Is it disliked (makruh) to recite only the latter parts or middle parts of Surahs in prayer?
Chapter on the Description of Prayer
Al-Mughni
Book of Prayer
Primary text
It is not disliked to recite the latter parts or middle parts of Surahs in one of the narrations. This view is held by a group stemming from Ahmad. The evidence cited is the narration from Abu Sa'id, who said they were commanded to recite Al-Fatiha and what was easy, and the narration from Abu Hurayrah where the Prophet, peace be upon him, stated, 'There is no prayer without recitation, even if it is just Al-Fatiha.' This indicates that adding more is not mandatory. Furthermore, Ibn Mas'ud reportedly recited the end of Al 'Imran and the end of Al-Furqan in the latter Rak'ah of Fajr prayer. Ibrahim Al-Nakha'i reported that his companions would recite part of a Surah in the obligatory prayer, then bow, stand up, and recite from another Surah. Abu Barzah's statement that the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to recite between sixty and one hundred verses in Fajr indicates that he did not limit himself to reciting only one complete Surah.
Supporting text
The second narration states that it is disliked to recite only the latter parts of Surahs in obligatory prayer. Ahmad is reported by Al-Marwadhi as disliking recitation of the end of a Surah in the obligatory prayer, preferring recitation of a whole Surah. This dislike by Ahmad is possibly motivated by the desire to follow the Prophet's example, as the reported practice of the Prophet was reciting a Surah or part of a Surah starting from its beginning. Regarding reciting from the middle or end of Surahs, a distinction is made where reciting the end is hoped for (due to reports from Abdullah and his companions), but reciting from the middle is not favored, as no similar reports exist for the middle part.