Should a person who is praying alone recite Qur’aan out loud?
What is the ruling on reciting out loud in prayer for one who is praying alone? Is it permissible to recite silently?
Praise be to Allaah.
Reciting out loud in Fajr prayer and in the first two rak’ahs
of Maghrib and ‘Isha’ is Sunnah for both one who is leading the prayers and
one who is praying alone. If a person recites silently there is no sin on
him, but that means that he is neglecting a Sunnah. If the person who is
praying alone thinks that reciting silently helps him to focus more in
prayer, then that is o.k., because it was narrated that when the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed at night, sometimes
he would recite out loud and sometimes he would recite silently, as was
reported by ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her). For one who is
leading the prayers, the Sunnah is always to recite out loud, following the
example of the Prophet (S) and because that enables the congregation to
benefit by hearing the words of Allaah, whether the prayer is fard
(obligatory) or naafil (supererogatory).
And Allaah is the Source of Strength.
Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), 11/116.