370. Reading A Surah After Al-Faatihah In Salaah

By Asma bint Shameem 

Reciting a Surah or a part of a Surah after reading al-Faatihah in Salaah is something good and recommended, and is part of the Sunnah. 

However, reciting some Qur’aan or a ‘minimum number of Aayaat’ after al-Faatihah is NOT a “MUST”. 

Allaah says:

فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ

“ So, recite you of the Qur’aan as much as may be easy for you.”

(Surah al-Muzammil:20)

Abu Hurayrah radhi Allaahu anhu said: 

“In every prayer there is recitation.  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., Soorat al-Faatihah) has done enough, and whoever does more than that, that is better.”

(al-Bukhaari, Muslim)

This shows that the only thing that’s mandatory for the Salaah to be valid is reading al-Faatihah. 

But of course, following the Sunnah is most desired.

So it’s allowed to read even just one Aayah, (as long as the meanings are complete) and it’s good and recommended to read *more*. 

But there’s no ‘minimum’ or ‘maximum’ amount of Qur’aan to be read after al-Faatihah and the Salaah would be *valid* if someone didn’t read ANY Qur’aan, any Surah, any Aayah after al-Faatihah, not even one Aayah. 

Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said: 

“According to the majority of scholars, reciting another Surah (after al-Faatihah) is Sunnah and is not obligatory, because it is obligatory to recite only al-Faatihah.”

(Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 3/103)

So if someone forgot to read a Surah or some Qur’aan after al-Faatihah and went into rukoo, or if they made a mistake in the recitation, etc., or if they’re in a rush for some reason, the Salaah is valid without reading anything after al-Faatihah and 

there’s no need to do sujood as-Sahw either. 

And Allaah knows best