Nawaafil that are performed in certain occasions

Nawaafil that are performed in certain occasions

□The prayer of circumambulation of AL-Kaᶦbah.

□The prayer of returning from travel.

□Rest prayer.                                                            

□The two festivals prayers.

□Rain invoking prayer.                                            

□Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse prayer.

□Funeral prayer.

❶The Prayer of Circumambulation of AL-Kaᶦbah

It is a Sunnah for the one who encompasses AL-Kaᶦbah to perform two prayer units after finishing his circumambulation.

●Ibn ᶦUmar reported: The Prophet reached Makkah, encompassed AL-Kaᶦbah seven times and then performed two prayer units behind the station of Abraham (Maqaam Ibrahim). Then he went towards As-Safa.

Reference: Sahih AL-Bukhari.  Book 25, Hadith 111

●Jabir reported: When the Prophet reached Makkah, he entered AL-Masjid and touched the Stone, then went to his right and walked rapidly for three (circuits) and then walked (at a regular pace) for four. 

Then he came to the station of Abraham (Maqaam Ibrahim) and said ﴾And take from the Maqaam of Ibrahim a place of prayer﴿ and performed two prayer units while the Maqaam was between him and the House. 

Then he came to the Stone after the two prayer units to touch it, then he left to As-Safa.

Reference: Sunan AL-Nasaᶦi.   book 24 (the Book of Hajj).

❷The Prayer of Returning from Travel

●Kaᶦb ibn Malik reported: The Prophet did not come back from a journey but by day in the forenoon. And when he arrived, he went first to the mosque, and having prayed two Rakᶦahs in it, he sat down in it.

Reference: Sahih Muslim.   Book 6, Hadith 89

●Ibn ᶦUmar reported: When the Prophet wanted to travel and mounted his riding camel, he used to say Takbeer (Allah is the Greatest) three times and say ﴾Exalted is He Who has subjected this to us, and we were not able to subdue it(13) And, surely, to our Lord we will return﴿(14) 

Then he would say, “O Allah, I ask You in this journey of mine from the righteousness and piety and from actions that which You are pleased with. O Allah, ease the path for us, and make the distance of the land near for us. O Allah, You are the Companion in the journey, and the caretaker for the family. O Allah, accompany us in our journey, and take care of our families.” 

And when he returned to his family, he used to say, “(We are) returning, if Allah wills, repenting, repenting, worshipping, and to our Lord directing the praise.”

Reference: Jamiᶦ AL-Tirmidhi.  Book 48, Hadith 78

❸Rest Prayer (Salat At-Taraweeh)

Its provision:

It is an emphasized Sunnah.

Its time:

In Ramadan, after night prayer and before Witr prayer.

The number of its prayer units:

It is at least eight prayer units and may increase to reach twenty units with ten prayer-end greetings (Tasleemaat), i.e., they are performed two by two.

It is named “Taraweeh” because the praying person has a rest after every four prayer units.

How did Taraweeh prayer start?

The Prophet started performing it for three nights, then he hid himself from people in order that it was not made obligatory for them.

●Zaid ibn Thabit reported: Allah’s Messenger made a small room (with a palm leaf mat). Allah’s Messenger came out (of his house) and prayed in it.

 Some men came and joined him in his prayer. Then they again came one night for the prayer, but Allah’s Messenger delayed and did not come out to them. So they raised their voices and knocked the door with small stones (to draw his attention). 

He came out to them in a state of anger, saying, “You are still insisting (on your deed, i.e. Taraweeh prayer in the mosque) that I thought that prayer might become obligatory on you. So you people, offer this prayer at your homes, for the best prayer of a person is the one which he offers at home, except the prescribed prayer.”

Reference: Sahih AL-Bukhari.    Book 78, Hadith 140

¨When ᶦUmar ibn AL-Khattab became a Caliph and saw people perform Taraweeh prayer in scattered groups in the mosque, he made them pray it all together behind one leader. This leader was Ubayy ibn Kaᶦb, who was one of the scribes of revelation.

Malik ibn Anas mentioned in “AL-Muwatta” that people under ᶦUmar used to recite Chapter of the Heifer in the eight prayer units.

¨Abd Ar-Rahmaan ibn Abd AL-Qaari reported: On a night in Ramadan, I went out with ᶦUmar ibn AL-Khattab to the mosque, where we saw people praying sporadically, i.e. a man was praying alone or praying in a group of less than ten persons.

ᶦUmar said, “I see that it is ideal to make these people pray behind one reciter.”

He intended to do so and made them pray all together behind Ubayy ibn Kaᶦb.

On another night, I went out with him while people were praying behind their leader.

ᶦUmar said, “Excellent is this heresy! And the prayer that they sleep and do not perform is better than the prayer they perform (It is better for them to perform Taraweeh prayer in the last third of the night than to perform it in the first third of the night).”

¨As-Saaᶦib ibn Yazeed said: “ᶦUmar ibn AL-Khattab ordered Ubayy ibn Kaᶦb and Tameem Ad-Daari to lead people and perform eleven prayer units. The leader in Taraweeh used to recite hundreds of verses, so that we used to lean upon staffs due to long period of standing and we never left except upon emergence of dawn. [AL-Muwatta].

¨Taraweeh prayer can be performed individually or in groups, in houses or in mosques.

●ᶦAᶦishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah used not to perform more than eleven prayer units whether in Ramadan or in any other month. 

He used to perform four prayer units, do not ask about their beauty and length. And then he would perform four prayer units, do not ask about their beauty and length. Afterwards, he would perform three prayer units.

Reference: Riyad As-Saaliheen.  Book of Virtues [AL-Bukhari and Muslim].

❹The Two Festivals Prayers

Their provision:

They are an emphasized Sunnah. They are performed in a group, except for a pilgrim, he prays individually because of being busy with the acts of pilgrimage.

It is a Sunnah to perform them outdoors.

When did they start?

The first Festival prayer the Prophet had performed was the prayer of Fast-Breaking Festival in Shawaal in the second year of Hijrah.

Their time:

After twenty minutes of sun shine.

How to perform them?

They have no call (Adhan) or second call (Iqamah). The caller to them says, “The prayer will be held in a group. May Allah reward you.”

The number of their prayer units:

They are two prayer units.

In the first prayer unit: The leader says Takbeer: “Allah is the Greatest (Allahu Akbar).” eight times, including the initial Takbeer (Takbeerat AL-Ihraam), and the followers do like him. 

Between every two Takbeerah he says:

“Exalted is Allah, praise be to Allah, no god but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest (Sobhaana Allah, Wa AL-Hamdullillah, Wa La-ᶦIllaha ᶦIlla Allah, Wa Allahu Akbar).”

Then he recites Chapter of the Opening, then Chapter of Qaaf, or Chapter of the Most High (Surat AL-ᶦalaa), or Chapter of the Disbelievers (Surat AL-Kaaferoon).

In the second prayer unit: The leader performs six Takbeerat, including the Takbeerah of raising from prostration. 

Then he recites Chapter of the Opening, then Chapter of the Moon, or Chapter of the Overwhelming Event, or Chapter of Purity (AL-Ikhlaas).

The leader recites the previous Chapters to follow the example of the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H).

After the prayer-end greeting, the leader delivers two speeches. In the first speech, he performs nine Takbeeraat, and in the second speech, he performs seven Takbeeraat.

His talk in each speech should be appropriate to each festival.

a) In Fast-Breaking Festival speech, the subject should be about promoting happiness of the poor and sustainability of piety after the month of Ramadan.

b) In Sacrifice Festival speech, the subject should be about how to divide the sacrifice and the excellence of animal offering.

Note that:

①It is a Sunnah to spend the night preceding the Festival in worship and reciting the Holy Qurᶦan.

②It is a Sunnah to take a bath in the morning of the Festival Day, use tooth stick (Miswaak), apply perfume, and wear the best clothes.

③If a Muslim visited the graves, he shouldn’t cry or weep, because the Festival is a day of joy.

④A Muslim should go to the mosque early from a road, and return from another road.

●Abu-Hurairah reported: When Allah’s Messenger went out on the Day of Festival (to pray) by one road, he would return by another.

Reference: Jamiᶦ AL-Tirmidhi.   Book 5, Hadith 12

⑤It is prohibited for a Muslim to express his happiness by having parties of dancing, wine, and sins.

In Fast-Breaking Festival (ᶦId AL-Fitr):

¨Takbeer starts from the sunset of the last day of Ramadan and sighting the crescent till the leader begins the Festival prayer.

¨It is a Sunnah to eat something before going to perform the Festival prayer.

●Anas ibn Malik reported: Allah’s Messenger never proceeded (for the prayer) on the Day of Fast-Breaking Festival unless he had eaten some dates. 

He used to eat odd number of dates (Witr number).

Reference: Sahih AL-Bukhari.  Book 13, Hadith 5

In Sacrifice Festival (ᶦId- AL-Adha):

¨Takbeer starts from the morning of the Day of Arafah (the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah) till the afternoon of the last day of Tashreeq (the fourth day of the Festival).

As for the pilgrim, he does not say Takbeer because he is busy with Talbiyah (saying: “Labbayk Allaahumma Labbayk. Labbayk La Shareeka Laka Labbayk. Inna AL Hamda Wal Niᶦmata Laka Wal Mulk. La Shareeka Laka, Labbayk)”.

¨It is a Sunnah to go to the Festival prayer early, so that those who sacrifice have a time to return to offer it.

¨In Sacrifice Festival, a Muslim has his meal after he performs the Festival prayer.

❺Rain-Invoking Prayer (Istisqaa)

Its provision:

It is an emphasized Sunnah.

How to perform it?

It is of two prayer units without Adhan or Iqamah. The caller to it says, “The prayer will be held in a group. May Allah reward you.” 

Then he delivers two speeches in which he orders people to repent, give up sins, give a lot of alms, and invoke Allah with humiliation.

Notes:

¨People fast for three days before performing this prayer. On the fourth day (the day of this prayer), they go out to perform it in a state of humiliation, compliance, and humbleness. 

They are accompanied by women, children and the elderly, to make use of them when they invoke Allah to bring the rain.

¨They go to prayer from a road, and after finishing it, they return from another road.

¨If it does not rain, they will repeat the prayer and its speech on another day, till it rains. 

When it rains, they take a bath, i.e. they stand under the rain for a while.

The evidence of its legitimacy:

God says ﴾And said, “Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver (10) He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers﴿(11)  Chapter of Noah.

﴾And O my people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in showers﴿  

Chapter of Hud.

●Abu-Hurairah reported: The Messenger of Allah went out one day to pray for rain. He led us in performing two prayer units without any Adhan or Iqamah, then he addressed us and invoked Allah.

Reference: Sunan ibn Majah. Book 5, Hadith 1327

●It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that he said, “While we were in the mosque on Friday and the Messenger of Allah was addressing the people, a man stood up and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, the routes have been cut off, our wealth has been destroyed and prices have gone up. Pray to Allah to give us rain.’

So the Messenger of Allah raised his hands in a level with his face and said: ‘O Allah, give us rain.’

By Allah, the Messenger of Allah had not come down from the pulpit before it started to pour with rain, and it rained from that day until the following Friday.

On that Friday, a man stood up and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, the routes have been cut off, and our wealth has been destroyed because there is too much water. Pray to Allah to stop the rain for us.’ 

The Messenger of Allah said, ‘O Allah, around us and not on us, rather on the mountains and places where trees grow.’ 

The rain stopped, and as we stepped out we were walking in sun-shine.”

Reference: Sunan AL-Nasaᶦi.    The Book of Praying for Rain. Chapter: How to raise the hands.

❻Solar Eclipse and Lunar Eclipse Prayers

(Kusuf and Khusuf)

Their provision:

They are an emphasized Sunnah.

The number of their prayer units:

They are of two prayer units without Adhan or Iqamah. The caller to them says, “The prayer will be held in a group. May Allah reward you.” 

Then he delivers two speeches in which he talks about returning to Allah and giving up sins.

How to perform them?

①Saying, “I have intended to pray two prayer units of the Sunnah of solar eclipse prayer or lunar eclipse prayer.”

②The leader recites Chapter of the Opening, then many verses (their number can be equal to the number of the verses of Chapter of the Heifer).

③Then he bows down and says Tasbeeh: “Glory be to my Lord Almighty (Subhana Rabbial-ᶦazeem).” many times (can be one hundred times).

④He raises from bowing down and recites Chapter of the Opening and a lot of verses.

⑤He bows down again, says Tasbeeh many times as he has done in the first bowing.

⑥He raises from bowing down, prostrates twice, and then he raises to perform the second prayer unit. He acts in it in the same manner as the first prayer unit.

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¨The leader recites quietly in solar eclipse prayer and loudly in lunar eclipse prayer.

¨If you missed this prayer, you would not make up for it.

- Solar eclipse prayer is missed when darkness is over or when sunset begins.

- Lunar eclipse prayer is missed when darkness is over and the moon appears, i.e. not waiting till emergence of dawn.

¨If solar eclipse prayer comes with Friday prayer, Friday prayer’s speech substitutes for eclipse prayer’s speech.

If solar eclipse prayer comes with funeral prayer, funeral prayer is performed first.

When solar eclipse prayer comes with Festival prayer, Festival prayer and its speech are performed first, then solar eclipse prayer and its speech.

●Abdullah ibn ᶦAbbas reported: The sun eclipsed in the lifetime of the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H). He offered the eclipse prayer and stood for a long period equal to the period in which one could recite Chapter of the Heifer.

 Then he bowed for a long time and then stood up for a long period which was shorter than that of the first standing, then bowed again for a long time but for a shorter period than the first, then he prostrated twice and then stood up for a long period which was shorter than that of the first standing.

Then he bowed for a long time which was shorter than the previous one, and then he raised his head and stood up for a long period which was shorter than the first standing, then he bowed for a long time which was shorter than the first bowing, and then prostrated (twice) and finished the prayer. 

By then, the sun (eclipse) had cleared. The Prophet then said:
“The sun and the moon are two of the signs of Allah. They eclipse neither because of the death of somebody nor because of his life (i.e. birth). So when you see them, remember Allah.”

People said, “O Allah’s Messenger! We saw you taking something from your place and then we saw you retreating.”

The Prophet replied, “I saw Paradise and stretched my hands towards a bunch (of its fruits) and taken it. You would have eaten from it as long as the world remains. I also saw the Hell fire and I had never seen such a horrible sight. I saw that most of the inhabitants were women.”

People asked, “O Allah’s Messenger! Why is it so?” The Prophet replied, “Because of their ungratefulness.”

It was asked whether they are ungrateful to Allah.

The Prophet said, “They are ungrateful to their companions of life (husbands) and ungrateful to good deeds. If you are benevolent to one of them throughout the life and if she sees anything (undesirable) in you, she will say, ‘I have never had any good from you.”

Reference: Sahih AL-Bukhari.  Book 16, Hadith 12

Note that:

Ibrahim, the son of the Prophet, died on that day of eclipse and people were talking about that (saying that the eclipse was caused by his death).

-In the narration of ᶦAᶦishah, the Prophet said in his speech, “O followers of Muhammad! By Allah, there is no one more jealous than Allah when his male or female servant commits adultery. 

O followers of Muhammad! By Allah, if you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much.”

Reference: Sunan AL-Nasaᶦi.     Book 16, Hadith 16

-And in the narration of Asmaᶦ, the Prophet said, 

“Just now at this place I have seen what I have never seen before, including Paradise and Hell. 

No doubt it has been inspired to me that you will be put to trials in your graves and these trials will be like the trials of the False Christ.

You will be asked, ‘What do you know about this man (the Prophet Muhammad)?’ 

Then the faithful believer will reply, ‘He is Muhammad Allah’s Apostle who had come to us with clear evidences and guidance and so we accepted, followed, and trusted his teachings. 

Then the angels will say to him, ‘Sleep in peace as we have come to know that you were a faithful believer.’ 

On the other hand, a hypocrite or a doubtful person will reply, ‘I do not know, but I heard the people saying something and so I said it.’”

Reference: Sahih AL-Bukhari.   Book 3, Hadith 28            

  

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Funeral Prayer (Salat Al-Janaazah)

Permanent Nawaafil