Al-Qawa'id al-Nuraniyya - Ibn Taimiya - (48)

I know of the distress his mother feels for him.” Likewise, he might sometimes prolong it [beyond] that because of some circumstance, as when he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited in the sunset prayer the longer of the two long surahs, namely al-A'rāf.

It is recommended to make the first rak'ah of every prayer longer than the second. It is also recommended to prolong the first two rak'ahs and shorten the last two, as Sa'd ibn Abī Waqqās narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the position of the general body of hadith jurists.

Some jurists do not regard it as recommended to prolong the intervening postures following bowing and prostration, while others consider each of them merely a brief pillar of the prayer. This is based on the view that it is prescribed as a subsidiary act serving to separate one posture from another, rather than as an act intended in its own right.

Some jurists make the first two rak'ahs equal in length. Others recommend that the imam not exceed three glorifications while bowing and prostrating, in addition to other opinions they have expressed.

[A Chapter Explaining What Allah and His Messenger Commanded Regarding Establishing the Prayer, Completing It, and Observing Tranquility in It]

Chapter

Explaining What Allah and His Messenger Commanded Regarding Establishing the Prayer, Completing It, and Observing Tranquility in It

Allah Most High says in more than one place in His Book: “Establish the prayer and give zakat” [al-Baqarah: 43]

أَعْلَمُ مِنْ وَجْدِ أُمِّهِ بِهِ» ، كَمَا أَنَّهُ قَدْ يُطِيلُهَا [عَلَى] ذَلِكَ لِعَارِضٍ، كَمَا قَرَأَ ﷺ فِي الْمَغْرِبِ بِطُولَى الطُّولَيَيْنِ، وَهِيَ الْأَعْرَافُ. وَيُسْتَحَبُّ إِطَالَةُ الرَّكْعَةِ الْأُولَى مِنْ كُلِّ صَلَاةٍ عَلَى الثَّانِيَةِ، وَيُسْتَحَبُّ أَنْ يَمُدَّ فِي الْأُولَيَيْنِ وَيَحْذِفَ فِي الْأُخْرَيَيْنِ، كَمَا رَوَاهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ، وَعَامَّةُ فُقَهَاءِ الْحَدِيثِ عَلَى هَذَا. وَمِنَ الْفُقَهَاءِ مَنْ لَا يَسْتَحِبُّ أَنْ يُطِيلَ الِاعْتِدَالَ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ وَالسُّجُودِ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَرَاهُ رُكْنًا خَفِيفًا؛ بِنَاءً عَلَى أَنَّهُ يُشْرَعُ تَابِعًا لِأَجْلِ الْفَصْلِ، لَا أَنَّهُ مَقْصُودٌ. وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يُسَوِّي بَيْنَ الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ الْأُولَيَيْنِ. وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَسْتَحِبُّ أَلَّا يَزِيدَ الْإِمَامُ فِي تَسْبِيحِ الرُّكُوعِ وَالسُّجُودِ عَلَى ثَلَاثِ تَسْبِيحَاتٍ، إِلَى أَقْوَالٍ أُخَرَ قَالُوهَا. [فَصْلٌ فِي بَيَانِ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَرَسُولُهُ مِنْ إِقَامَةِ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِتْمَامِهَا وَالطُّمَأْنِينَةِ فِيهَا] فَصْلٌ فِي بَيَانِ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَرَسُولُهُ مِنْ إِقَامَةِ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِتْمَامِهَا وَالطُّمَأْنِينَةِ فِيهَا. قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي غَيْرِ مَوْضِعٍ مِنْ كِتَابِهِ: ﴿وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ﴾ [البقرة: ٤٣]