987. In the first two rak‘ah of the daily obligatory prayers, one should first recite sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah and then another complete sÙrah. SÙrat al-ÃuÎÁ and alam nashraÎ are together considered one sÙrah in the prayer, and so are sÙrat al-fÐl and li-ÞÐlÁf.
988. If there is nominal time remaining for prayer, or if a person is compelled to omit the latter sÙrah—for example, if a person fears that a thief, a beast or something else may cause him harm—he should abstain from reciting it. If a person is ill, or has an urgent need, he is exempt from reciting the latter sÙrah. However, if such a person recites it, he should not recite it with the intention of it being a component of prayer; rather, he may recite it with the intention of reciting the Qur’an.
989. If a person deliberately recites the second sÙrah before sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah, while deeming it a component of the prayer, his prayer is invalid. However, if he does so mistakenly, and recollects during its recitation, he should abandon it, and after reciting sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah, he should recite it from the beginning.
990. If a person forgetfully omits sÙrah al-FÁtiÎah or the latter sÙrah, or both, and recollects after entering rukÙ‘, his prayer is valid.
991. If prior to bowing for rukÙ‘, a person realizes that he has not recited sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah and the latter sÙrah, he should recite them. If he realizes he only omitted the latter sÙrah, he should only recite the latter sÙrah. However, if he realizes he only omitted sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah, he should first recite it and then repeat the latter sÙrah. Similarly, if a person bows, but prior to entering rukÙ‘ realizes he omitted sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah, the second sÙrah or both, he should abide by the aforementioned instructions.
992. If a person deliberately recites one of the four sÙrahs containing the verse that makes sujÙd obligatory, as elaborated in article 361, it is obligatory to perform the sujÙd for reciting it, after reciting the verse. Obligatory precaution dictates in such an event, he should complete his prayer and thereafter repeat it. One should similarly repeat his prayer if he commits a sin by not performing the sujÙd.
993. If a person accidentally begins reciting a sÙrah containing a verse which makes sujÙd obligatory, but realizes prior to reaching the verse that obligates sujÙd, he should abandon reciting it and instead recite another sÙrah. However, if he realizes after reciting the verse that obligates sujÙd, he should out of precaution perform sujÙd by means of signaling, complete the sÙrah, and recite another sÙrah with a non-specific intention of attaining proximity—in the sense that if his duty is to recite another sÙrah, then this be it, and if not, it be with the intention of reciting the Qur’an—and he should perform its sujÙd after completing the prayer.
994. If a person gives ear to a verse that obligates sujÙd during prayer, his prayer is valid. He should however signal with the intention of performing the sujÙd of recitation. Recommended precaution dictates that he should also perform a conventional sujÙd after completing his prayer.
995. It is not necessary to recite the second sÙrah in the recommended prayers, even if the prayer is deemed obligatory due to a nadhr or something similar. However, some recommended prayers have a particular sÙrah prescribed for them, such as ÒalÁt al-waÎshah Refer to article 664 for details on ÒalÁt al-waÎshah({^Refer to article 664 for details on ÒalÁt al-waÎshah^}). If a person wishes to offer it according to its prescribed instructions, he should recite the very sÙrah that was recommended.
996. It is recommended to recite sÙrat al-jumu‘ah in the first rak‘ah and sÙrat al-munÁfiqÙn in the second rak‘ah, after reciting sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah in the Friday prayer and the Ûuhr prayer offered on Friday. Recommended precaution dictates that if a person begins to recite them, he should not abandon them for another sÙrah.
997. If a person begins to recite sÙrat al-tawÎÐd or sÙrat al-kÁfirÙn after sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah, he cannot abandon them and begin another sÙrah. However, if a person forgetfully begins reciting one of them in the Friday prayer or the Ûuhr prayer offered on Friday, in lieu of sÙrat al-jumu‘ah or sÙrat al-munÁfiqÙn, he may abandon them and recite sÙrat al-jumu‘ah or sÙrat al-munÁfiqÙn. The recommended precaution is that one should not abandon it after half or more of the sÙrah has been recited.
998. If a person deliberately recites sÙrat al-tawÎÐd or sÙrat al-kÁfirÙn in the Friday prayer or the Ûuhr prayer offered on Friday, obligatory precaution dictates that he should not abandon it for sÙrat al-jumu‘ah or sÙrat al-munÁfiqÙn, even if he has yet to recite half of it.
999. If a person begins reciting a sÙrah, other than sÙrat al-tawÎÐd or sÙrat al-kÁfirÙn, he may abandon it in lieu of another as long as half of it has not been recited. Obligatory precaution dictates that one should not abandon it between half and two thirds of its recitation. However, once two thirds has been recited, it is not permissible to abandon it for another sÙrah.
1000. If a person forgets a part of the latter sÙrah, or due to compulsion, such as constriction of time or other causes, is unable to complete the latter sÙrah, he may abandon it and begin another sÙrah, even if two thirds of it has been recited and even if it be sÙrat al-tawÎÐd or sÙrat al-kÁfirÙn.
1001. It is obligatory for a man to recite sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah and the second sÙrah in the fajr, maghrib and ‘ishÁ prayers aloud, while it is obligatory on both men and women to recite sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah and the second sÙrah in the Ûuhr and ‘aÒr prayers in a low voice.
1002. A man should ensure that all the words of sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah and the second sÙrah are recited aloud, including their final letters.
1003. A woman may recite sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah and the second sÙrah in the fajr, maghrib and ‘ishÁ prayers aloud or in a low voice. However, obligatory precaution dictates that if a non-maÎram hears her voice, she should recite in a low voice. In the event that the recitation of a woman is deemed forbidden—for example, when a non-maÎram hears her reciting in a delicate and complaisant voice—it is not permissible for her to recite aloud. If she does, her prayer is invalid.
1004. If a person deliberately recites aloud where he should recite in a low voice or vice versa, his prayer is invalid. However, if he does so out of forgetfulness or ignorance of its ruling, his prayer is valid. If a person realizes his mistake while reciting sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah or the latter sÙrah, it is not necessary for him to repeat the parts he has already recited.
1005. If a person recites sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah and the second sÙrah in an unusually loud voice—for example, shouting out its words—his prayer is invalid.
1006. A person must learn how to pray, so he may offer it correctly. If a person is unable to learn it at all, he should offer it in whatever manner he can. Recommended precaution dictates that if a person is unable to learn that which the Imam of a congregation undertakes in place of the follower, he should offer his prayer in congregation.
1007. If a person does not know sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah, the second sÙrah and other components of prayer properly, he should endeavor to learn them if he is able to and if there is sufficient time left for the prayer. If the remaining time is nominal, he should offer his prayer in congregation if possible.
1008. It is permissible to take wages for teaching the recommended components of prayer. However, obligatory precaution dictates that one should not take wages for teaching its obligatory components.
1009. If a person does not know one of the words of sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah or the latter sÙrah, and is culpable for his ignorance, or if he deliberately omits it, or if he pronounces a letter in lieu of another, such as ض in place of ظ, or if he recites the vowels, such as fatÎahh or kasrahh, where he is not supposed to, or omits the tashdÐd on a letter, his prayer is invalid.
1010. If a person thinks that he knows a word correctly, and recites it in that manner in his prayer, but later realizes he recited it incorrectly, his prayer is valid as long as he is not culpable for his ignorance in his belief of it being correct. Recommended precaution dictates that he should repeat his prayer if there is time, or offer its qaÃÁ if the time has passed. However, if he is culpable for his ignorance, he should repeat his prayer if there is time, or offer its qaÃÁ if the time has passed.
1011. If a person does not know for example, if a word contains the letter ص (ÒÁd) or س (sÐn), he should endeavor to learn it. If he recites it in two or more ways, with the intention of the correct pronunciation being a part of his prayer, while the incorrectly pronounced word is commonly inferred as erroneous dhikr or erroneous qirÁÞah—for example, while the person recites (اهدنا الصراط المستقيم) he repeats the word (المستقيم) twice, once with س (sÐn) and once with ص (ÒÁd)—his prayer is valid. However, in the event that the incorrect pronunciation is deemed human speech, his prayer is invalid. His prayer is similarly invalid if he is unaware of the positioning of the Arabic vowels, such as the fatÎahh and kasrahh. If they are at the end of the word, in which case pausing is permissible, he should either always pause, or join with sukÙn. It is not obligatory to become versed with its lattermost vowels, and prayer shall be deemed valid.
1012. If a word contains the letter و (wÁw), while the vowel of its preceding letter is a Ãammah and the subsequent letter is a ء (hamzah), such as in the word سوء, or it contains the letter ا (alif), while the vowel of its preceding letter is fatÎahh and the subsequent letter is a ء (hamzah), such as in the word جاء, or it contains the letter ي (yÁÞ) while the vowel of its preceding letter is kasrahh and the subsequent letter is a ء (hamzah), such as in the word جيء, recommended precaution dictates that these three letters should be recited with madd, i.e. they should be elongated.
If the letter subsequent to ا و ي (alif, wÁw or yÁÞ) is a letter with sukÙn instead of ء (hamzah), then these three letters should be recited with madd. For example, in و لا الضالّين the letter ل (lÁm) after ا (alif) contains sukÙn, therefore the letter ا (alif) should be recited with madd. If a person does not abide by the aforementioned instructions, his prayer is invalid.
1013. Obligatory precaution dictates that one should not pause on the vowels during the qirÁÞah in prayer. What is meant by pausing here is when a person recites the final vowel of a word, such as fatÎah, kasrah or Ãammah, and then recites the next word with an interval between the two. For example, a person recites الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيمِ while giving the “م” of the الرَّحِيْمِ a kasrah, and then pauses for a moment and then recites مالِكِ يَومِ الدِّيْن.
Recommended precaution dictates that one should not join after sukÙn. What is meant by not joining after sukÙn is when a person does not recite the final vowel of a word, such as the fatÎah, kasrah or Ãammah, and then recites the next word without any interval between the two. For example, if a person recites الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيمِ and does not recite the kasrah of the “م”, and then recites مالِكِ يَومِ الدِّيْن without any interval.
1014. In the third and fourth rak‘ah of prayer, one may either recite sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah or tasbÐÎÁt al-arba‘ah({^ Reciting سُبْحانَ اللّهِ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ وَ لا اِلهَ اِلاَّ اللّهُ وَ اللّهُ اَكْبَر^}) once, although it is better that tasbÐÎÁt al-arba‘ah be recited thrice. A person may recite sÙrat al- FÁtiÎah in one rak‘ah and tasbÐÎÁt al-arba‘ah in the other. However, it is better to recite tasbÐÎÁt al-arba‘ah in both.
1015. If there is nominal time remaining for prayer, one should recite tasbÐÎÁt al-arba‘ah once.
1016. It is obligatory on both men and women to recite sÙrah al- FÁtiÎah or tasbÐÎÁt al-arba‘ah in the third and fourth rak‘ah in a low voice.
