The Amount of Recitation in the Maghrib Prayer

The questioner:
Your Eminence the Shaykh! Is it the Sunnah to lengthen the recitation in the Maghrib prayer? If so, what is the evidence for those who say the recitation should be shortened in it?

The Shaykh:
Who says this?

The questioner:
Who says that the recitation in it should be shortened.

The Shaykh:
Yes, what is required in the Maghrib prayer is to shorten the recitation; this is the general rule. Therefore, the scholars said that one recites from the long surahs of the final part of the Qur'an in the Fajr prayer, from the short surahs of the final part in the Maghrib prayer, and from the medium-length surahs of the final part in the remaining prayers. The recitation in the Maghrib prayer is usually shortened. It may be longer at times, for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have recited Surah al-A'raf in the Maghrib prayer, and it is reported that he recited Surah al-Tur in it, and it is reported that he recited Surah al-Mursalat in it. This happens at times.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you, Your Eminence the Shaykh