Translation and benefits: Hafiz Nadeem Zaheer
Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates from the Prophet ﷺ that he said: The two rak’ahs of Fajr are better than the world and everything in it.
Benefits:
From this hadith, the virtue and importance of the two Sunnah of Fajr can be well understood. Moreover, the narration in Sahih Muslim is also in these words, that he said:
لهما أحب إلى من الدنيا جميعا
“These two rak’ahs (the Sunnah of Fajr) are more beloved to me than the whole world.”
It is also narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺ took more care of the two Sunnah of Fajr than he did of any other voluntary prayer.
Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says: The Prophet ﷺ never abandoned the four rak’ahs before Zuhr and the two (Sunnah) before Fajr.
From all these ahadith it is known how much the Prophet ﷺ himself observed these two rak’ahs. Therefore, we too should strive to offer the two Sunnah rak’ahs before the Fajr congregation with regular care. If they are missed due to some excuse, then offer them immediately afterwards.
The virtue of other Sunnah:
Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever persists in twelve rak’ahs during the day and night, he will be admitted into Paradise: four rak’ahs before Zuhr and two after it, two after Maghrib, two after Isha, and two before Fajr.”
Benefits:
This virtue is for the one who performs these twelve (12) rak’ahs regularly, not for those who follow their desires, who pray when they feel like it and abandon them when they find them burdensome. (May Allah protect us from them.)
Sayyida Umm Habiba (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, says: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying: “Whoever maintains four rak’ahs (Sunnah) before Zuhr and after it, Allah will make the Fire of Hell forbidden for him.”
Benefits:
In this hadith the virtue of the Sunnah before and after the obligatory prayers of Zuhr is described, and it is a call to reflection for those who are always negligent in performing the Sunnah and try to escape it by saying, “It is a Sunnah, not an obligation.”
The virtue of the Chasht prayer:
Sayyidna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: My close friend (the Prophet ﷺ) instructed me regarding three things: to fast three days every month, to pray two rak’ahs of Chasht, and to perform Witr before sleeping.
Benefits:
By fasting three days every month is meant the fasts of the Ayyam al-Bid, i.e. the 13th, 14th and 15th of the lunar month, as other narrations also indicate. The Chasht prayer is also a very virtuous deed, as is clear from the following hadith, and it is performed when the sunlight has become fully bright.
It should be remembered that Salat al-Ishraq, Salat al-Duha and Salat al-Awwabin are names of one and the same prayer, as proven by the hadith in Sahih Muslim (748). Witr may be prayed at any time after the Isha prayer, but it is better to pray it in the last part of the night, as Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
والا يتار قبل النوم إنما يستحب لمن لا يثق بالا ستيقاظ آخر الليل فإن وثق فآخر الليل إفضل
“Praying Witr before sleeping is recommended for the one who is not confident of waking up in the last part of the night. So if one is certain (of waking up), then praying it in the last part of the night is better.”
Sayyidna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Prophet ﷺ that he said: Each of you begins the morning with charity due on every joint. So every tasbih (saying ﴿سُبْحَانَ اللهِ﴾) is charity, every tahmid (saying ﴿اَلْحَمْدُلِلهِ﴾) is charity, every tahlil (saying ﴿لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللهُ﴾) is charity, and every takbir (saying ﴿الله اكبر﴾) is charity; enjoining good is charity and forbidding evil is charity; and whoever performs the two rak’ahs of Chasht, these two rak’ahs suffice him against all of these.
Benefits:
This hadith clarifies the importance and virtue of the Chasht prayer.
Sayyidna Abu al-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) says: My beloved (the Prophet ﷺ) instructed me regarding three things, which I will never abandon as long as I live: three fasts every month, the Chasht prayer, and performing Witr before sleep.
Benefits:
This hadith also points to the importance of the Chasht prayer, and to how great the love and spirit of following the Messenger ﷺ was among the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
The virtue of twelve (12) rak’ahs:
Sayyida Umm Habiba (may Allah be pleased with her), the honoured wife of the Prophet ﷺ, narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Any Muslim servant who performs, for the sake of Allah, twelve (12) rak’ahs of voluntary prayer every day apart from the obligatory prayers, Allah the Exalted will build for him a house in Paradise.
Sayyidna Nu’aym ibn Hammar says: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying that Allah Azza wa Jall says: “O son of Adam, do not neglect four rak’ahs of prayer at the beginning of the day; I will suffice you for the rest of the day.”
Benefits:
This hadith has been narrated by Hafiz al-Maqdisi (may Allah have mercy on him) under a separate chapter titled فضل صلاة الضحي. It is clear from this that whoever performs the Duha prayer comes under the guardianship of Allah.
The Virtue of Praying Four Rak’ahs Before Asr:
Sayyidna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: May Allah have mercy on the one who prays four rak’ahs (Sunnah) before Asr.
Benefits:
The person who prays four rak’ahs before the Asr prayer gains the supplication of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for himself. Also, it was the practice of the Prophet ﷺ to pray four rak’ahs before the obligatory Asr prayer.
