Nasai

476. Commentary: Along with knowing the number of rak‘ahs of the ‘Asr prayer, it is also understood that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would recite only al-Fatihah in the last two rak‘ahs of ‘Asr, and would not add any other surah. However, in the last two rak‘ahs of Dhuhr, he would recite another surah along with Surah al-Fatihah. Thus, it is permissible to recite only al-Fatihah in the last two rak‘ahs of an obligatory (fard) prayer, and if another surah is added, there is no harm in it.

477. Commentary: By «فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَة» is meant that in each of the first two rak‘ahs, he would recite approximately the equivalent of thirty verses, not that thirty verses would be recited in each of the four rak‘ahs. This is because this meaning is understood from the detailed narrations.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Nahrizu:
(verb, form I)
We used to estimate or approximate.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ Just as standing (qiyam), bowing (ruku‘), and prostration (sujud) are fundamental pillars of the prayer, so too is the recitation (qira’ah) of the Noble Qur’an a fundamental pillar of the prayer, and its place and occasion is during standing (qiyam). The order of recitation is that after the opening takbir (takbir tahrimah), one acknowledges and expresses one’s servitude and worship through the praise, glorification, and sanctification of Allah. After this, the very first surah of the Qur’an, which is the summary and essence of the entire Qur’an, namely Surah al-Fatihah, is recited. In it, along with the praise of Allah, there is a most comprehensive and effective mention of His attributes, the negation of all forms of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and the affirmation and acknowledgment of His oneness (tawhid), and, along with the expression of one’s servitude and neediness, there is a supplication for the straight path (sirat al-mustaqim), as well as seeking refuge from the fate of those who have deviated and gone astray. Due to this comprehensiveness and special greatness and importance, it is necessary to recite it in every rak‘ah, and without it, the prayer is not valid. After this, the worshipper is permitted to recite any large or small surah of the Qur’an, or any part of a surah.

➋ The noble habit of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was that he would lengthen the recitation in the first rak‘ahs so that as many people as possible could join the entire prayer, and in the last rak‘ahs he would recite lightly or briefly. In the last rak‘ahs, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sometimes sufficed with only Surah al-Fatihah, and sometimes recited other passages along with Surah al-Fatihah, as is established from the hadith of Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (radi Allahu anhu). And in order to show that there is recitation in the daytime prayers as well, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sometimes recited a verse aloud.

➌ It is better to recite a complete surah in each rak‘ah than to recite a rukū‘ (section) from a long surah, and in the last rak‘ahs, reciting al-Fatihah is obligatory, and joining another surah with it is better, though it is not obligatory.

804. Commentary:
It is understood that in the prayers of Dhuhr and Asr, recitation (qira’ah) is done in all four rak‘ahs. That is, along with Surah al-Fatihah, any other surah may also be recited. However, it is preferable that the latter rak‘ahs be light and brief.