For the silent prayer during Zuhr and Asr (in Jama'at), my understanding is that when reading Surah Fatiha, it is enough just to move your lips and read the surah in your mind.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa
Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
For
the silent prayer during Zuhr and Asr (in Jama'at), my understanding is that
when reading Surah Fatiha, it is enough just to move your lips and read the
surah in your mind.
But as
for the supplementary surah, should we read one in our mind, or should we not
read anything (as it could be different to the imams)?
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Surah in prayer
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask
for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever
He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that
there is no one (no idol, no person, no
grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai,
nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that
Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Your Question: For the
silent prayer during Zuhr and Asr (in Jama'at), my understanding is that when
reading Surah Fatiha, it is enough just to move your lips and read the surah in
your mind.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verse 204:
204 When the Qur'an is read listen to it with attention and hold your
peace: that ye may receive Mercy.
In the first two rakahs of the obligatory ‘fajr’,
‘magrib’, and ‘isha’ prayers when the Surah Fatihah and the additional verses
are recited aloud by the ‘imam’ in congregation, one should remain silent and
listen to the recitation of the Glorious Quran with attention.
In the obligatory ‘dhuhr’ and ‘asr’ prayers when the
‘imam’ recites the Surah Al-Fatihah silently, the believers following the
‘imam’ in congregation should also recite the Surah Al-Fatihah by moving their
lips but silently in their hearts.
Your Question: But
as for the supplementary surah, should we
read one in our mind, or should we not read anything (as it could be
different to the imams)?
Abu Qatadah reported that the Prophet (saws)
would recite al-Fatihah and some (other) surah in the first two rak'ah of the
noon prayer, and only al-Fatihah in the last two rak'ah. Sometimes he (saws) would
recite some verses. The first rak'ah's recital would be longer than the second.
That was how it was done in the afternoon and morning prayers.
Related by al-Bukhari, Muslim and Abu Dawud.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.739 Narrated
by Abu Huraira
The Qur'an is recited in every prayer and in
those prayers in which Allah's Messenger (saws) recited aloud for us, we recite
aloud in the same prayers for you; and the prayers in which the Prophet (saws)
recited quietly, we recite quietly. If you recite "Surah Al-Fatiha"
only it is sufficient, but if you recite something else in addition, it is
better.
It is the preferred Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah
(saws) to recite a few verses of the Quran after the recitation of Surah
Al-Fatihah in the first two rakahs of every prayer; but this is not a
compulsory or obligatory condition of prayer.
If one, for any reason, forgets to recite other verses of the Glorious
Quran after Surah Al-Fatihah in the first two rakahs of the prayer, his prayer
will still be regarded as valid.
In the first two rakahs of the ‘dhuhr’ and ‘asr’ prayers
when the ‘imam’ leading the congregation recites the prayers silently, the
believers who pray behind him must also recite the Surah Al-Fatihah and any
other Surah of their choice in a silent manner.
There is absolutely no harm if the Surah or verses the ‘imam’ recites
silently after the Surah Al-Fatihah in those prayers are different from those
which are recited by the believers who pray behind the ‘imam’ in congregation. Only when the ‘imam’ recites any part of the
Glorious Quran aloud in any of his prayers (the first two rakahs of fajr,
magrib, and isha), the believers must not recite anything but listen to the
recitation of the Glorious Quran silently and attentively.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah
Aaraaf verse 204:
204 When the Qur'an is read listen to it with attention and hold your
peace: that ye may receive Mercy.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to
Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only
Source of Strength.
Your
brother and well wisher in Islam,
Burhan