Is not reciting Surat Al-Fatiḥah for the soul of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions an overstepping of the Prophet’s person and status, and how does one respond to those who do that?

Dedicating the reward of Al-Fatiha to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, is not permissible and is an innovation (bid'ah). This is because he guided us to what is good, so the reward for our deeds automatically reaches him, and the Companions did not do it. As for dedicating its reward to others besides the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, such as the deceased, there is a difference of opinion among scholars. What is considered authoritative with us is the permissibility of dedicating the reward of a righteous deed to the deceased and that they benefit from it. Others are of the view that the deceased only benefits from what is explicitly stated in the Sharia, such as charity, Hajj, and Umrah, and that the recitation of the Quran does not reach them. Reciting Al-Fatiha with the intention of dedicating it to the Prophet or the deceased is an innovation due to the lack of evidence, and an act of worship requires evidence. One should be wary of innovative practices in dedicating rewards, such as reciting in cemeteries, or collectively, or by hiring a reciter.