Permanent Nawaafil
□ Mosque greeting prayer.
□Ablution prayer.
□Forenoon prayer.
□Optional night prayer (Tahajjud).
□Odd prayer (Witr).
❶ Mosque Greeting Prayer
It is of two prayer units.
Mosques are the Houses of Allah, so we should greet them
upon entering.
●Abu-Usaid reported that the Messenger of Allah said, “When anyone of you enters the mosque, he should say: ‘O Allah!
Open for me the doors of Your mercy.’ And when he steps out he should say: ‘O
Allah! I ask You of Your grace.’”
Reference: Muslim. Book 6, Hadith 82
●It was narrated from Abi-Qatadah AL-Aslami that Allah’s
Apostle (P.P.B.U.H) said, “If anyone of you enters
mosque, he should perform two prayer units before sitting.”
Reference: Sahih AL-Bukhari. Book 8, Hadith 93
❷Ablution Prayer
●ᶦUthman ibn ᶦAffan reported:
I saw the Prophet performed ablution perfectly and said, “Whoever performs ablution as I have done this time and then
proceeds to mosque and offers two prayer units and then sits there (waiting for the group prayer), then his past sins will be forgiven.”
Reference: Sahih AL-Bukhari. Book 81, Hadith 22
●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Messenger of
Allah said to Bilal at the time of the morning prayer:
“Tell me of the act you did after embracing Islam, for which you
hope to receive good reward, for I heard your footsteps in front of me in Paradise ."
Bilal replied, “I did not do any act in
Islam for which I hope to get any benefit but this that when I perform complete
ablution during the night or day I pray after it as much as Allah has ordained
for me to pray.”
Reference: Sahih AL-Bukhari. Book 19, Hadith 30
- And in the narration of AL-Tirmidhi, Bilal replied, “O
Allah’s Apostle! I have never called to prayer except that I performed two
prayer units, I never had ritual impurity (Hadath) except that I
performed ablution upon that, and I considered that I owed Allah two prayer
units.”
So the Messenger said, “For
those two.”
Book 49, Hadith 4053
❸Forenoon Prayer (Duha)
Its time: It starts fifteen minutes after sunrise and ends when it
becomes thirty minutes before the call to noon prayer.
It ranges from two to eight prayer units.
●It was narrated from Abi-Dharr that the Prophet said, “Every morning alms is due from every joint bone of the body of
every one of you.
Every utterance of Allah’s Glorification (i.e., saying Subhan Allah) is an act of alms, every utterance of His Praise (i.e., saying ALHamdu Lillah) is an act of alms, enjoining good (Maᶦruf) is an act of alms, and forbidding evil (Munkar) is an act of alms.
And two prayer units of forenoon prayer (Duha) will equal to all this (in reward).”
Reference: Riyad As-Saaliheen. The Book of
Miscellany. [Muslim]
●ᶦAᶦishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
The Messenger of Allah used to perform four prayer units
of forenoon prayer (Duha) and he sometimes added to them whatever Allah wished.
Reference: Sahih Muslim. Book 6, Hadith 95
●Abu Dharr reported: My beloved Prophet advised me to do
three things which I will never give up, if Allah wills. He advised me to
perform forenoon prayer, to perform odd prayer (Witr) before sleeping,
and to fast three days of each month.
Reference: Sunan AL-Nasaᶦi Book 22, Hadith 315
●Umm Haani reported: On the Day of the Conquest of
Makkah, the Prophet entered my house, took a bath and performed eight prayer
units of forenoon prayer. I had never seen the Prophet performing such a light
prayer, but he performed bowing and prostrations perfectly.
Reference: Sahih AL-Bukhari Book 19, Hadith 54
●Jubair narrated from Abi Ad-Darda, or Abi-Dharr that:
Allah’s Messenger narrated that Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said:
“Son of Adam: Perform four prayer
units for Me in the beginning of the day. It will suffice you for the latter
part of it.”
Reference: Jamiᶦ AL-Tirmidhi Book 3, Hadith 23
¨It
appears in the previous traditions that the Prophet has diversified in
performing forenoon prayer (the number of its prayer units).
❹Optional Night
Prayer=(Tahajjud)=(Qiayam AL-Lail)
Tahajjud is one of the best means of nearness to Allah,
Almighty. Whoever keeps on performing it, Allah gifts him with a truthful faith
and he becomes from those who are brought near to Allah and the doers of good.
God
says ﴾Accepting
what their Lord has given them. Indeed, they were before that doers of good (16) They used to
sleep but little of the night (17) And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness ﴿ (18)
Chapter of Winds (Surat Adh-Dhariyat)
God also says:
﴾Is one who is devoutly
obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, [like one who does not]? Say, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” Only they will
remember [who are] people of understanding﴿
Chapter
of the Crowds. Verse NO 9
Also says ﴾They arise from [their] beds; they invoke their Lord in fear and aspiration, and from what We have
provided them, they spend (16) And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward
for what they used to do﴿(17) Chapter
of Adoration (Surat As-Sajdah).
●It was narrated
from Abi- Umamah that the Messenger of Allah said,
“Hold
fast to optional night prayer (Qiayam AL-Lail), for it is the practice of the righteous before you, and it is
a means of nearness to your God, an expiation for bad deeds, and a means of
prevention from sin.”
Reference:
Jamiᶦ AL-Tirmidhi Book 48, Hadith 180
●Jabir said he
heard Allah’s Messenger (P.P.B.U.H) say:
“There
is an hour during the night in which no Muslim will ask Allah for any good
related to this world or the Hereafter without His giving to him, and that
applies to every night.”
Reference:
Sahih Muslim. Book 6, Hadith 199
●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Prophet
said,
“The best month for fasting after Ramadan
is Muharram, and the best prayer after the prescribed prayer is the prayer
during night.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim. Book 13,
Hadith 262
Its legitimacy
Tahajjud was duty in the beginning of Islam, then Allah
relieved Muslims and made Tahajjud a Sunnah. But Tahajjud
remained a duty for the Prophet.
God
says ﴾Indeed, your Lord knows [O Muhammad] that you
stand [in prayer] almost two thirds of the night or half of it or a third of
it, and [so do] a group of those with you. And Allah determines [the extent of] the night and the day. He has known that you [Muslims] will not be able to do it and has turned to you in forgiveness, so recite
what is easy [for
you] of the Qurᶦan. He has known that there will be among you those who are ill and others
travelling throughout the land seeking [something] of the bounty
of Allah and others fighting for the cause of Allah. So recite what is easy
from it and establish prayer and give Zakah and loan Allah a goodly loan. And
whatever good you put forward for yourselves- you will find it with Allah. It
is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah
is Forgiving and Merciful﴿
Chapter
of the One Folded in Garments. Verse NO 20
God says ﴾And from [part
of] the night, pray with it as addition [worship]
for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised
station﴿
Chapter of the Night Journey. Verse NO 79
He
also says ﴾O you who wraps himself [in clothing] (1) Arise [to pray] the night, except for a little (2) Half of it- or subtract from it a little (3) Or add to it, and recite the Qurᶦan
with measured recitation (4)﴿
Chapter
of the One Folded in Garments.
●AL-Mughirah ibn Shuᶦbah reported: Allah’s Messenger performed prayer until
his feet were swollen, so it was said to him:
“You burden yourself like this,
while your past and future sins have been forgiven?”
He (the Prophet) said, “Shouldn’t I be a grateful servant?”
Reference: AL-Tirmidhi. Book 2, Hadith
265
Its time:
After night prayer. The best time for
performing it is the last third of night
(As-Sahar).
●Abu-Hurairah reported: Allah’s Apostle said,
“Our Lord, the Blessed and the Superior, descends every
night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night is left, and says,
‘Who invokes Me so that, I may answer him? Who asks Me so that I may give to
him? Who asks Me forgiveness so that I may forgive him?’
And thus He continues
till [the light of] dawn shines.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim. Book 6, Hadith
201
●It was narrated from Jabir that the Messenger of Allah
said, “Whoever among you fears that he will not
get up at the end of the night, let him perform odd prayer (Witr) at
the beginning of the night, and whoever is eager to get up in the last part of
it, let him perform odd prayer at the end of the night, for prayer at the end
of the night is witnessed (by the
angels) and that is better.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim. Book 6, Hadith
195
How to perform it?
●It was narrated from Ibn ᶦUmar that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said,
“Optional night prayer should be two by two, but if you
fear that morning is near, perform one prayer unit (one Rakᶦah) as Witr.”
Reference: Riyad As-Saaliheen. The Book
of Virtues [AL-Bukhari and Muslim].
●AL-Aswad reported: I asked ᶦAᶦishah,
“How is the night prayer of the Prophet?”
She replied, “He used to sleep early
at night and get up in its last part to pray, and then return to his bed. When
the caller to prayer (Muᶦadhdhin)
pronounced the Adhan, he would get up.
If he was in need of a bath, he
would take it; otherwise, he would perform ablution and then go out (for the
prayer).”
Reference: AL-Bukhari. Book 19, Hadith
27
Note that:
①Allah does not charge a soul except with that within its
capacity.
●Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The
Prophet came into the mosque and noticed a rope stretched between two poles.
He
said, “What is this
rope?”
People said, “This is Zainab’s rope. When she becomes lazy or tired
during her optional prayer, she holds it.”
He said, “Untie it. You should pray as long as
you feel active, and when you get tired, sit down.”
Reference: Sahih
AL-Bukhari. Book 19, Hadith 31
②A Muslim should have a permanent Naafilah in order
to be able to keep on performing it daily, even if it is two prayer units or
reading two pages of the Holy Qurᶦan.
That
is because when he/she becomes unable to do it due to his/her old age or
disease, Allah gives him/her its reward.
●It was narrated from ᶦAᶦishah
(May Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah said,
“O people! Do only those good deeds which you can do, for
Allah does not get tired (of
giving reward) till you get tired, and the best
deed to Allah is the one to which the doer adheres constantly even if it is
small.”
Reference: Sahih AL-Bukhari. Book 77,
Hadith 78
●It was narrated from Ibrahim Abu Ismaᶦil that the Messenger of Allah said, “When a servant of Allah falls ill or travels, then he
will get reward similar to that he gets for good deeds he practiced when he was
healthy or at home.”
Reference: AL-Bukhari. Book 56, Hadith
205
●It was narrated from ᶦAᶦishah
that the Messenger of Allah said, “If a man
prays in the night and sleep overcomes him during it, Allah writes for him the
reward of his prayer, and his sleep is alms (Sadaqah) for him.”
Reference: Muwatta Malik. Book 7, Hadith
255
❺Odd Prayer (Witr)
Its legitimacy:
●Buraydah ibn
AL-Hasib reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah say:
“Witr is a duty, so he who does not observe it
does not belong to us.” He said it thrice.
Reference:
Sunan Abi-Daoud. Book 8, Hadith 4
●It was narrated
from Ali ibn Abi Talib that the Messenger of Allah said, “Allah is Witr (odd, single) and
loves what is Witr. So perform Witr prayer, you who follow the
Qurᶦan.”
Reference:
Riyad As-Saaliheen [AL-Tirmidhi and Abu-Daoud]
The Book of Virtues.
●Kharijah ibn
Hudhafah reported: Allah’s Messenger came out to us and said, “Indeed Allah has given you a prayer that is better for
you than red camels: AL-Witr which Allah has made for you between night
prayer (Isha) and the onset of dawn.”
Reference:
Jamiᶦ AL-Tirmidhi. Book 3, Hadith 1
Its
provision:
It is an
emphasized Sunnah in Shafii School, but it is a duty in Abi-Hanifah School.
The
number of its prayer units (Rakᶦaat):
The minimum
number is one prayer unit, the average number is three, and the
●Umm Salamah
reported: The Prophet used to pray Witr with thirteen prayer units, but
when he grew older and weaker he prayed Witr with seven.
Reference:
Jamiᶦ AL-Tirmidhi. Book 3, Hadith 6
¨It
is better to perform Witr at home, except in the month of Ramadan.
¨If
a praying person performed Witr after performing the Sunnah prayer of
the night prayer, and then he stood to pray Tahajjud, he would not
repeat Witr.
●Qais ibn Talq
narrated that his father said: I heard Allah’s Messenger saying, “There are no two Witr in one night.”
Reference:
Jamiᶦ AL-Tirmidhi. Book 3, Hadith 18
Humility invocation (Qunut)
in Witr prayer:
¨A praying person can perform Qunut after reciting
Qurᶦan in the last prayer unit of Witr prayer, before or after bowing
down.
¨Qunut in morning prayer is a Sunnah in Shafii School and
recommended in Malik School.
But Imam Ahmad does not perform Qunut in morning
prayer except when there is a distress.
¨In the second half of Ramadan, Qunut is recommended to be
in the last prayer unit of Witr prayer.
●AL-Hasan ibn Ali reported: The Messenger of Allah taught
me some phrases that I say during Witr.
They were: “O Allah, guide me
among those You have guided, grant me security among those You have granted,
take me into Your charge among those You have taken into Your charge, bless me
in what You have given, guard me from the evil of what You have decreed, for
verily You decree and none can decree over You.
He whom You support can never
be humiliated. Blessed and Exalted are You, our Lord.”
Reference: Jamiᶦ AL-Tirmidhi. Book 3, Hadith 12
In summary:
You should perform night prayer (ᶦIsha) and the
two Sunnah prayer units, then you sleep.
Then you get up in the last third of night, pray Tahajjud,
and recite of the Qurᶦan that which is easy for you.
Finally, you pray Witr
(one prayer unit, or three, or five, etc.), invoke Allah, because it is an hour
of answering invocation, and wait for the morning prayer.
Read also
Nawaafil performed in certain occasions
Read also
Nawaafil performed in certain occasions
