(Regular Sunnah Prayers and Optional Prayers (Nawaafil

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 never rejected.”   

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)

Read also
Permanent Nawaafil
Nawaafil performed in certain occasions
Specific Nawaafil

Some of fasting provisions

Some of Fasting Provisions

❶If the elderly and the patients with a chronic illness are unable to fast, they can break their fasting, on condition that a righteous Muslim physician advises them to do so, and they should give the poor a sum of money equals the cost of breakfast and pre-dawn meals of every day they have not fasted on it. God says ﴾And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day] ﴿Chapter of the Heifer.

❷Pregnant or nursing women do not fast if they fear for their health. They must make up for missed days of fasting, but if they fear for the safety of the foetus or the infant, they do not fast and they must give the poor a sum of money equals the cost of breakfast and pre-dawn meals of every day they have not fasted on it.

❸A patient with a temporary disease does not fast, on condition that a righteous Muslim physician advises him to do so, and after his recovery, he makes up for missed days of fasting.

❹If a traveller for a distance of 84 km is unable to fast, he can break his fast. Afterwards, he makes up for missed days of fasting.

*Conditions on which a traveller breaks his fasting:

1) Previously mentioned conditions of shortening prayer are met.

2) The traveller begins his journey before emergence of dawn.

●ᶦAishah reported that Hamzah AL-Aslami (May Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet and said, “Should I fast during the journey?” The Prophet said: “Fast if you wish and break your fast if  you wish.” [Abu-Daoud]. And in Sahih Muslim he said:“It is a concession from Allah. Whoever takes it has done well, and whoever wants to fast, there is no sin on him.”

●Abu-Saᶦid AL-Khudri reported: "We went out into a battle with Allah’s Messenger on the 16^th of Ramadan. Some of us fasted and some of us broke the fast. But neither the fasting person found fault with the one who broke it, nor the breaker of fasting found fault with the one who observed it.” [Muslim].

●Jabir ibn Abd-Allah reported: Allah’s Apostle was on a journey and saw a crowd of people, and a man was being shaded (by them). He asked, “What is the matter?” They said, “He (the man) is fasting.” The Prophet said, “It is not righteousness that you fast on a journey.” [The Two Scholars].

*If a Muslim always travels, as a train driver or a motorist, he must fast.

God says ﴾And whoever is ill or on a journey-then an equal number of other days﴿Chapter of the Heifer. And He says ﴾But to fast is best for you, if you only knew﴿ Chapter of the Heifer.

❺He who has sexual intercourse with his wife, must expiate this sin with fasting for two consecutive months. If he did not afford it, he would have to feed sixty poor persons. This is because he had committed a great sin.

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that Allah’s Apostle said, “Whoever breaks the fast during Ramadan without a cause or an illness, then if he fasted for all time, his fasting would not make up for it.” [The Two Scholars].

❻Whoever had to make up for missed days of fasting Ramadan, and was lazy about doing so without an excuse, till the new month of Ramadan was due, he would make up for these days and expiate with feeding a number of poor persons equals the number of these missed days.

❼Whoever forgets that he is fasting, and eats or drinks in the daytime of Ramadan, his fasting is valid, and he is to rinse his mouth and complete fasting that day.

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “If anyone forgets that he is fasting and eats or drinks, he should complete his fast, for it is only Allah Who has fed him and  given him drink.” [AL-Bukhari].

❽Whoever wakes up in the morning in a state of sexual impurity, his fasting is valid. He is to bathe immediately to be able to perform prayers.

●ᶦAishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: The dawn broke upon the Messenger of Allah during Ramadan in a state of sexual impurity (Janabah) after having sexual relations with his wives. Then, he took a bath and fasted.” [Agreed upon].

❾Whoever gets up, does not know if it has been called to the morning prayer or not, and eats or drinks, then he discovers that it has been called to the morning prayer, his fasting becomes invalid. He is to abstain from eating and drinking on this day, and afterwards he makes up for this day.

❿He who dies and obligatory, vow, or expiation fasting is due on him, one of his relatives (ascendants or descendants) fasts on his behalf, or feeds a number of poor persons equals the number of these missed days.

●Ibn Abbas reported: A man came to the Prophet and said, “My mother died and she ought to have fasted one month (for her missed Ramadan). Shall I fast on her behalf?” The Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “Yes, Allah’s debts have more right to be paid.” [The Two Scholars].

Sunnah and voluntary prayers

SUNNAH AND VOLUNTARY PRAYERS

Regular Sunnah prayers which are performed before or after the obligatory five daily prayers (Their total number is seventeen prayer units):

*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’).

- And there are:

a) Permanent voluntary prayers:

*Optional night prayer: It is performed in pairs (two prayer units every time) and then the last one is odd prayer (one prayer unit).                                              
*Mosque greeting prayer.

*Ablution renewing prayer.   

*Forenoon prayer (It ranges between two prayer units and eight units).

b) Voluntary prayers performed in their occasions:

*The two festivals prayers.                                
*Rain invoking prayer.                               
*Eclipse prayer.

*Lunar eclipse prayer.                                         
*Rest prayer (Traweeh).

*AL-Kaᶦbah circumambulation prayer.             
*Returning from travel prayer.                
*Funeral prayer.

- All of them are two prayer units, except the rest prayer which ranges from eight to twenty prayer units.

- Funeral prayer is performed by saying, “God is the Greatest” four times without bowing down or prostration. 

c) Personal prayers:

*Praises prayer (Salat At Tasabeeh).                                                   
*Guidance prayer.

*Repentance prayer.                                          
*Need prayer.

- All of them are two prayer units, except the praises prayer which is four prayer units.

۞ A Muslim performs the following prayers alone:

*Praises prayer.                                  *Guidance prayer.

*Need prayer.                                     *Repentance prayer.

*Mosque greeting prayer.                  
*AL-Kaᶦbah circumambulation prayer.

*Forenoon prayer.                               *Returning from travel prayer.

And he performs the following prayers in a group:

*Rain invoking prayer.                          *The two festivals prayers.

*Lunar eclipse prayer.                           *Eclipse prayer.                               

*Rest prayer.                                         *Funeral prayer.

Some notes about prayer

Some notes about prayer

For performing prayer perfectly and increasing its reward:

❶A praying person should put a widthwise barrier in front of him, in his prostration position, so as not to allow people to pass in the spot in which he is praying, thus he prevents embarrassment of the others who want to pass in the remaining area.

●Ibn ᶦUmar reported: Whenever the Messenger of Allah went out on the festival day (ᶦId day), he ordered to carry a bayonet and it was fixed in front of him, and he prayed towards its direction, with the people behind him. He used to do it in the journey. [AL-Bukhari].

❷It is prohibited for a Muslim to pass in front of a praying person in his prostration spot.

●It was narrated from Abi-Juhaim that the Messenger of Allah (P.P.B.U.H) said: “If the one who passes in front of a person who is praying knew what (burden of sin) there is on him, it would be better for him to stand for forty than to pass in front of him.” [AL-Bukhari].

❸It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (P.P.B.U.H) said: “When one of you finishes the last testification, he should seek refuge in Allah from four things: the punishment in Hell, the punishment in the grave, the afflictions of life and death, and the evil of the false Christ.” And in the narration of ᶦAᶦishah: “from the punishment in the grave, from the affliction of the false Christ, from the afflictions of life and death, and from sin and debt.” [Muslim].

●ᶦAᶦishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: When the Messenger of Allah (P.P.B.U.H) gave salutation, he would not remain seated except long enough to say: “O Allah, You are Peace, and peace comes from You, blessed are You, O Possessor of Glory and Honor.” [Muslim].

●Muᶦadh ibn Jabal (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah held my hand and said, “O Muᶦadh, By Allah, I love you and advise you not to miss invocation after every prayer saying: O Allah, help me in remembering You, in giving You thanks, and worshipping You well.” [Abu-Daoud].

●AL-Mughirah ibn Shuᶦbah reported: The Messenger of Allah (P.P.B.U.H) used to say at the conclusion of prayer: “There is no god but Allah. He is alone, Who has no partner. To Him belongs the dominion and to Him praise is due and He is Potent over everything. O Allah! No one can withhold what You have given, and no one can give what You have withheld, and no wealth or fortune can benefit anyone, for from You comes all wealth and fortune.” [Muslim].

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah said, “If anyone exalts Allah after every prayer thirty-three times, praises Allah thirty-three times, declares His Greatness thirty-three times, ninety-nine times in all and says to complete a hundred: ‘There is no god but Allah, having no partner with Him, to Him belongs dominion and to Him is praise due, and He is Potent over everything.’, his sins will be forgiven even if these are abundant as the foam of the sea.” [Muslim].

❹Severe hunger prevents humbleness in prayer. Also who resists urination or defecation can not be humble in his prayer.

●ᶦAᶦishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah say, “No prayer can be (rightly said) when the food is there (before the worshipper), or when he is prompted by the call of nature (urination or defecation).” [The Two Scholars].

❺When you are standing in your prayer, you should point your eyes to the spot of your prostration. And in your bowing, make your body as a 90-degree angle and do not raise your head, but point your eyes to your feet.

●It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said: “How is it that some people raise their eyes towards the sky during the prayer?!” He stressed (this point) and added, “People must refrain from raising their eyes towards the sky in prayer; otherwise, they will lose their eyesight.” [AL-Bukhari and Muslim].

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●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet said, “The most burdensome prayers for the hypocrites are night prayers and morning prayers. And if they knew their merits, they would come to them even if they had to crawl.” [The Two Scholars].

To overcome this impasse, you should get out of bed immediately after waking up, remember Allah using any form, and seek refuge in Allah from the Devil. If you got up lazily, you would give the Devil an opportunity to sneak to you and arouse laziness and sickness in yourself.

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (P.P.B.U.H) said, “When anyone of you sleeps, the Devil (Shaytan) ties three knots at the back of his neck, and he seals the place of each knot with ‘You have a long night, so sleep.’ If he wakes up and remembers Allah, a knot is untied. If he performs ablution, a knot is untied. If he prays, a knot is untied. He begins his morning in a happy and refreshed mood; otherwise, he gets up in bad spirits and lazy.” [The Two Scholars].

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Making up for the missed prayer

A menstruating woman, a woman in confinement period, and crazy persons, do not make up for the missed prayer.

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Times in which prayer is disliked

●ᶦUqbah ibn ᶦAmir reported: there were three times at which Allah’s Messenger forbade us to pray, or bury our dead: when the sun begins to rise till it is fully up, when it is directly overhead at noon till it passes its zenith, and when it draws near to setting till it sets. [Muslim].

●And in another tradition, the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “The sun rises and with it the horn of the Devil, then when it gets higher the horn leaves it. When the sun is in the middle of the sky the horn joins it, and when the sun declines the horn leaves it, when it is closer to setting it joins it. And when it has set it leaves it.”

The following are excluded from this dislike:

①The missed obligatory prayer. It must be performed at any time.

②When it is time of eclipse prayer, rain-invoking prayer, funeral prayer, circumambulation prayer, mosque greeting prayer, ablution prayer, a prostration of recitation, or a prostration of thankfulness.

③Prayer in the Sacred House.

The Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, “O Banu ᶦAba Manaf, do not prevent anyone from circumambulating this House and praying at  any time he wants of night or day.” [AL-Tirmidhi].

Prayer times

Prayer Times

Obligated Prayers:

1) Morning prayer (Salat AL Sobh).                                 

2) Noon prayer (Salat AL Dhuhr).

3) Afternoon prayer (Salat AL Asr).                                 

4) Sunset prayer (Salat AL Maghrib).

5) Night prayer (Salat AL ᶦIshaᶦ).

Prayer times:

●Jabir ibn Abd-Allah reported: The Prophet used to pray the noon prayer at midday, the afternoon prayer when the sun was still hot, and the sunset prayer after sunset. The night prayer was offered early if people gathered, and used to be delayed if their number was less, and the morning prayer was offered when it was still dark.

- Each prayer time has four degrees relating to its provision: great reward time, permissible time, disliked time, and prohibited time.

For example: Suppose that the noon prayer call is at 12 p.m. and the afternoon prayer call is at 3 p.m. Great reward time starts after the noon prayer call. The prayer is still permissible till disliked time starts at 2.30 p.m. If the afternoon prayer call is due and the noon prayer has not been performed, this will be the prohibited time.

◊ Whoever is lazy about noon prayer till afternoon prayer call is due, he commits a great sin.

God says ﴾Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times﴿ Chapter of Women. And He also says ﴾So woe to those who pray(4)[But] who are heedless of their prayer﴿(5) Chapter of Neighborly Needs (Surat AL-Maaoon).

- If the one who has not performed the noon prayer dies, he will go to hell.

- Delaying prayer beyond its time, without an excuse, necessitates seeking forgiveness of Allah from this sin and performing the missed prayer.

Means of seeking forgiveness:

* Performing Sunnah prayers, or paying optional charity, or optional fasting, or reading Qurᶦan.

* Then, seeking forgiveness of Allah and promising Him not to do so again.

An important question is remaining: Will Allah accept his repentance? And if he repeated it intentionally, would Allah accept his repentance?

The answer for this question is unknown, as Allah forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills.

A Muslim has only to avoid these problems and perform prayers on their times.

●Abdullah ibn Masᶦud reported that the polytheists kept the Messenger of Allah on the Day of the Battle of the Trench (AL Khandaq) from the afternoon prayer till the sun became red or it became yellow. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (P.P.B.U.H) said: “They have distracted us from (performing) the middle prayer. May Allah fill their bellies and their graves with fire.” Ibn Masᶦud says, “Then, the Prophet performed it between the sunset prayer and the night prayer.”

●Abdullah ibn Masᶦud reported: I said: “O Messenger of Allah, which of the deeds is nearer to Paradise?” He (the Prophet) replied: “Prayer at its proper time (at the beginning of its time).” [Muslim].

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Prophet said, “Shall I not tell you something by which Allah erases sins and elevates (your) ranks?” They said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He said, “Performing ablution thoroughly in spite of difficult circumstances, frequent going to the mosque, and waiting eagerly for the next prayer after a prayer is over; indeed that is the firm hold (AL Ribat).” [Muslim].

●Anas ibn Malik reported: the Messenger of Allah said, about those who delay the afternoon prayer, “That is how hypocrites pray: One of them sits until the sun becomes yellow and between the horns of the Devil, then rises and prays four prayer units quickly, hardly remembering Allah in them at all.” [Muslim and Malik].

۞This division, which we have mentioned, includes all prayers except sunset and night prayers.

Sunset prayer:

 Its time is specified. It is equivalent to the time required for ablution, prayer call, and performing five prayer units (three obligatory and two optional units); the only time remaining after that is the disliked and prohibited time. 

And as for night prayer: 

Its delaying to midnight is a Sunnah, but it is NOT delayed to the morning prayer call.

●Abdullah ibn ᶦUmar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: “We stayed one night waiting for the Messenger of Allah to pray the night prayer. He came to us when one-third of the night or more had passed, and he said when he came out: ‘You are waiting for a prayer for which the followers of no other religion are waiting.  Were it not a burden on my people, I would have normally led them in prayer at this time.’ Then he ordered the caller to prayer (AL-Muᶦadhin) who declared that the time of the prayer had come.” [Muslim].

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said: “If it were not that it would be too difficult for my people, I would have ordered you to delay night prayer until the third of the night, or its half.” [Ahmad, AL-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah].