826 - Yahya al-Himmani narrated to us, saying: Abu al-Ahwas informed us, from Simak, from Jabir ibn Samurah, who said: "The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to have two sermons; he would sit between them, recite the Quran, and remind the people."

Chapter: Combining Two Surahs [in one rak'ah]

• It was said to Ahmad: A man combines two surahs in one rak'ah? He said: "I hope there is no harm in it."

• And it was said to Ahmad -another time-: A man recites two surahs in one rak'ah? He said: "Yes," and he mentioned this regarding the Dhuhr [prayer] and others. It was said: "Does he recite part of a surah?" He said: "There is no harm."

827 - Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Asma' narrated to us, saying: Juwayriyah narrated to us, from Nafi', that Abdullah [ibn Umar] used to lead those with him in prayer, sometimes with three surahs, sometimes four, and sometimes one; he would do all of that. And sometimes he would struggle with the recitation, and those behind him would prompt him.

828 - Abu al-Walid al-Tayalisi narrated to us, saying: Abu 'Awanah narrated to us, saying: Husayn informed me, from Ibrahim, from Nahik ibn Sinan, that he came to Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "I recited the Mufassal [surahs] tonight in one rak'ah." He said: "[That is] a rapid recitation like the rapid recitation of poetry, and scattering like the scattering of low-quality dates. It was only divided so that you might divide it [in recitation]. I have learned the 'pairs' (al-naza'ir) which the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to combine: twenty surahs, [beginning with] al-Rahman and al-Najm - according to the arrangement of Ibn Mas'ud - two surahs in every rak'ah." He then mentioned al-Dukhan and: {About what are they asking one another?} [Surat al-Naba'] in one rak'ah. I said to Ibrahim: "Have you seen what is less than that, how he used to do it?" He said: "Sometimes he would recite four in one rak'ah."