What is additional chapter? What should be the shortest chapter or verses to be read after al-Fatiha in prayer?
Dear Brother / Sister,
According to Hanafi madhhab, it is wajib to read another chapter or a few verses that can replace a chapter after reading al-Fatiha in prayer:
It is wajib to read another chapter or verses that are equal to a chapter after the chapter of al-Fatiha in the first two rak’ahs of fard prayers and in all rak’ahs of witr prayer and nafilah prayers.
It is sunnah to add a chapter or a verse to al-Fatiha according to the three imams.
The minimum amount that is necessary to read after al-Fatiha in prayer is three short verses or one long verse equal to them. There is no obligation like the verse having at least this or that amount of letters or words. It is enough to read any verse that is three times longer than “Mudhammatan”, which is one of the shortest verses.
There is no doubt that it is enough to read the chapter of al-Kawthar as an additional chapter after al-Fatiha. (see Ö. N. Bilmen, İslam İlmihali, p.129; İSLAM ilmihali, p.241).
Questions on Islam
- What should one do if he reads an additional chapter or verses after al-Fatiha in the third or fourth rak’ah of a fard prayer? Is sajdah as-sahw necessary?
- Are only subhanaka and audhubillahi minashshaytanirrajim bismillahirrahmanirrahim read in the 3rd and 4th rak’ahs of the first sunnahs of the afternoon and night prayers?
- Does a Shafii person who starts to follow the imam in the second rak’ah read "Wajjahtu" supplication?
- What is the amount of qiraah that is fard in prayer? Is it permissible to stop anywhere while reading a long chapter from the Quran in prayer?
- What should a person who reads other verses before the chapter of al-Fatiha in prayer do?
- What is the decree about saying bismillah before reading al-Fatiha in prayer? Do the people in congregation following the imam read subhanaka? Do they need to read anything else?
- Can we read verses 51 and 52 of the chapter of al-Qalam in prayers?
- How does a person who catches up with the imam after the first rak’ah (third rak’ah) in a four-rak’ah prayer (masbuq) complete his prayer?
- Is an additional chapter or verses recited after surah of al-Fatiha in the third and fourth rak’ahs of fard prayers?
- Why do we need to read Subhanaka supplication when we stand up for the third rak’ah after the first sitting when we perform the sunnah prayers of the afternoon (asr) and night (isha) prayers?
