Section: He is required to recite al-Fatiha in order, with the proper shaddah (emphatic doubling), without any error (lahn) that alters the meaning. If he omits its order, or a shaddah within it, or commits an error that alters the meaning—such as pronouncing the kaf in {Iyyaka} with a kasrah, or the ta' in {An'amta} with a dammah, or pronouncing the hamzat al-wasl in {Ihdina} with a fathah—his recitation shall not be considered, unless he is incapable of anything other than this. Al-Qadi mentioned the like of this in "al-Mujarrad," and it is the madhhab (28) of al-Shafi'i. Al-Qadi stated in "al-Jami'": It is not invalidated by omitting a shaddah, because it is not fixed in the script of the Mushaf; rather, it is a quality of the letter, and the one who omits it is still called a reciter. The correct view is the former, because the letter with a shaddah is placed in the position of two letters, evidenced by the fact that the shaddah of the ra' in {al-Rahman} is placed in the position of the lam, and the shaddah of the dhal in {alladhina} is also placed in the position of the lam. Thus, if one neglects it, one neglects the letter and that which stands in its place, and changes the meaning, unless he intends to manifest the assimilated letter (idgham), such as one who says "al-Rahman" by manifesting the lam; his prayer is valid because he merely omitted the assimilation, which is considered a linguistic error that does not change the meaning. He added: The madhhab does not differ that if one softens it without perfecting it completely, one does not repeat the prayer, because that does not alter the meaning, and it varies according to different people. Perhaps he only intended this meaning in "al-Jami'," and thus his statements are consistent. It is not recommended to exaggerate in the shaddah to the extent of exceeding the length of a quiescent letter, because in every instance it is placed in the position of a quiescent letter; if one exceeds that, one has added to what it was meant to represent, and it is therefore disliked. In {Bismillahi al-Rahmani al-Rahim} there are three shaddahs, and in what follows it there are eleven shaddahs (30), without disagreement.

Section: The minimum that satisfies the recitation is an audible recitation, such that he hears himself, or would be able to hear it if he had hearing, as we said regarding the takbir; for anything less than that is not considered a recitation. It is recommended that he recites it with tartil (measured recitation) and clear enunciation (i'rab), pausing at every verse, and giving the letters of madd (prolongation) and layn (softness) their due length without carrying that to the point of excess, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: {And recite the Quran with measured recitation} (31). It was narrated from (32) Umm Salamah that she was asked about the recitation of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and she said: He would segment his recitation verse by verse: {In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful (1) Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds (2) The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful (3) Master of the Day of Judgment}. Narrated by Imam Ahmad in his "Musnad" (33). From Anas, he said: The recitation of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was extended, then he read {In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful}, prolonging {Bismillahi}, prolonging {al-Rahman}, and prolonging {al-Rahim}. Narrated by al-Bukhari (34). If that reaches the point of excess and singing, it is disliked, for one might turn vowels into letters. Ahmad said: "What pleases me of the recitation of the Quran is that which is natural." And he said regarding his (the Prophet's) saying: "Adorn the Quran with your voices (35)," he said: "He beautifies it with his voice without affectation." It has also been narrated in another report (36): "The best of people in recitation is the one whom, when you hear his recitation, you see that he fears Allah (37)." And it was narrated: "Verily, this Quran was revealed with sadness, so recite it with sadness" (38).