Is it permissible to say Tasbih instead of reciting Surah al-Fatihah in the last rak‘at of the sunset prayer or the last two rak‘ats of four-rak‘at prayers?
The well-known view among Muslims is that it is obligatory to recite Surah al-Fatihah in the last two rak‘ats; as it has been narrated from ibn Sirin that he said: “They said: ‘Recite Surah al-Fatihah and a Surah in the first two rak‘ats, and Surah al-Fatihah in the last one.’”[1] This is because of what they have narrated from Abu Qatada, who said: «أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَقْرَأُ فِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ الْأُولَيَيْنِ مِنَ الظُّهْرِ وَالْعَصْرِ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ وَسُورَةٍ وَيُسْمِعُنَا الْآيَةَ أَحْيَانًا وَيَقْرَأُ فِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ الْأُخْرَيَيْنِ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ»[2]; “The Prophet would recite Surah al-Fatihah and a Surah in the first two rak‘ahs of the noon and evening prayers, and he would have us hear a verse sometimes, and in the last two rak‘ats, he would recite Surah al-Fatihah.” However, it has been widely transmitted from the Ahl al-Bayt
that it is permissible to say Tasbih in the last two rak‘ats instead of reciting Surah al-Fatihah. This is well-known from Ali
; as Yahya ibn al-Husain (d. 298 AH) has said: “What is authentically narrated to us from Amir al-Mu’minin, Allah’s mercy be upon him, from the Prophet
is that he would say Tasbih in the last two rak‘ats, saying: «سبحان اللّه والحمد للّه ولا إله إلا اللّه واللّه أكبر»[3] He would say this three times and then bow down. We saw the elders of the family of the Prophet
do this, and we heard that those we did not see do this. We do not restrict those who recite Surah al-Fatihah in them, but we choose what has been narrated to us from Amir al-Mu’minin, Allah’s mercy be upon him; because we know that he did not choose or do anything except what the Messenger of Allah
chose and did, and the Messenger of Allah
did not do anything except what Allah the Exalted, the Majestic commanded him to do and chose for him in His religion. My father narrated to me, from his father Qasim ibn Ibrahim who said: ‘He says Tasbih in the last two rak‘ats,’ and said: ‘We saw the elders of the family of the Prophet
do this.’ Similarly, it has been narrated to us from Amir al-Mu’minin, Allah’s mercy be upon him, that he said: ‘He says Tasbih in the last two rak‘ats. He says Tasbih three times in each rak‘at, saying: SubhaanAllaahi Walhamdulillaahi Walaa Ilaaha Illallaahu Wallaahu Akbar.’”[4] This is the view of Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud and his companions, as well as the view of Abu Hanifa, al-Thawri, al-Awza‘i, and Ahmad in a narration, and ibn Abd al-Barr has attributed it to “a group of the people of Kufa and the predecessors of the people of Iraq.”[5] The people of Medina have narrated the recitation of Surah al-Fatihah from Ali
. It has been narrated from ibn Sirin that he said: “I was informed that ibn Mas‘ud, in the noon and evening prayers, would recite Surah al-Fatihah and whatever was easy in the first two rak‘ats, and al-Fatihah in the last two rak‘ats.”[6] There is no contradiction between these two narrations; because both can be practiced, and it appears that Surah al-Fatihah is recited as a form of praise, like saying Tasbih, and that is why it is not recited aloud; as it has been narrated from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq
that he said about the last two rak‘ats of the noon prayer: «تُسَبِّحُ وَتَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ وَتَسْتَغْفِرُ لِذَنْبِكَ، فَإِنْ شِئْتَ فَاتِحَةَ الْكِتَابِ فَإِنَّهَا تَحْمِيدٌ وَدُعَاءٌ»[7]; “(In these two rak‘ats) you may glorify and praise Allah and ask forgiveness for your sin, or you may recite Surah al-Fatihah if you want; because it is praise and du‘a.” Also, al-Sarakhsi has narrated that Abu Bakr would recite Surah al-Fatihah in the last two rak‘ats during the time of the Prophet
as a form of praise, and a man asked Aisha about reciting Surah al-Fatihah in the last two rak‘ats, and she said: “Recite it as a form of praise.”[8] There is a difference of opinion about which is better. Mansoor
holds the view that «أَنَّ الْقِرَاءَةَ أَفْضَلُ لِلْإِمَامِ وَالْمُنْفَرِدِ وَالتَّسْبِيحَ أَفْضَلُ لِلْمَأْمُومِ»; “recitation (of Surah al-Fatihah) is better for the Imam and the one who is alone, and glorification is better for the one who follows the Imam.” This view is indicated by what Mansoor ibn Hazim has narrated from Abu Abdullah Ja‘far ibn Muhammad
who said: «إِذَا كُنْتَ إِمَامًا فَاقْرَأْ فِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ الْأَخِيرَتَيْنِ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ وَحْدَكَ فَيَسَعُكَ فَعَلْتَ أَوْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ»[9]; “If you are the Imam, recite Surah al-Fatihah in the last two rak‘ats, and if you are alone, it is up to you to do so or not,” and by what Mu‘awiyah ibn Ammar has narrated and said: «سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ عَنِ الْقِرَاءَةِ خَلْفَ الْإِمَامِ فِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ الْأَخِيرَتَيْنِ، فَقَالَ: الْإِمَامُ يَقْرَأُ فَاتِحَةَ الْكِتَابِ وَمَنْ خَلْفَهُ يُسَبِّحُ، فَإِذَا كُنْتَ وَحْدَكَ فَاقْرَأْ فِيهِمَا وَإِنْ شِئْتَ فَسَبِّحْ»[10]; “I asked Abu Abdullah
about recitation behind the Imam in the last two rak‘ats. So he said: ‘The Imam recites Surah al-Fatihah, and those behind him say Tasbih. If you are alone, recite (al-Fatihah) in them or say Tasbih if you want,’” and by what Jamil ibn Darraj has narrated and said: «سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ عَمَّا يَقْرَأُ الْإِمَامُ فِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ فِي آخِرِ الصَّلَاةِ، فَقَالَ: بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ وَلَا يَقْرَأُ الَّذِينَ خَلْفَهُ وَيَقْرَأُ الرَّجُلُ فِيهِمَا إِذَا صَلَّى وَحْدَهُ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ»[11]; “I asked Abu Abdullah
about what the Imam recites in the last two rak‘ats of prayer. So he said: ‘(He recites) Surah al-Fatihah, and those behind him do not recite. A man recites Surah al-Fatihah in them when he performs prayer alone,’” and by what Muhammad ibn Hakim has narrated and said: «سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَيُّهُمَا أَفْضَلُ الْقِرَاءَةُ فِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ الْأَخِيرَتَيْنِ أَوِ التَّسْبِيحُ؟ فَقَالَ: الْقِرَاءَةُ أَفْضَلُ»[12]; “I asked Abu al-Hasan
‘Which is better: reciting (al-Fatihah) in the last two rak‘ats or sayig Tasbih?’ So he said: ‘Reciting is better.’”