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 Sir,

Some of our brothers have a misunderstanding that we cannot pray the Quran out of sequence while praying, (for example the Imam should not recite Sura Al  Iqlas chapter 112 in the first Raka and then return to Surat Al Kawthar 108) they say one has to recite the Quran in Sequence first chapter 108 then 112 or any other chapter after 108.

Would you please clarify it in the light of Quran and Sunnah.

Jazakumullahu Khairan.

(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:

Reciting surahs in 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.

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 absolutely 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.

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