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:

And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute with one another lest you lose courage and your strength departs, and be patient. Surely Allah is with those who are patient.

( As saabiroon).

AL  ANFAL   8:46

Please clarify the following

The recital of the Suras after Sura Al Fathiha during congregational prayers has to be recited in the descending order as per the Arabic Language , ie if one recites Sura Al Iqhlas in the first Raqa'h he should recite Surah Al falaq in the next Raqa'h  and similarly if one recites Surah Al kafirun in the first Raqa'h he has the option of reciting any of the Suras between Sura An Nasr and Sura An nas , or does he have the option of selecting any Suras randomly .

During the performance of Optional Prayers is there an option of reciting only the Fathiha and the recital of a sura is optional.

may Allah reward you and your forum for the knowledge that benefits in the path of Allah.

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Answer:

Recite ascending descending order 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 none 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: …..and similarly if one recites Surah Al kafirun in the first Raqa'h he has the option of reciting any of the Suras between Sura An Nasr and Sura An nas , or does he have the option of selecting any Suras randomly .

The general practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws) was almost always to recite 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 and established 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 (obligatory as well as voluntary) 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 deemed 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. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

Your Question: …During the performance of Optional Prayers is there an option of reciting only the Fathiha and the recital of a sura is optional.

Sahih Al-Bukhari HadithHadith 1.723 Narrated by Ubada bin As Samit

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Whoever does not recite Al-Fatiha in his prayer, his prayer is invalid."

One amongst the absolutely obligatory acts or rites of prayer is the recitation of the Surah Al-Fatihah; for whoever does not recite the Surah Al-Fatihah in any rakah of their prayer, their prayer is invalid.

The recitation of the another Surah or some Verses of the Glorious Quran after the recitation of Surah al-Fatihah is obviously not obligatory, but rather an extremely preferred Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws)….so much so that the Messenger of Allah (saws) never prayed an optional prayer without reciting a Surah or some Verses of the Glorious Quran after the recitation of Surah al-Fatihah in each rakah of all his ‘nafl’ or optional prayers.

The only ‘rakahs’ in which the Messenger of Allah (saws) did not recite another Surah after the recitation of Surah al-Fatihah were in the last two rakahs of the obligatory ‘dhuhr’, ‘asr’, and ‘isha’ prayers, the last ‘rakah’ of the obligatory ‘magrib’ prayers, and the funeral prayers.

If other than the above specific ‘rakahs’ of prayer one chooses to recite only the Surah Al-Fatihah without another Surah or some Verses of the Glorious Quran, although their prayer itself would be deemed valid, their act would be against the guidance and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

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