(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

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.

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].