as has been reported to be the practice of our master Abdullah bin Abbas (Allah be pleased with him). According to the Hanafi scholars (fuqaha) it can be recited as a supplication (dua).’

Haram sharif, mataf, behind Rukun-e-Yamani, Makkah al mukkaramah. After esha, 24th November 2013