By: Sheikh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani (Hafizahullah)
"A man came to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) while he was in the mosque. The man prayed near him, then returned to the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, 'Repeat your prayer; you have not prayed.' The man said, 'O Messenger of Allah, teach me how to pray.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'When you face the Qiblah, say Takbir (Allahu Akbar), then recite Surah Al-Fatihah, and then recite whatever you wish from the Qur'an. When you bow, place your palms on your knees, straighten your back, and perform Ruku‘ calmly. When you rise, make your back straight until your bones return to their joints. When you prostrate, prostrate calmly, then sit on your left thigh when you rise. Do this in every Rak‘ah.'"
[Musnad Ahmad 4/340, Hadith 18995]
Allama Nimawi Al-Hanafi mentions that the chain of narration is Hasan (sound).
[Aathar al-Sunan, p. 214]
Question:
If someone recites less than a complete verse (e.g., part of the last verse of Surah Al-Baqarah) during Salah, will their prayer be valid?Answer:
In Salah, reciting Surah Al-Fatihah in every Rak‘ah is mandatory. Any additional recitation after Al-Fatihah, whether it is a single verse or more, is optional and left to the discretion of the worshipper. Thus, if someone recites Al-Fatihah followed by even a single verse, their Salah will be valid.Evidence from the Hadith
It is narrated by the companion Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ (رضي الله عنه):"A man came to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) while he was in the mosque. The man prayed near him, then returned to the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, 'Repeat your prayer; you have not prayed.' The man said, 'O Messenger of Allah, teach me how to pray.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'When you face the Qiblah, say Takbir (Allahu Akbar), then recite Surah Al-Fatihah, and then recite whatever you wish from the Qur'an. When you bow, place your palms on your knees, straighten your back, and perform Ruku‘ calmly. When you rise, make your back straight until your bones return to their joints. When you prostrate, prostrate calmly, then sit on your left thigh when you rise. Do this in every Rak‘ah.'"
[Musnad Ahmad 4/340, Hadith 18995]
Allama Nimawi Al-Hanafi mentions that the chain of narration is Hasan (sound).
[Aathar al-Sunan, p. 214]
Key Points Derived from the Hadith
- Al-Fatihah is Obligatory:
The Prophet (ﷺ) explicitly instructed reciting Surah Al-Fatihah in Salah, making it an essential component of the prayer. - Additional Recitation is Optional:
Any recitation after Al-Fatihah is left to the discretion of the worshipper. Whether it is a single verse, part of a verse, or multiple verses, it does not affect the validity of the prayer.
Conclusion:
To summarize:- Reciting Surah Al-Fatihah in every Rak‘ah is obligatory.
- Any additional recitation beyond Al-Fatihah, whether it is less than a verse, a single verse, or more, is valid and sufficient.
- The prayer will remain valid as long as Al-Fatihah is recited, and any additional recitation fulfills the Sunnah.