Guidance on Reciting Shorter Surah's in Congregational Prayer (Hazrat Musleh Ma'ud's (ra) Narration)
In light of the advice of the Holy Prophet (sa) to Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal about reciting shorter surahs in [congregational] prayers, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II (ra) writes:
“It was the preference of the Holy Prophet (sa) to recite Surah al-A‘la, Surah al-Ghashiyah, Surah al-Fajr and other similar surahs [in terms of length] in obligatory prayers. al-Nisai has related from Hazrat Jabir (ra) that once, Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal was leading the prayers. A person came and joined in the [congregational] prayers behind him. Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) prolonged the prayers; according to some narrations, he began to recite Surah al-e-Imran or Surah al-Nisa.
“When the prayer became prolonged, he stopped his prayers and moving to one side, began to pray on his own. When he concluded his prayer, he left. After the prayer finished, someone informed Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) of what happened in that one person came and joined the prayer, but when the prayer became prolonged, he stopped the prayer and moving to one side, he began to pray on his own. After he finished his prayer, he then left. Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) said that perhaps he was a hypocrite and then related the entire incident to the Holy Prophet (sa). He said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! I was leading the prayer when such and such person joined the prayer. But when the prayer became prolonged, he left the prayer and began to pray on his own and left once he finished.’
“When the person against whom the complaint was raised found out that the incident had been mentioned to the Holy Prophet (sa), he also came to see the Holy Prophet (sa) and submitted, ‘O Messenger (sa) of Allah! I came to offer the prayers and joined in when he [i.e. Hazrat Mu‘az (ra)] was leading the prayers. However, he prolonged the prayers. We work all day long and my camel was also tied up without any food. Therefore, I stopped praying in congregation and prayed on my own to one side of the mosque. I then returned home and fed my camel.’ Upon hearing this, the Holy Prophet (sa) was displeased with Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) and said to him, ‘O Mu‘az! You will place the people in great difficulty. Why do you not recite Surah al-A‘la, Surah al-Shams, Surah al-Fajr or Surah al-Lail? Why did you not recite these chapters and why did you choose to recite the longer chapters?’
“From this incident we can conclude that the Holy Prophet (sa) has deemed these [aforementioned] chapters of average length. Indeed, under special conditions, one may recite the longer chapters, or when one is unwell, they may recite even shorter chapters. However, these chapters are of average length which ought to be recited during the prayers in which the Imam recites a portion of the Holy Quran out aloud.”
(Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 8, pp. 497, Tafsir Surah al-Fajr)
It should also be remembered that this does not mean that only these chapters can be recited. The Holy Prophet (sa) has given a general instruction that one should not recite long chapters in congregational prayers. However, one can recite the chapters according to their own circumstances or according to what they have learnt. Some people have memorised shorter chapters and because there is nobody else to lead the congregation, they have to lead the prayers. Therefore, it is permissible for them to recite shorter chapters as well. However, the general instructions of the Holy Prophet (sa) is that longer chapters are not to be recited in the congregational prayers because there are various people in the congregation, some of whom are elderly, some are unwell or labourers.