❀ Detailed Explanation and Method of Offering Non-Emphasized Sunnah Prayers ❀
❖ Question:
Please explain what non-emphasized (ghayr mu’akkadah) Sunnah prayers are, and describe how these prayers are performed.
❖ Answer by:
Researcher: Shaykh Nouman Khaliq (ḥafiẓahullāh)
❖ Definition of Non-Emphasized Sunnahs
Non-emphasized Sunnahs are those voluntary prayers which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sometimes performed and sometimes left, in order to indicate that they are not obligatory upon the Ummah.
❖ Details of Non-Emphasized Sunnahs
➊ Four Rak‘āt Before ʿAṣr
Narrated by ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما):
“رَحِمَ اللَّهُ امْرَأً صَلَّى قَبْلَ الْعَصْرِ أَرْبَعًا“
“May Allah have mercy on the one who prays four rakʿāt before ʿAṣr.”
[Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 430]
➋ Two Rakʿāt Before Maghrib
Narrated by ʿAbdullāh ibn Mughaffal (رضي الله عنه):
“صَلُّوا قَبْلَ صَلَاةِ الْمَغْرِبِ“, then on the third time said: “لِمَنْ شَاءَ“
“Pray before Maghrib,” and on the third time, he added, “for whoever wishes,” to prevent people from considering it obligatory.
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1183]
Also narrated:
“إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَلَّى الْمَغْرِبَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ“
“The Prophet ﷺ prayed two rakʿāt before Maghrib.”
[Ibn Ḥibbān – Mawārid al-Ẓamān: 617]
➌ Two Rakʿāt Before ʿIshā
Narrated by ʿAbdullāh ibn Mughaffal (رضي الله عنه):
“بَيْنَ كُلِّ أَذَانَيْنِ صَلَاةٌ“
“Between every two calls (i.e., adhān and iqāmah) there is a prayer.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 424]
Also narrated by ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Zubayr (رضي الله عنه):
“مَا مِنْ صَلَاةٍ فَرِيضَةٍ إِلَّا وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا رَكْعَتَانِ“
“There is no obligatory prayer but there are two rakʿāt before it.”
[Ibn Ḥibbān]
❖ Explanation of How to Offer Non-Emphasized Sunnahs
✔ These Sunnah prayers are offered before the obligatory (farḍ) prayers.
✔ They are not mandatory; whoever performs them is rewarded, and there is no sin upon one who does not.
❖ Special Note on Four Rakʿāt Prayers (e.g., Before ʿAṣr)
When praying four rakʿāt of non-emphasized Sunnah:
◈ After the second rakʿah, one recites al-Taḥiyyāt while sitting,
◈ Then stands up for the third rakʿah.
❖ Should One Recite Aʿūdhu Billāh and Bismillāh Again in the Third Rakʿah?
There is a scholarly difference of opinion:
✔ Those who affirm reciting Aʿūdhu Billāh and Bismillāh base it on the verse:
“فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ“
“When you recite the Qur’an, seek refuge with Allah…”
[Sūrah al-Naḥl: 98]
✔ Those who begin directly with Sūrah al-Fātiḥah rely on the ḥadīth:
“كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا نَهَضَ فِي الرَّكْعَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ، افْتَتَحَ الْقِرَاءَةَ بِـ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَلَمْ يَسْكُتْ“
“When the Prophet ﷺ stood for the second rakʿah, he began recitation with ‘Alḥamdu lillāh’ and did not remain silent.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 154]
Imām al-Shawkānī (رحمه الله) considered not repeating Aʿūdhu Billāh as more preferable.
❖ Summary Points
◈ Non-emphasized Sunnahs are recommended but not obligatory.
◈ In four rakʿāt prayers, sit for Taḥiyyāt after the second rakʿah and then stand for the third.
◈ Reciting Aʿūdhu Billāh and Bismillāh in third rakʿah is a matter of scholarly difference—both practices are valid.
◈ Imām al-Shawkānī preferred not repeating them in the third rakʿah.
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
