Overall meaning:
The Prophet ﷺ always took into account the welfare of the congregation when he prayed. Thus it was his habit, after al-Fātiḥah, to recite additional Qur’anic passages in the first two rakʿahs of the ẓuhr and ʿaṣr prayers, since worshippers are most alert at the beginning of the service. In the last two rakʿahs he would limit himself to al-Fātiḥah so that the people would not grow tired or bored. He also did this to allow late-arrivers to catch the entire prayer, making the first rakʿah longer than the second in both the quality and the quantity of its recitation. Behind this wise legislation lie secrets, purposes, and benefits that reassure the believer and delight the heart, for the highest goal of worship is humble submission and obedience to the commands of Allah Most High.
He ﷺ followed the same pattern in the dawn prayer, lengthening the first rakʿah and shortening the second.
His recitation in ẓuhr and ʿaṣr was normally silent, yet from time to time he would raise his voice with a few verses so that the worshippers would know he was reciting and follow his lead.
Legal rulings derived from the hadith:
- It is prescribed to recite another portion of the Qur’an after al-Fātiḥah in the first two rakʿahs of ẓuhr and ʿaṣr.
- It is recommended to confine the recitation to al-Fātiḥah alone in their last two rakʿahs.
- The Sunnah is to make the first rakʿah longer than the second in ẓuhr and ʿaṣr.
- It is recommended that these two prayers be performed silently.
- It is permissible to recite a few verses aloud, especially for instructional purposes.
- It is recommended to lengthen the first rakʿah over the second in the dawn prayer.
- Al-Nawawī said: The second, preferred opinion is that one should intentionally prolong the recitation in the first rakʿah. This view is selected and accords with the apparent sense of the Sunnah.
Hadith 3
Jubayr ibn Muṭʿim (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Prophet ﷺ reciting Sūrat al-Ṭūr during the maghrib prayer.”
Overall meaning:
The Prophet’s usual practice was to lengthen the recitation in the dawn prayer and shorten it in maghrib,