I have noticed that it is quite distracting when everyone shouts Āmīn during the prayer. Why do we do this? It is not part of Sūrah Fātihah?

The word Āmīn means ‘I second it’. Uttering it after completion of Sūrah Fātihah seems very apt since the sūrah is a wonderful prayer. Authorities differ whether this should be said in the heart or loudly. It seems that it has been left to the circumstances in which a prayer is said. In congregational prayers, where most people are used to saying it loudly, one cannot help but bear it.

Now, reaching the end of the sūrah marks a short pause before one goes on to recite some Qur’ānic Sūrah. It is in this pause that Āmīn is required to be said. In such a case, a person should consider it to be something said in the pause and as such not feel distracted.