Is It Disliked in Prayer to Recite Two Surahs That Are Not Consecutive and to Perform a Second Cycle Longer Than the First?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaikum,

I have read that it is disliked in prayer to recite Surahs that are not consecutive. I have also read that it is disliked to recite a longer Surah in the second cycle.

Can you please clarify?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

I pray that you are well, insha’Allah.

The dislikedness (karaha) is in:

(a) reciting a chapter (surah) in the first cycle (rak`at), and then skipping the subsequent short chapter to recite the one that follows it in the next cycle because it resembles keeping away from part of the Qur’an, and

(b) reciting a chapter in the second cycle that is three verses or more longer than the chapter recited during the first cycle because the sunna of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was in lengthening the first cycle over the second.

[Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah]

See also: Can I Skip a Surah and Recite the One After It During Two Cycles of Prayer?

And Allah alone knows best.

wassalam,
Tabraze Azam

Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani