Regular Sunnah Prayers
Note:
①Difference between schools concerning the number of
prayer units of regular Sunnah prayers is possible.
②Performing regular Sunnah prayers does not substitute
for making up for missed obligatory prayers.
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¨Regular
Sunnah prayers are totally seventeen prayer units (Rakᶦaat):
*The
two “Fajr” prayer units before morning prayer.
*Four
prayer units before noon prayer and two units after it.
*Four
units before afternoon prayer.
*Two units after
sunset prayer.
*Three
units after night prayer (one of them is performed as an odd prayer ‘Witr’).
●Umm Habibah (May Allah be pleased with her) the Mother
of the Believers reported:
I
heard the Messenger of Allah (P.P.B.U.H) saying: “If
any servant (of Allah) prays for the sake of God twelve prayer units (Rakᶦahs) of voluntary (Sunnah) prayers every day, other than the obligatory prayers,
Allah will build for him a house in Paradise.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim. Book 6, Hadith
126
●It was narrated from Umm Habibah that the Messenger of
Allah said, “Twelve prayer units, whoever
performs them Allah will build for him a house in Paradise:
four units (Rakᶦaat) before noon prayer (Dhuhr) and two units after it, two units before
afternoon prayer (Asr), two units after sunset prayer (Maghrib), and two units before morning prayer (Subh).”
Reference: Sunan AL-Nasaᶦi Book 20, Hadith 204
●It was narrated
from ᶦAᶦishah that the Prophet said, “The two (Sunnah) prayer
units (before) the morning (the
dawn) prayer are better than this world and all
it contains.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim. Book 6, Hadith 118
¨There is a prayer of two prayer units between the call to
prayer (Adhan) and the second call to prayer (Iqamah).
●It was narrated from Abd Allah ibn Mughaffal that the
Messenger of Allah said, “Between every two calls (Adhan and Iqamah) there is a prayer.” He said it three times, and on the third time
he said, “For those who wish.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim. Book 6, Hadith 368
●It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik (May Allah be
pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah said, “The invocation made between AL-Adhan and AL-Iqamah is
Reference: Riyad As-Saaliheen. The Book of Virtues.
Hadith 1043
¨It is better to
perform Sunnah Prayers at home.
●It was narrated from Ibn ᶦUmar that the Prophet said, “Offer some of your (Sunnah) prayers at home, and do not take your houses as graves.”
Reference: Sahih
AL-Bukhari. Book 8, Hadith 82
●It was narrated from Saᶦd ibn Ishaaq from his father that his grandfather said,
“The Messenger of Allah performed sunset prayer (Maghrib) in the mosque
of Banu Abd AL-Ashhal, and when he finished praying some people stood up to
offer optional prayer. So the Prophet said, ‘You should offer this prayer in your houses.’”
Reference: Sunan AL-Nasaᶦi
Book 20, Hadith 3
●Zaid ibn Thabit (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “O people! Perform your (voluntary) prayer at your homes because the best
prayer of a man is the one he performs at home, except the obligatory prayer.”
Reference: Riyad As-Saaliheen.
The Book of Vitues [AL-Bukhari and Muslim].
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What is the regular Sunnah prayer that follows Friday prayer?
It is known that Friday prayer is obligatory.
It is of two prayer units which substitute for noon prayer (Dhuhr).
Shafii sees that Friday prayer to be valid,
not less than forty men in addition to the leader must perform it.
Ibn Hanbal
and Abu-Hanifah see that three men in addition to the leader must perform it.
Imam Malik sees that twelve men in addition to the leader must perform it.
As for the Sunnah of Friday prayer:
In Abi-Hanifah School, it is four prayer
units and are performed after AL-Adhan and before the leader (Imam)
ascends the pulpit.
In Shafii School, the Sunnah is four prayer
units performed after Friday prayer. And this is according to tradition:
●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Messenger of
Allah (P.P.B.U.H) said, “Whoever
among you is to pray after the Friday prayer, then let him pray four.”
Reference: Jamiᶦ AL-Tirmidhi Book 4, Hadith 36
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Optional Prayers= Voluntary Prayers= Nawaafil
Naafilah in Arabic Language means excess.
Nawaafil are legislated to compensate for under performance of
obligatory prayers, as a praying person may get distracted or forget humbleness
in his prayer. As a result, his prayer’s reward decreases.
Notes about Nawaafil
1)
In travel, it is permissible to pray without facing AL-Qiblah (Ka'bah direction) during the movement of the train, the
ship, or the plane.
2)
You can pray Naafilah while sitting when you get tired of standing
up.
●Imran
ibn Husain reported: “I had piles, so I asked the Prophet about the prayer. He
said, ‘Pray while standing and if you
cannot, pray while sitting and if you cannot do even that, then pray lying on
your side.’”
Reference: Sahih
AL-Bukhari. Book 18, Hadith 37
3) Obligations and Nawaafil are specified, i.e.,
no one can innovate an obligatory or a Sunnah prayer.
As for this world transactions, you can innovate a good
deed.
For example: you can devote a day or a week for helping the poor, for a
gathering of knowledge, or for studying the Holy Qur'an.
4) When you pray a Naafilah individually, you can
prolong reciting the Qur'an, after reciting Chapter of the Opening, as you
like.
But if you lead praying persons, you should commit to
lightening.
●Jabir ibn Samurah reported: The Prophet ﷺ used to recite ﴾By the sky containing great stars﴿
, ﴾By the sky and the night comer﴿ ,
and similar Chapters in noon (Dhuhr) and afternoon ('Asr)
prayers.
Reference: Sunan An-Nasa'i.
Book 11, Hadith 104
●Umm AL-Fadl reported: Allah’s Messenger came out to us
with his head bandaged from his illness. He performed sunset prayer (Maghrib)
reciting Chapter of Those Sent Forth (AL-Mursalaat).
Reference: Jami' At-Tirmidhi.
Book 2, Hadith 160
●AL-Bara' ibn 'Aazib
reported:
The Prophet recited ﴾By the fig and the olive﴿ for the night
prayer ('Isha').
Reference: Jami' At-Tirmidhi.
Book 2, Hadith 162
◊ In
optional night prayer (Tahajjud), the Prophet sometimes used to recite
Chapter of the Heifer, and at other times he used to recite many Chapters.
Types of Nawaafil:
*Permanent Nawaafil.
*Nawaafil that
performed in certain occasions.
*Specific Nawaafil (that a person performs
individually, i.e., not in a group).
[1] Permanent Nawaafil:
□The mosque greeting prayer.
□Ablution prayer.
□Forenoon prayer.
□Optional night prayer (Tahajjud).
□Odd
prayer (Witr).
[2] 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.
[3] Specific Nawaafil (That a person performs
individually, i.e., not in a group)
□Praises Prayer (Salat
At-Tasaabeeh)
□Guidance
Prayer (Salat Al-Istikhaarah)
□Repentance
Prayer (Salat At-Tawbah)
