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:

Assalamaualikum,

I think the question was asking whether the beleivers are required to recite a surah after the surah fatiha in the last two rakahs of a 4-rakah fard prayer. please clarify whether this is true or not true for sunnah prayers also.

jazakallah khairun

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Answer:

Surahs to recite after fateha 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.

'Ibadah ibn as-Samit related that the Prophet (saws) said, "There is no prayer for one who does not recite the opening of the Book (al-Fatihah)."

This is related by Al Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi and others.

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "Whoever prays a prayer and does not recite the opening chapter of the Qur'an (Surah Al Fatihah) has not prayed correctly."

Related by Ahmad, al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Said Abu Hurairah, "A recitation should be done in every prayer. What we heard from the Prophet (saws) we let you hear. What he was silent about, we are silent about with you. If one does not add anything to al-Fatihah, it is sufficient. If one does add something, it is good."

Related by al-Bukhari.

It is an obligatory condition of prayer that Surah Fatihah is recited in every rakah of the prayer; whether the prayers are obligatory (fard) or voluntary (Sunnah or Nafl). If one does not pray the Surah Fatihah in any rakah of the prayer, the prayer of the person will not be considered valid. Reciting anything from the Quran in addition to the Surah Fatihah in prayer is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

Thus in the three or four rakah obligatory prayers, one must recite Surah Fatihah in all the rakahs; and it is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) to recite other Surahs or Aayahs of the Quran in addition to Surah Fatihah in only the first two rakahs, and only the Surah Fatihah in the third and fourth rakah. And if one prays any voluntary (Sunnah or Nafl) prayers in combinations of two rakahs, it is the Sunnah and is best to recite the Surah Fatihah, and another Surah or some Aayahs of the Glorious Quran in both the rakahs; but if one does recite only the Surah Fatihah in each rakah, his prayer will still be considered valid.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan