Is It Permissible to Switch between Sura’s in Prayer?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

The following scenario occurred. I recited Surat al-Nasr in the first raka’ and intended to recite Surat al-Masad in the second. However, when the second raka’ came and I finished Surat al-fatiha, I accidentally started reciting Surat al-Ikhlas by saying “Qul”.

I then stopped and realized it would be disliked because it skipped over masad, so I recited the bismillah and then recited surat al-Masad. Was this correct, or what should I have done? Should I repeat the prayer? Is it disliked if one switches surah because they accidentally started reciting one that was not intended? 

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

If one recites Sura al-Nasr in the first unit and then accidentally begin to recite Sura al-Ikhlas in the second, they will continue in their recitation of Sura al-Ikhlas. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

Intentionally skipping a small sura of the Quran is prohibitively disliked as it resembles giving preference to one sura over others and abandoning the skipped sura. The ruling of prohibitively disliked only applies when done intentionally. [Ibid.]

If one begins a sura-even if just by one word-one will complete that sura; otherwise, abandoning a Surah that one has already commenced shares in the same legal reasoning of intentionally skipping a sura. [Ibid.]

Hope this helps
Allah knows best

[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he went on to study at Darul Uloom Seminary in New York and completed his studies in Darul Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen. There he completed the memorization of the Qur’an and his study of the Islamic Sciences. Throughout his years of study he was blessed to learn from many great scholars: al-Habib Umar bin Hafiz, al-Habib Kazhim al-Saqqaf, al-Shaykh Umar bin Husayn al-Khatib, and others. Upon returning, he joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.