Short answer
Any surah. After al-Fatiha, recite any surah, or at least three short verses or one long verse such as Ayat al-Kursi. In the Hanafi school this is wajib in the first two rakats of a fard prayer and in every rakah of witr, sunnah and nafl. In the third and fourth rakats of fard, al-Fatiha alone is enough.
Reciting al-Fatiha and then a surah, or three short ayahs or one long ayah of that length, is wajib in the first two rakats of fard and in every rakah of other prayers. Leaving it by mistake calls for sajdah al-sahw. The sunnah is longer surahs in Fajr and Dhuhr, medium ones in Asr and Isha, and short ones in Maghrib.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Al-Fatiha is a pillar (rukn) in every rakah and the prayer is invalid without it; the surah after it is sunnah.
- Maliki
- Al-Fatiha is obligatory in every rakah; a surah after it in the first two rakats is sunnah.
- Hanbali
- Al-Fatiha is a pillar in every rakah; the surah after it is sunnah.
Explanation
There is no single surah you must recite. The Quran says "recite what is easy for you", and any part of the Quran you know counts. Most people use the short surahs at the end of the Quran; see short surahs for salah to learn them.
- Minimum: one short surah, three short ayahs, or one long ayah of similar length. Ayat al-Kursi on its own is enough.
- Fajr and Dhuhr: the Hanafi texts recommend longer surahs, from al-Hujurat to al-Buruj.
- Asr and Isha: medium surahs, from al-Buruj to al-Bayyinah.
- Maghrib: short surahs, from al-Bayyinah to an-Nas.
- Jumuah and Eid: the Prophet ﷺ often recited al-A'la and al-Ghashiyah.
Common questions:
- The same surah in both rakats? Allowed. In fard prayers it is better to recite a different one.
- Order: recite in the order of the mushaf, for example al-Kafirun then al-Ikhlas. Reversing the order on purpose is disliked, but the prayer is valid.
- Length: do not make the second rakah noticeably longer than the first in a fard prayer.
- Forgot the surah: do sajdah al-sahw; see sajdah sahw.
Small slips in recitation are covered in does a mistake in recitation break the prayer.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Muzzammil 73:20
۞ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ أَدْنَىٰ مِن ثُلُثَىِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَنِصْفَهُۥ وَثُلُثَهُۥ وَطَآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مَعَكَ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُقَدِّرُ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ ۚ عَلِمَ أَن لَّن تُحْصُوهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَٱقْرَءُوا۟ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ ۚ عَلِمَ أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُم مَّرْضَىٰ ۙ وَءَاخَرُونَ يَضْرِبُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَبْتَغُونَ مِن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ ۙ وَءَاخَرُونَ يُقَٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَٱقْرَءُوا۟ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ ۚ وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَقْرِضُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًۭا ۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا۟ لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍۢ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًۭا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًۭا ۚ وَٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۢ ﴿٢٠﴾
Indeed, your Lord knows, [O Muhammad], that you stand [in prayer] almost two thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and [so do] a group of those with you. And Allah determines [the extent of] the night and the day. He has known that you [Muslims] will not be able to do it and has turned to you in forgiveness, so recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur'an. He has known that there will be among you those who are ill and others traveling throughout the land seeking [something] of the bounty of Allah and others fighting for the cause of Allah. So recite what is easy from it and establish prayer and give zakah and loan Allah a goodly loan. And whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allah. It is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
Any part of the Quran that is easy for you may be recited in prayer.
Sahih al-Bukhari 756
Sahih... لا صلاة لمن لم يقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب ...
"There is no prayer for one who does not recite the Opening of the Book."
Al-Fatiha is required in prayer.
Sahih Muslim 878
Sahih... يقرأ في العيدين وفي الجمعة بسبح اسم ربك الأعلى وهل أتاك حديث الغاشية ...
"He used to recite al-A'la and al-Ghashiyah in the two Eids and in Jumuah."
The sunnah surahs for Jumuah and Eid.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Salah, chapter on the description of prayer, section on recitation. Al-Fatiha and a surah are wajib in the first two rakats of fard; the recommended lengths for each prayer.
- Nur al-Idah with Maraqi al-Falah, Chapter on the wajib acts of prayer. Adding a surah or three short ayahs after al-Fatiha is wajib.
- al-Majmu' (Nawawi), Chapter on the description of prayer. Al-Fatiha is a pillar in every rakah in the Shafi'i school.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.