Recitations in Salah (prayer)

“I once asked abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), ’When I stand up for Salah (prayer) can I read, “In the name of Allah, most Beneficent, most Merciful” in the beginning of the recitation?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, you can do so.’ I then asked, ‘When I complete reading al-Fatihah can I read “In the name of Allah, most Beneficent, most Merciful” in the beginning of the chapter?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, you can do so.’”

“I once wrote to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), and asked. ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, what do you say about a man who says “In the name of Allah, most Beneficent, most Merciful” in the beginning of ‘Umm al-Kitab, when performing Salah (prayer) alone. After completing ‘Umm al-Kitab he does not say it before the chapter (surah) and al-‘Abbasiy says that it is not harmful?’ He (the Imam) wrote with his own handwriting, ‘He reads it again, he reads it again twice to emphasise against al-‘Abbasiy.’” (Ahadith 1-2 are best explained in the form of fatwa.)

“I heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.), say, ‘Every book that has come from the heavens begins with “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.’” When you read, ‘In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful’ it is then not an offense not to read: ‘I seek refuge with Allah against Satan, the condemned one.’ When you read, ‘In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful’, it protects you from things between the sky and earth.”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Is there any temporary recitation in Salah (prayer)? He (the Imam) replied, ‘No, except Friday in which you recite al-Jumu‘ah, and al-Munafiqun, (Chapters 62 and 63).’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If you are behind an Imam when he completes reading al-Hamd you say, ‘all praise belongs to Allah, Cherisher of the worlds,’ and do not say ‘Amen.’” (Ahadith 4-5 are best explained in the form of fatwa.)

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘Of recitations and prayers, only such recitations and prayers are counted which one has made his own self to hear.’”

foiiowing: “I once asked abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Is it sufficient for me to read just al-Fatihah in an obligatory Salah (prayer) if I am in a hurry or something causes me to move quickly?’ He (the Imam) replied, ’It is not harmful.’”

foiiowing: “Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), once led us in al-Maghrib Salah (prayer) and recited al- Ma’udhatayn in two Rak’at.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is permissible for one suffering from illness to recite just al-Fatihah in an obligatory Salah (prayer) as well as for one in good health in Qada’ (compensatory prayer) of optional Salah (prayer) missed during the day or night.’”

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘It is undesirable to recite two Surah (chapters) together in an obligatory Salah (prayer) but in an optional one it is not harmful.’” (Ahadith 7-11 are best explained in the form of fatwa.)

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that it is not desirable to recite all of Chapter 112 in one breath.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘You must not read less than a Surah (Chapter) in an obligatory Salah (prayer) or more.’”

“I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘Salah (prayer) of repenting people with all fifty of them there is Chapter 112.’”

“A man once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when I was present, ‘How much one recites when it is Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime)?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘One recites eighty verses.’ The man then left. He (the Imam) said, ‘O abu Harun, have you ever seen an old man more strange than this man who asked me about something which I answered but did not ask me about its explanation? This is a man about whom people of Iraq think, is the wisest among them. O abu Harun, al-Hamd has seven verses and 112 has three verses all together become ten verses. At noontime there are eight Rak‘at and this makes it eighty verses.”’ (According to ‘ A’immah Chapter 112 may consist of three verses).

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ’Can one recite in Salah (prayer) with his clothes on his mouth? He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful if his ears can hear his humming.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When performing Salah (prayer) with them (other people) it is sufficient to recite like speaking to one’s soul.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The recitation of a speechless person in Talbiyah, Tashahhud and readings from al-Quran in Salah (prayer) is by moving his tongue and pointing with his finger.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who forgets a letter of the recitation and remembers it in Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees); is it permissible for him to recite in Ruku‘? He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is not permissible but he recites in Sujud (prostration).”’

“I said to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, you have written to Muhammad ibn al-Faraj telling him that the most excellent recitation in obligatory Salah (prayer) are chapters 97 and 112 of the Holy Quran. I feel uneasy reciting them in morning Salah (prayer).’ The Imam said, ‘You should not feel uneasy to recite them, by Allah, excellence is in reciting these two chapters.’” (Ahadith 12-19 are best explained in the form of fatwa.)

“I performed Salah (prayer) for many days in congregation led by abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and in Salah (prayer) which is not recited loudly, he would read Bismillah, (in the name of Allah, most Beneficent, most Merciful) aloud in both Surah (chapters).”

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘Do not be loud in your Salah (prayer) nor very quiet.’ (17:110) He (the Imam) said, ‘Quiet is when you do not hear it, and loud is when you raise your voice very loud.’”

narrated to him Mu’adh ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘You must not miss reading Surah (chapter) 112 and 109 in seven instances. Read them in the two Rak‘at before dawn, in the two Rak‘at at noontime, in the two Rak‘at after al-Maghrib, in the first two Rak‘at of the night Salah (prayer), the two Rak‘at for Ihram. Read them in the two Rak‘at of the morning if you begin the morning with them and the two Rak‘at for Tawaf.’” “In another Hadith it is said that in all of these Surah (Chapter) 112 is read first and in the second Rak‘at is Surah (Chapter) 109 except for the two Rak‘at before the morning in which Surah (Chapter) 109 is read first and in the second Rak‘at Surah (chapter) 112 is read.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about a man who leads people in Salah (prayer) and makes a mistake. He (the Imam) said, ‘Those behind him open it up for him (help to correct him).”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that a man may stand up in a certain place to perform Salah (prayer). He then wants to move forward. He in such case stops reading when he is walking forward, until he reaches the place that he wants, then reads.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that a man stands up for Salah (prayer), wants to read a Surah (chapter) and he reads Surah (chapter) 112 and Surah (chapter) 109. He (the Imam) said, ‘He can discontinue reading any Surah (chapter) except Surah (chapter) 112 and Surah (chapter) 109.’”

“Once, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), led us in al-Maghrib Salah (prayer). He read al-M‘udhatayn (chapters 113, 114) and said that they are of al-Quran.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Is it necessary for an Imam to read so that people behind him can hear his reading even if they are many?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He reads moderately; Allah, most Blessed, most High, has said, “Do not be very loud in your Salah (prayer) nor very quiet.’”” (17:110)

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about one who does not read al-Fatihah in his Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) said, ‘His Salah (prayer) is not valid. He must begin with it (al-Fatihah) that which is read aloud or quietly.’ I then asked, ‘Which one is more beloved to you: if one is afraid or in a hurry, is it reading a Surah (chapter) or al-Fatihah of al-Kitab?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘al-Fatihah of al-Kitab is more beloved.’” (Ahadith 20-28 are best explained in the form of fatwa.)