Prolonging Salah

Q 6: Is it reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to prolong the Zhuhr (Noon) Prayer? If he (peace be upon him) did so, should we do it as well?

A: It is authentically reported in Sunnah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to prolong recitation in the first Rak`ah (unit of Prayer) of the Zhuhr Prayer, and recite briefly in the second Rak`ah. It is reported in the Sahih (authentic) Book of Al-Bukhari from `Abdullah ibn Abu Qatadah from his father that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to recite Al-Fatihah followed by two other Surahs in the first two Rak`ahs of the Zuhr prayer, and he used to recite only Al-Fatihah in the last two Rak`ahs. Sometimes an Ayah or so was audible. He used to prolong the first Rak`ah more than the second, and used to do the same in the `Asr (Afternoon) and Fajr (Dawn) Prayers. It is a Sunnah to prolong recitation in the first Rak`ah and recite briefly in (Part No. 7; Page No. 409) the second Rak`ah, in order to follow the Prophet (peace be upon him). It is also a Sunnah to prolong the Zhuhr Prayer more than the `Asr Prayer, as it was authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he used to recite in the first two Rak`ahs of the Zhuhr Prayer as much as Surah Al-Sajdah and in the other two Rak`ahs half of the length. In the first two Rak`ahs of `Asr, he used to recite as much as he did in the last two Rak`ahs of Zhuhr. In the last two Rak`ahs of `Asr, he used to recite half of this amount. Narrated by Muslim in his Sahih Book of Hadith in the Hadith reported from Abu Sa`id Al-Khudry (may Allah be pleased with him). It was also reported from Sulayman ibn Yasar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said, A man used to prolong the first two Rak`ahs of Zhuhr, recite a little in `Asr, recite short Surahs of Al-Mufassal (the last 65-70 chapters of the Qur'an) in the Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer, medium length Surahs of Al-Mufassal in the `Isha' (Night) Prayer, and longer Surahs of Al-Mufassal in the Fajr Prayer. Abu Hurayrah said, "I have never seen anyone whose Salah is closer to the Messenger of Allah's than this man." Related by Al-Nasa'y with an authentic chain of narration. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.