Surahs to Recite in Salat / Namaz

Here are two Authentic aHaadeeth showing us what the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) used to recite in his Salaah. I have made a blog post titled “Excellence of Memorizing the Qur’aan”, so if we do not have these Surahs memorized, inshaa’Allaah we can try to memorize them.

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبَانٍ عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْقُمِّيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص يُصَلِّي الْغَدَاةَ بِعَمَّ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ- وَ هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَاشِيَةِ- وَ لَا أُقْسِمُ بِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ شِبْهِهَا وَ كَانَ يُصَلِّي الظُّهْرَ بِسَبِّحِ اسْمَ- وَ الشَّمْسِ وَ ضُحَاهَا وَ هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَاشِيَةِ- وَ شِبْهِهَا وَ كَانَ يُصَلِّي الْمَغْرِبَ بِقُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ- وَ إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَ الْفَتْحُ وَ إِذَا زُلْزِلَتْ- وَ كَانَ يُصَلِّي الْعِشَاءَ الْآخِرَةَ بِنَحْوِ مَا يُصَلِّي فِي الظُّهْرِ وَ الْعَصْرَ بِنَحْوٍ مِنَ الْمَغْرِبِ

From `Eesa bin `Abd Allaah Al-Qummee from Abee `Abd Allaah (عليه السلام) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) used to pray Al-Ghadaa’ (Al-Fajr) with `Amma Yatasaa’aloon (Surah Al-Naba’ – No. 78), Hal Ataaka Hadeeth Al-Ghaashiyah (Surah Al-Ghaashiyah – No. 88), Laa Uqsimu bi-yamil qiyaamah (Surah Al-Qiyaamah – No. 75) and similar ones (that are like those surahs). And he (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) used to pray Al-Dhuhr with SabbiHisma (Surah Al-`Ala – No. 87), wa Al-Shams wa Al-DuHaahaa (No. 91), Hal Ataaka Hadeeth Al-Ghaashiyah (Surah Al-Ghaashiyah – No. 88) and similar ones (that are like those surahs). And he (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) used to pray Al-Maghrib with Qul Huwa Allaahu aHad (Surah Al-IkhlaaS – No. 112), Idhaa Jaa’a NaSrullaahi wa al-fatH (Surah Al-NaSr – No. 110), Idhaa Zulzilat (Surah Zilzalah – No. 99). And he (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) used to pray the final Al-`Ishaa’ with the same of what he recited in Al-Dhuhr, and (he used to pray) Al-`aSr with the same (surahs he recited in) Al-Maghrib.”

Source:

1.     Al-Toosi, Tahdheeb Al-aHkaam, vol. 2, pg. 95 – 96, hadeeth # 123

Grading:

1.       Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is Muwaththaq Kal-SaHeeH (Reliable like Authentic)
à Milaadh Al-Akhyaar, vol. 3, pg. 580

2.       MuHsin Al-Hakeem said this hadeeth is Hasan or SaHeeH (Good or Authentic)

à Mustamsak Al-`Urwah Al-Wuthqa, vol. 6, pg. 278

3.     Al-Majlisi I (Al-Majlisi’s father) said this hadeeth is Muwaththaq Kal-SaHeeH (Reliable like Authentic)

à RawDah Al-Muttaqeen, vol. 2, pg. 292

4.     Al-Sabzawaaree said this hadeeth is SaHeeH (Authentic)

à Dakheerah Al-Ma`aad, vol. 2, pg. 278

5.     Yoosuf Al-BaHraanee said this hadeeth is SaHeeH (Authentic)

à Hadaa’iq Al-NaaDirah, vol. 8, pg. 178

وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ الْخَرَّازِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ فِي حَدِيثٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَيُّ السُّوَرِ تُقْرَأُ فِي الصَّلَوَاتِ قَالَ أَمَّا الظُّهْرُ وَ الْعِشَاءُ الْآخِرَةُ تُقْرَأُ فِيهِمَا سَوَاءً وَ الْعَصْرُ وَ الْمَغْرِبُ سَوَاءً وَ أَمَّا الْغَدَاةُ فَأَطْوَلُ وَ أَمَّا الظُّهْرُ وَ الْعِشَاءُ الْآخِرَةُ فَسَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى- وَ الشَّمْسِ وَ ضُحَاهَا وَ نَحْوُهَا- وَ أَمَّا الْعَصْرُ وَ الْمَغْرِبُ فَإِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ- وَ أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ وَ نَحْوُهَا- وَ أَمَّا الْغَدَاةُ فَعَمَّ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ- وَ هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَاشِيَةِ- وَ لَا أُقْسِمُ بِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ- وَ هَلْ أَتَى عَلَى الْإِنْسَانِ حِينٌ مِنَ الدَّهْرِ

From Muhammad bin Muslim said, I said to Abee `Abd Allaah (عليه السلام) which suwar (pl. surah) do you recite in prayers? He (عليه السلام) said: As for Al-Dhuhr and the final Al-`Ishaa’ you recite in it same (type of surahs), and Al-`aSr and Al-Maghrib the same (type of surahs), and as for Al-Ghadaa’ (Al-Fajr) it is the longest. As for Al-Dhuhr and the final Al-`Ishaa’ (recite) SabbiHisma (Surah Al-`Ala – No. 87), wa Al-Shams wa Al-DuHaahaa (No. 91) and its like. And as for Al-`aSr and Al-Maghrib (recite) Idhaa Jaa’a NaSrullaahi wa al-fatH (Surah Al-NaSr – No. 110), Al-Haakum Al-Takaathur (Surah Al-Takaathur – No. 102) and its like. And as for Al-Ghadaa’ (Al-Fajr) (recite) `Amma Yatasaa’aloon (Surah Al-Naba’ – No. 78), Hal Ataaka Hadeeth Al-Ghaashiyah (Surah Al-Ghaashiyah – No. 88), Laa Uqsimu bi-yamil qiyaamah (Surah Al-Qiyaamah – No. 75), Hal Ata `ala al-insaan Heen min al-dahr (Surah al-Insaan – No. 76).”

Source:

1.     Al-Toosi, Tahdheeb Al-aHkaam, vol. 2, pg. 95, hadeeth # 122

Grading:

1.       Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is SaHeeH (Authentic)
à Milaadh Al-Akhyaar, vol. 3, pg. 580

2.       MuHsin Al-Hakeem said this hadeeth is SaHeeH (Authentic)

à Mustamsak Al-`Urwah Al-Wuthqa, vol. 6, pg. 278

3.     Shaheed Al-Thaanee said this hadeeth is SaHeeH (Authentic)

à RawDah Al-Jinaan, vol. 2, pg. 712

4.     Al-Majlisi I (Al-Majlisi’s father) said this hadeeth is SaHeeH (Authentic)

à RawDah Al-Muttaqeen, vol. 2, pg. 292

5.     Al-Sabzawaaree said this hadeeth is SaHeeH (Authentic)

à Dakheerah Al-Ma`aad, vol. 2, pg. 278

6.     Yoosuf Al-BaHraanee said this hadeeth is SaHeeH (Authentic)

à Hadaa’iq Al-NaaDirah, vol. 8, pg. 178

7.     Aboo Al-Qaasim Al-Qummee said this hadeeth is SaHeeH (Authentic)

à Ghanaa’im Al-Ayyaam, vol. 2, pg. 548

8.     Al-Najafee said this hadeeth is SaHeeH (Authentic)

à Jawaahir Al-Kalaaam, vol. 9, pg. 401

Here is a table to make it easier for the readers to know what types of surahs are recommended to read for which salaah.

Salaah	Surah Name	Surah # (Respectively)
Al-Fajr (Al-Ghadaaa’)	Qiyaamah, Insaan, Naba', Ghaashiyyah	75, 76, 78, 88
Al-Dhuhr	`Ala, Shams, Ghaashiyyah	87, 91, 88
Al-`aSr	Ikhlaas, Nasr, Zilzalah, Takaathur	112, 110, 99, 102
Al-Maghrib	Ikhlaas, Nasr, Zilzalah, Takaathur	112, 110, 99, 102
Al-`Ishaa’	`Ala, Shams, Ghaashiyyah	87, 91, 88