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One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear brother,

Burhan.

Assalamualaikum WA rahmatullahi WA barkatahu,

Question: What is the reason why the recitation [of the Qur’an] has Islaamically been prescribed audibly in the Maghreeb, ‘Isha & Fajar Salaah without the other remaining obligatory Salaah [being prescribed as audible i.e. Dhur & ‘Asr], and what is the evidence for this?

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Answer:

Wisdom for prayer volume aloud silent

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The offering of the five obligatory prayers is something which the Messenger of Allah (saws) offered in congregation thousands of times in front of tens of thousands of witnesses.  There are numerous narrations from various narrators in the authentic and established Sunnah who claimed that they were witnesses to the fact that the Messenger of Allah (saws) always offered the first two rakahs of the ‘Fajr’, ‘Magrib’ and ‘Isha’ prayers aloud, and always offered the full ‘dhuhr’, ‘asr’, the last rakah of ‘magrib’ and the last two rakahs of ‘isha’ prayers silently.  

To the best of our knowledge, there is not even one narration in the authentic and established Sunnah which even remotely implies that the Messenger of Allah (saws) ever prayed the first two rakahs of the ‘Fajr’, ‘Magrib’ and ‘Isha’ prayers silently, or ever offered any rakah in the ‘dhuhr’, or ‘asr’, or the last rakah of ‘magrib’ or the last two rakahs of ‘isha’ prayers aloud! 

It is indeed unfortunate that Islam today has been divided in several sects and creeds; but one of the things that every single sect and every single creed in Islam unanimously believes and follows is the number of rakahs which are prayed aloud and/or silently in each of their five obligatory prayers!

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 173         Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘Verily, my Ummah will not (unanimously) agree on error and the hand of Allah is upon the community; he who sets himself apart from it will be set apart in Hell Fire.’

Your Question: What is the reason why the recitation [of the Qur’an] has Islaamically been prescribed audibly

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzab verse 21:

There is indeed the best example for you to follow in the Messenger of Allah, for every such person looks forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.604 (part)          Narrated by Malik

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘Pray as you have seen me praying.’

For every act of worship, it is absolutely obligatory upon the believers to follow the example of the Messenger of Allah (saws)….if indeed it is their desire that their worship be acceptable to Allah Subhanah.  Thus the obvious and manifest reason the whole Ummah offers the first two rakahs of the ‘Fajr’, ‘Magrib’ and ‘Isha’ prayers aloud, and always offers the full ‘dhuhr’, ‘asr’, the last rakah of ‘magrib’ and the last two rakahs of ‘isha’ prayers silently in congregation is because that is the way which their beloved Messenger (saws) offered his prayers while in congregation.

To understand and comprehend the wisdom behind praying some rakahs of some prayers aloud, and some rakahs and/or some prayers silently….one needs to visualize the condition at the time of the Prophet (saws) when there were no loud speakers, no proper lighting, no wrist watches or clocks to determine the exact time of prayer, etc. 

The first two rakahs of all the prayers that are prayed in or approaching the ‘darkness’ of the night (fajr, magrib, and isha), were prayed aloud so that in case one had somehow missed the announcement of ‘adhaan’, one could still approach the congregation through the recitation which was being recited aloud.   And the two prayers which are prayed in broad daylight (dhuhr and asr) one could approach them through their sight and thus their recitation aloud was not necessary.  And Allah Alone Knows Best.

Please also note that it is only when the believer offer their prayers in congregation are they to recite the specific rakahs of the designated prayer aloud and/or in silence; but in the supererogatory ‘Sunnah’ or ‘Nafl’ prayers, or when one offers their prayers alone, one is guided by Allah and His Messenger (saws) to neither offer their prayer aloud, nor in absolute silence, but seek a middle course between the two volumes.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verse 110:

110    Say: "Call upon Allah or call upon Rahman: by whatever name ye call upon Him (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. Neither speak thy Prayer aloud nor speak it in a low tone but seek a middle course between."

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan