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:

Dear Brother,

Should one always pray Fard or Sunnat Namaaz with the Rakaats going upwards in the Quran i.e. Wal-asre towards An-nas? Is there more than one opinion of the Islamic scholars in this issue?

Thank you for your reply

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Answer:

Ascend descend surah 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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) almost always recited the Surahs or verses of the Glorious Quran in the order the Quran was compiled in his obligatory (Fard) as well as voluntary (Nafl) prayers, but there are a few instances recorded in the authentic Sunnah whereby the Messenger of Allah (saws) recited the Surahs in his prayers in the reverse or ascending order of compilation.

Because the Messenger of Allah (saws) almost always recited the Quran in his prayers in the order the Quran was compiled or descending order, it would be preferred to pray in the descending order; but if one does pray in the ascending order, it would also be part of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and thus absolutely permissible and acceptable in Shariah.

The absolute majority of the scholars and jurists in Islam are unanimous in their opinion that although it is preferred and closest to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) to recite the Surahs in the descending order of compilation, but if one does, for any reason, chose to recite the Surahs in the ascending order in their prayers, it would not effect the validity of their prayer in the least.

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