by Asma bint Shameem
First of all, reciting a Surah or part of a Surah in the Salaah after al-Faatihah is NOT FARDH.
Rather, it is SUNNAH and something recommended.
And that goes for ALL the rak’aat of the ALL the prayers.
It doesn’t matter if you’re praying a fardh Salaah or Sunnah.
You don’t ‘have’ to read a Surah after al-Faatihah.
🍃 Abu Hurayrah radhi Allaahu anhu said:
“What we heard the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam say, we tell you, and what he did not tell us about we cannot tell you. Whoever recites Umm al-Kitaab (i.e., Surah al-Faatihah) has done enough, and whoever does more than that, that is better.”
(al-Bukhaari, Muslim)
🍃 Imaam an-Nawawi said:
“The phrase, “Whoever recites Umm al-Kitaab (i.e., Surah al-Faatihah) has done enough, and whoever does more than that, that is better” indicates that reciting
AL-FAATIHAH is OBLIGATORY, and that nothing else will do.
It ALSO indicates that reciting a Surah after al-Faatihah is MUSTAHABB (recommended).
There is scholarly consensus on this point with regard to Fajr, Jumu’ah and the FIRST TWO RAK’AH of every prayer, and this is SUNNAH according to all scholars.”
(Sharh Muslim, 4/105, 106)
📌 In other words:
1. You don’t HAVE to say a Surah or part of a Surah after reading al-Faatihah in ANY of the prayers.
2. But it is Sunnah to read a portion of the Qur’aan after al-Faatihah in the FIRST TWO RAK’AAT of the FARDH prayer.
And it is Sunnah to NOT to read anything in the third and fourth rak’ah of the fardh prayer.
🍃 Abu Qataadah radhi Allaahu anhu said:
“Verily the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam would recite the Faatihah and a Surah in the first 2 rakahs and then just the Faatihah in the last 2 rakahs.”
(Saheeh al-Bukhaari 776)
However if someone wants to read a Surah after al-Faatihah in the third and fourth rak’ah of the fardh prayer, they’re allowed to do that, SOMETIMES.
That’s what the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam did OCCASIONALLY as reported by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri radhi Allaahu anhu.
🍃 He said:
“The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam 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).” (Saheeh Muslim 452b)
📌 Conclusion
It’s true that we recite a portion of the Qur’aan after al-Faatihah in the first and second rak’ah of a Fardh prayer.
And we read only al-Faatihah in the third and fourth rak’ah.
That’s the ‘usual’ scenario.
But SOMETIMES, we can also add another Surah in the third and fourth rak’ah and that’s also permissible and proven from the practice of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam.
And if we read a Surah after al-Faatihah in our third or fourth rak’aat, there’s no problem.
And there’s NO NEED to do sujood as-Sahw even if we do read it.
And Allaah knows best.
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