Is it permissible to combine several recitations in the prayer?

The Shaykh : And beware of it.

The questioner : Here is a matter regarding the recitations. A man wants to recite, for example, Surat al-Saff, and he recites every verse with a recitation that differs from the verse that follows it, or every verse with a letter that differs from the verse that follows it. Is this permissible in the same gathering? Is his doing this permissible?

The Shaykh : This—may Allah bless you—differs according to the intention. What we hear from the reciters is not permissible at all, because they intend the art and not the knowledge. They do not intend to teach people that this is a recitation and that is a recitation. Because here it is said:
"Sa'd drove them in, and Sa'd was wrapped up. This is not, O Sa'd, how camels are driven in."
The one who wants to teach people comes and engages in artistry and philosophy, sometimes like this and sometimes like this and sometimes like this. And any person with a memory will memorize this recitation and the second and the third, and so on. But if he recites a certain surah with a certain recitation, and it occurs to him to recite a certain verse with another recitation, a certain verse for the sake of teaching and reminding, and he is in the presence of a community ready to accept such guidance and teaching, then he may do so. Because the truth is that we always call for returning to the Sunnah and following the Salaf. How did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recite these recitations? He recited them as it was easy for him, sometimes like this and sometimes like this, not in this chaotic manner that causes a person to lose the purpose of recitation, which is reflection, as we mentioned earlier in the noble verse . And so some stories occurred during the time of the Messenger (peace be upon him). For example, 'Umar heard a man reciting a verse with a recitation other than the one he had memorized, so he disputed with him and took him to the Messenger (peace be upon him) and said to him: "I heard this man reciting." He (peace be upon him) answered that it is , and then he ordered them not to differ regarding the Qur'an. My intention in saying this is that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) recited sometimes like this and sometimes like this. So every person among the Companions memorized something and transmitted it to the others. Then scholars were provided for these recitations who collected them, just as the Imams of the four schools of jurisprudence did with fiqh. So it is not permissible for a Muslim to be fanatical about one school of jurisprudence over another, just as it is not permissible to be fanatical about one recitation over another. But whatever is authentic in any school of jurisprudence that agrees with the Book and the Sunnah, he adopts it, and whatever is authentic in any of the known recitations, he also adopts it, without creating a sect or disagreement among the Muslims. As for this form that we sometimes hear from some reciters—especially this reciter whose name is 'Abd al-...? 'Abd al-Basit

The Shaykh : 'Abd al-Basit

The questioner : The one who recites for you , he mixes the recitations with each other such that—especially these poor Egyptians—their only concern is that they are delighted and they sing for him. Their concern is not that they be with the recitation and what is in it of encouragement and warning, and threat, and so on. Perhaps I have answered you.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, but I have another clarification. I said, my dear brother, that he uses these recitations not for teaching but for worship. He recites them at the same time, this verse with such a recitation and this verse with such a recitation. Is this permissible?

The Shaykh : No, it is not permissible. It is not permissible.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good,