What is the ruling on mixing one recitation with another? This is what is called *talfiq* among the reciters.

The questioner : Mixing the recitation?

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : Do you mix one recitation with another?

The Shaykh : Mixing one recitation with another? If by recitation you mean a recitation that is established and authentic, then there is no harm in that, contrary to the opinion of the scholars of *tajwid*, which I mentioned earlier. Some of their opinions resemble, in many cases, some of the opinions of the jurists that contradict the Sunnah. The recitations followed today are like the four schools of jurisprudence. Each imam of the reciters adopted what was established with him, just as the jurists did. What the jurists adopted may be contradictory disagreement, which Ibn Taymiyyah calls *khilaf al-tudad*, or it may be the kind of disagreement he calls *khilaf al-tanawwu'* (diversity). If the recitations are of this type, it is not permissible for the reciter to restrict his students to the recitation he received. He must not forbid them from adopting another form of the recitation, as long as that form is also established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The example in jurisprudence is the example of what you asked about. For instance, there are many supplications established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he used to recite when opening the prayer. Each imam adopted a type of these. The Hanafis adopted the supplication: , the Shafi'is adopted , and the people of hadith adopted the supplication: What is it?

The questioner : .

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : .

The Shaykh : What did you say?

The questioner : .

The Shaykh to the end of the supplication. And some people also adopted other supplications that I compiled in "The Description of Prayer." So here, it should not be said that it is not permissible for a Muslim to open with this one time and that one another time, because all of this is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Even if one imam adopted a type of that, likewise, the recitations established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)—even if each imam of the reciters adopted a recitation—that does not negate the fact that a reciter may adopt another recitation that is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with certainty. For example, the recitation of the supplication in al-Fatihah: *Malik* and *Mulk*. The recitation of Hafs is: , and the recitation of others, which is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), is: . So if he recites with this one time and that one another time, whether inside the prayer or outside the prayer, he has recited with a valid recitation. He should not be restricted by being told, "You recited, meaning you received the recitation on the recitation of Hafs, so it is not permissible for you to deviate from it." No, because all these reciters took from the Messenger (peace be upon him), just like the imams. But when the recitations are contradictory, then it is necessary... to follow the form that is authentic with him, as is the case in jurisprudential issues in which the imams disagreed.
Please, if food is present, the [prayer] is invalid... What Allah willed.

Another questioner : And for knowledge; is this part of the religion?

The Shaykh : This is not part of the religion, but it is religious innovation in the religion. And listen to what the position of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) was, whom we were commanded to follow and to take his guidance as a guide.