Question:

Assalamualaikum. What is the ruling on reciting a later surah in the first rakat, and then reciting an earlier surah in the next rakat. For example, reciting surah ikhlas in the first rakat and then surah kawthir in the second

Answer

Reciting in the right order is from wajibat of the Qira’at. That means if someone recites backwards then it will not be permissible. However, namaz itself will not be affected by this, as mentioned in Fatawa e Shamia;

قَوْلُهُ وَأَنْ يَقْرَأَ مَنْكُوسًا) بِأَنْ يَقْرَأَ الثَّانِيَةَ سُورَةً أَعْلَى مِمَّا قَرَأَ فِي الْأُولَى لِأَنَّ تَرْتِيبَ السُّوَرِ فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ مِنْ وَاجِبَاتِ التِّلَاوَةِ

“It is also makrooh or disliked to recite backwards in away that one recited Sura that comes before the Surah recited in first rak’at. It is markooh since the recitation in the right order is from the wajibaat of tilawat.

However, after starting the previous surah he should complete that and not move to a later Surah as that will be disliked too.

قَوْلُهُ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ يُتِمُّ) أَفَادَ أَنَّ التَّنْكِيسَ أَوْ الْفَصْلَ بِالْقَصِيرَةِ إنَّمَا يُكْرَهُ إذَا كَانَ عَنْ قَصْدٍ، فَلَوْ سَهْوًا فَلَا وَإِذَا انْتَفَتْ الْكَرَاهَةُ فَإِعْرَاضُهُ عَنْ الَّتِي شَرَعَ فِيهَا لَا يَنْبَغِي.

Recitation in reverse order……..is makrooh only when it is done intentionally. If done unintentionally and by mistake, then it will not be makrooh. When the dislike doesn’t remain then moving to another Surah is not required. (Fatawa Shaami 1/547)

Thus, if one recites backwards by error, it will be permissible and not sinful. But if it is done intentionally, then it’s nor permissible. However, there will be no Sajda e sahw for this as this is not from wajibaat of the Salah.

واللہ تعالیٰ  ورسولہ الکریم ﷺ اعلم بالصواب

Written by:  Mufti Syed Siraj Ul Arifeen Shah

St. Ives (Cambridgeshire, UK)

04/09/2024 12:22, 30 Safar, 1446 Hijri