Can a Person Recite More Than 3 Surahs in a Single Cycle of Prayer?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

Can a person recite more than 3 surahs in a single cycle (Rak’a) of an obligatory prayer?

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

Yes, it is permissible to recite multiple chapters (surahs) during the prayer. But you should be careful to avoid (1) prolonging the prayer, if leading others, (2) skipping short chapters, and (3) reciting in a back-to-front order.

Please also see this reader and: Reciting Surahs of the Qur’an in Order During Prayer

And Allah Most High alone knows best.

wassalam,
[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.