❀ Responding to Qur’anic Verses During Salah: Practice and Ruling ❀
Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori◈ Prevalent Practice and Its Assessment
In many communities, it has become a common practice that when the Imām recites certain specific verses during Salah, some followers (muqtadīs) respond audibly to those verses.
This practice is incorrect, as there is no authentic or explicit narration from the Prophet ﷺ or his Companions رضي الله عنهم that endorses followers responding to verses during Salah.
◈ Permissible Scenario
However, if the Imām himself or an individual praying alone (munfarid) responds to certain verses with appropriate supplications or remembrances, then this is permissible.
This practice is substantiated by the night prayers (Tahajjud) of the Prophet ﷺ, where he would respond to certain verses with duʿā’, tasbīḥ, or istiʿādhah.
➊ The Prophet’s ﷺ Practice: Responding to Verses in Salah
Narration of Ḥudhayfah رضي الله عنه:
Sayyidunā Ḥudhayfah رضي الله عنه said:
“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would recite a verse of glorification (tasbīḥ), he would glorify Allah. When he came across a verse of supplication (duʿā’), he would supplicate. And when he came across a verse of seeking refuge, he would seek refuge from Allah.”
(Muslim, Kitāb Ṣalāt al-Musāfirīn, Bāb: Istiḥbāb Ṭūl al-Qirāʾah fī Ṣalāt al-Layl, 277)
➋ Narration of Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما:
Sayyidunā Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما narrates:
“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited the verse ﴿سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى﴾, he would say: سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى.”
(Abū Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Bāb al-Duʿāʾ fī al-Ṣalāh, 388)
These narrations prove that responding to certain verses with adhkār or duʿā’ is a Sunnah for the Imām or one praying individually, especially in nafl prayers like Tahajjud.
◈ The Common Practice After Sūrah al-Ghāshiyah
Some people recite the following specific supplication at the end of Sūrah al-Ghāshiyah:
اَللّٰهُمَّ حَاسِبْنِي حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا
➤ However, there is no authentic Hadith proving that the Prophet ﷺ made this supplication at this point during Salah.
➤ Not even an indirect or implicit indication supports this practice at the end of Sūrah al-Ghāshiyah.
Summary
✔ Responding audibly to verses by followers during Salah is an unauthenticated and innovative practice.
✔ An individual reciter or Imām may respond silently during recitation with tasbīḥ, duʿā’, or istiʿādhah, as established in authentic narrations.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ responded to certain verses during Tahajjud in this manner.
✔ Reciting a specific duʿā’ at the end of Sūrah al-Ghāshiyah has no basis in any authentic narration.
