When and Why Reciting from “Alam Tara Kayfa” Was Introduced

Question

Some religious scholars recite in a third way: in every rak‘a they recite two suras together and go on up to Surat al-Nas, so as not to recite again from Surat al-Nas. In the first rak‘a “Alam tara kayfa” (ألم تر كيف) and “Li-ilafi” (لإيلاف); likewise in the third rak‘a “Ara’ayta alladhi” (أرأيت الذي) and “Inna a‘tayna” (إنا أعطينا), and in the fourth, too, these same suras, i.e. “Ara’ayta alladhi” and “Inna a‘tayna”. In this way they recite two suras in every rak‘a up to Surat al-Nas.

Answer

This way is also correct. In the time of the Companions there was no custom of reciting from “Alam tara kayfa”. When the later scholars (muta’akhkhirun) saw that, when the whole Qur’an is completed, the worshippers become lax, do not come to the mosque, and the mosques become deserted and empty, they then adopted these methods.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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