Question:
Assalamualaikum SS Dato’ Seri Mufti. How are you? Hope you are in great health. I have a question. There is an imam in a surau who always recite long surahs especially for maghrib and isyak prayer. Sometimes he would recite a shorter surah for maghrib prayer and then recite a really long surah for isyak prayer. Is this the sunnah of the Prophet PBUH? The reason I asked is, sometimes I feel sorry for the old makmum who are trembling because they are standing for too long. Hope for an explanation from ustaz. Thank you.
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wrt. wbt.
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the many countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Reciting surah or verses of the Quran after the recitation of al-Fatihah is among the sunnah in perfecting the prayer. This is stated in a hadith narrated by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, he said:
كَانَ يَقْرَأُ فِى صَلاَةِ الظُّهْرِ فِى الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ الأُولَيَيْنِ فِى كُلِّ رَكْعَةٍ قَدْرَ ثَلاَثِينَ آيَةً ، وَفِى الأُخْرَيَيْنِ قَدْرَ خَمْسَ عَشَرَةَ آيَةً - أَوْ قَالَ نِصْفَ ذَلِكَ - وَفِى الْعَصْرِ فِى الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ الأُولَيَيْنِ فِى كُلِّ رَكْعَةٍ قَدْرَ خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ آيَةً ، وَفِى الأُخْرَيَيْنِ قَدْرَ نِصْفِ ذَلِكَ
“The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite in every rak'ah of the first two rak'ahs of the noon prayer about thirty verses and in the last two about fifteen verses or half (of the first rak'ah) and in every rak'ah of the 'Asr prayer of the first two rak'ahs about fifteen verses and in the last two verses half (of the first ones).”
Narrated by al-Baihaqi (2578) in Sunan Al-Kubra
Al-Khatib al-Syarbini state that reciting surah after the recitation of al-Fatihah is sunnah even if it is a short surah. It is sunnah to recite surah in the first two rakaat of prayer, whether it is a jahriyyah or sirriyah prayer. As for the makmum, it is not sunnah to recite any surah but it is encouraged to listen to the recitation of the surah by the imam. (Refer Al-‘Iqna’ Fi Hilli Alfaz Abi Syuja’,1/142)
Coming back to the question asked, among the sunnah of the Prophet PBUH is to lengthen the recitation in Subuh prayer. Lengthen the first two rakaat of Zohor prayer and simplify the last two rakaat. Simplify the Maghrib prayer and moderate length for the recitation in Isyak and Asar prayer. This is in accordance with a hadith narrated by Sulaiman bin Yasar from Abu Hurairah RA. Abu Hurairah RA said:
مَا صَلَّيْتُ وَرَاءَ أَحَدٍ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلى الله عَليه وسَلم أَشْبَهَ صَلاَةً بِرَسُولِ اللهِ صَلى الله عَليه وسَلم مِنْ فُلاَنٍ قَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ كَانَ يُطِيلُ الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ الأُولَيَيْنِ مِنَ الظُّهْرِ وَيُخَفِّفُ الأُخْرَيَيْنِ وَيُخَفِّفُ الْعَصْرَ وَيَقْرَأُ فِي الْمَغْرِبِ بِقِصَارِ الْمُفَصَّلِ وَيَقْرَأُ فِي الْعِشَاءِ بِوَسَطِ الْمُفَصَّلِ وَيَقْرَأُ فِي الصُّبْحِ بِطِوَالِ الْمُفَصَّلِ
"I have never prayed behind anyone whose prayer more closely resembled that of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) than so-and-so. We prayed behind that person and he used to make the first two rak'ahs of Zuhr lengthy and the last two shorter, and he would make 'Asr shorter; in Maghrib he would recite the short Mufassal surahs. In Isha' he recited: 'By the sun and its brightness and similar surahs, and in subh he recited two lengthy surahs."
Sunan al-Nasaie (1054) in Al-Sunan Al-Kubra
Syeikh Zakariyya al-Ansari said that it is sunnah to recite a long al-Mufassal [1] for Subuh prayer. As for Zohor prayer, it is the same as Subuh prayer. In Asar and Isyak prayer recite a moderate al-Mufasal and short surahs for Maghrib prayer. (Refer Asna’ Al-Matalib Fi Syarh Raudh Al-Tolib, 1/156).
Al-Khatib al-Syarbini state that even if someone is an imam, he should recite a long al-Mufassal for Subuh prayer. In Zohor prayer, although he should not recite a long surah like the Subuh prayer, but he should still recite a surah from al-Mufassal which are long. For Asar and Isyak prayer choose to recite a moderate length al-Mufassal. As for Maghrib prayer, it is sunnah to recite a short al-Mufassal. As for the Subuh prayer on a Friday, it is sunnah to recite [2] الم تنزيل in the first rakaat and هل أتى for the second rakaat. (Refer Al-Iqna’ Fi Hilli Alfaz Abi Syuja’,1/144)
Al-Bujairimi explained in his book, it is sunnah to recite a long al-Mufassal in Subuh prayer. The reason is, Subuh prayer is just a two rakaat prayer. Hence, it is appropriate to be lengthened. Maghrib prayer is suitable to be simplified due to its short time for prayer. As for Zohor, Asar and Isyak prayer; their time for prayer is long. Thus, prayer during this time is performed in moderate length, which is not too long or too short. It is lengthened but not as long as Subuh prayer. It may be because it is a time for qailulah. Thus, it is not lengthened as long as for Subuh prayer. (Refer Tuhfah Al-Habib ‘Ala Syarh Al-Khatib,2/225)
However, how many verses should be recited? Should one complete a whole surah or just a few verses? This matter is explained in several narrations of hadith. Some of them are:
- From Abu Barzah, he said:
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَقْرَأُ فِي صَلَاةِ الْغَدَاةِ بِالسِّتِّينَ إِلَى الْمِائَةِ
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite between sixty and one hundred verses in Al-Ghadah (Subh) prayer.”
Sunan al-Nasaie (939). Syeikh Syu’aib al-Arnaut said that the sanad (chain of narrators) for the hadith is sahih (authentic)
- Sometimes, for Subuh prayer the Prophet PBUH would recite a whole surah. This is stated in a hadith narrated by Jabir bin Samurah:
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَقْرَأُ: فِي الصُّبْحِ بِـ {ق وَالْقُرْآنِ الْمَجِيدِ قَالَ: وَكَانَتْ صَلَاتُهُ بَعْدُ تَخْفِيفًا
The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite in the morning prayer" Qaf. By the Glorious Quran." and his prayer afterward shortened.
Narrated by Ibnu Hibban (1816)
- There was a time in Subuh prayer where the Prophet PBUH recite surah al-Takwir. From Amru bin Huraith, he said:
سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقْرَأُ فِي الْفَجْرِ إِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ
"I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) reciting: 'When the sun is wound round.' in fajr. "
Sunan al-Nasaie (942)
Sometimes the Prophet PBUH would recite Surah al-Zalzalah in both rakaat of Subuh prayer. Muaz bin Abdullah al-Juhani said he heard a man from the qabilah of Juhainah saying:
أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْرَأُ فِي الصُّبْحِ إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الأَرْضُ فِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ كِلْتَيْهِمَا فَلاَ أَدْرِي أَنَسِيَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَمْ قَرَأَ ذَلِكَ عَمْدًا
He had heard the Prophet (ﷺ) reciting "When the earth is shaken" (Surah 99) in both rak'ahs of the morning prayer. But I do not know whether he had forgotten, or whether he recited it on purpose.
Sunan Abu Daud (816)
- In Zohor and Asar prayer, sometimes the Prophet PBUH would recite surah al-Tariq and surah al-Buruj, or a surah of equivalent length with both these surahs. This is stated in a hadith from Jabir bin Samurah, he said:
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلى الله عَليه وسَلم كَانَ يَقْرَأُ فِي الظُّهْرِ وَالْعَصْرِ بِـ السَّمَاءِ وَالطَّارِقِ وَ السَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الْبُرُوجِ وَنَحْوِهِمَا مِنَ السُّوَرِ
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite in the noon and afternoon prayer: "By the Heaven and the Morning Star" (Surah 86) and "By the Heaven, holding mansions of the stars" (Surah 85) and similar surahs of equal length.
Sunan al-Tirmizi (307) and Sunan Abu Daud (782)
- In Maghrib prayer, there are times when the Prophet PBUH would recite a short surah from al-Mufassal. Among them are surah al-Tur. In a narration of hadith from Muhammad bin Jubair bin Mut’im from his father, he said:
سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَرَأَ بِالطُّورِ فِي الْمَغْرِبِ
"I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, recite at-Tur (Sura 52) in the maghrib prayer."
Musnad Imam Ahmad (16783) in al-Musnad
However, an imam should be aware of the conditions of his makmum behind him. He should be concerned and considers his makmum when deciding the length of his recitations in his prayers to not burden his makmum. Makmum can be from among people of various backgrounds and capabilities and all of them should be considered and celebrated. This is in accordance with a hadith from Abu Mas’ud, he said:
أَنَّ رَجُلًا قَالَ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأَتَأَخَّرُ عَنْ صَلَاةِ الْغَدَاةِ مِنْ أَجْلِ فُلَانٍ مِمَّا يُطِيلُ بِنَا فَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي مَوْعِظَةٍ أَشَدَّ غَضَبًا مِنْهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ مِنْكُمْ مُنَفِّرِينَ فَأَيُّكُمْ مَا صَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ فَلْيَتَجَوَّزْ فَإِنَّ فِيهِمْ الضَّعِيفَ وَالْكَبِيرَ وَذَا الْحَاجَةِ
A man came and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! By Allah, I keep away from the morning prayer only because So and so prolongs the prayer when he leads us in it." The narrator said, "I never saw Allah's Apostle more furious in giving advice than he was at that time. He then said, "Some of you make people dislike good deeds (the prayer). So, whoever among you leads the people in prayer should shorten it because among them are the weak, the old and the needy.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (702)
Al-Hafiz Ibnu Hajar al-Asqalani said that shortening or simplifying a prayer in the above hadith does not mean one should neglect the obligations in prayer. It means simplifying it without disregarding it until it damages the prayer. (Refer Fath Al-Bari Syarh Sahih Al-Bukhari, 2/198)
What’s interesting is, Ibnu Hajar al-Asqalani wrote a method stated by Fath al-Din al-Ya’mari who is also known as Ibn Sayyid al-nas. Al-Ya’mari said:
الأحكام إنما تناط بالغالب لا بالصورة النادرة
“Rulings are basically in accordance with the norm and not according to isolated cases.”
This method should be applied in congregational prayer. The reason is, not everyone has the capability to stand for a prolonged period of time in prayer. There are possibilities that there are sick people, elderly and people who has errands to run are together as makmum in congregational prayer. Hence, when commenting on the words of the Prophet PBUH, ‘because among them are the weak, the old and the needy,’ Ibnu Hajar al-Asqalani state that this is the situation of most people. (Refer Fath Al-Bari Syarh Sahih Al-Bukhari, 2/198)
Ibnu Battal said: This hadith is an evidence for those who are acting as the imam that he should simplify his prayer for it is a commandment of the Prophet PBUH. (Refer Syarh Sahih Al-Bukhari Li Ibn Battal , 2/333)
As a conclusion, there is no problem for an imam to prolong his prayer. The reason is, in certain situations the Prophet PBUH lengthened his obligatory prayers, especially the Subuh prayer. However, for an imam, he should consider the capability of the makmum behind him. Don’t be the reason makmum run away from congregational prayer. Celebrate all his makmum who are from various backgrounds.
May Allah SWT give us understanding in the rulings in religion.
[1] al-Mufassal the name for a combination of surahs. It is known that the surah in the Quran is divided into four divisions, which are, Al-Tiwal,Al-Mathani, Al-Miuun dan Al-Mufassal. It is named as al-Mufassal for there are numerous Basmalah that separate the surahs. There is an opinion that state it is named al-Mufassal for there are few verses that are abrogated. It starts from surah al-Qaf until surah al-Nas. Al-Mufassal is divided into three. There are long al-Mufassal (Tiwal) which starts from surah al-Hujurat until surah al-Buruj. Moderate (al-Awsat), which starts from surah al-Toriq until surah al-Bayyinah. And short (Qisar) which starts from surah al-Zalzalah until the last surah which is surah al-Nas. (Refer Al-Itqan Fi Ulum Al-Quran Li Al-Sayuti , 2/374-376; Itqan Al-Burhan Fi Ulum Al-Quran by Dr Fadhl Hasan ‘Abbas, 1/449)
[2] الم تنزيل is from surah al-Sajadah which has 30 verses and هل أتى from surah al-Insan which has 31 verses.