① Making Up Sunnah of Ẓuhr After ʿAsr
Umm al-Mu’minīn Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها) said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbid prayer after ʿAsr, then one day I saw him praying two rakʿahs after ʿAsr.
I asked: “O Messenger of Allah, didn’t you forbid prayer after ʿAsr, yet today you prayed two rakʿahs?”
He ﷺ said: “Some people from the tribe of ʿAbd al-Qays came to me for religious questions, and I was busy with them, so the two rakʿahs after Ẓuhr were missed; I prayed them now after ʿAsr.”
(al-Bukhārī, al-Sahw, 1233; Muslim, 834)
② Not Performing Sunnah Individually When the Congregation Has Started
A man came to the mosque while the Prophet ﷺ was leading the Fajr prayer. The man prayed two rakʿahs of Sunnah in a corner, then joined the congregation.
When the Prophet ﷺ finished, he asked:
“Which of your prayers did you count as the obligatory one — the one you prayed alone or the one with us?”
(Muslim, Ṣalāt al-Musāfirīn, 1161)
Lesson: Once the iqāmah has been given, one should not perform Sunnah prayers separately but join the congregation immediately.
③ Fatwā of Shaykh Ibn Bāz on Breaking Sunnah for Congregation
Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Bāz (رحمه الله) said:
"If the congregation has started and someone is praying Sunnah or Tahiyyat al-Masjid, he should break his prayer and join the congregation. If he is in the second rakʿah and has already performed the rukūʿ, he may complete it as only a small portion remains."
(Fatāwā Islāmiyyah, 1/438)
④ Making Up Missed Sunnah of Fajr After the Farḍ
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"When the iqāmah for prayer is given, there is no prayer except the obligatory one."
(Muslim, Ṣalāt al-Musāfirīn, 710)
However, if someone missed the Sunnah before Fajr, it is permissible to make it up after the Farḍ prayer.
ʿAbdullāh ibn Ḥumayd reported: The Prophet ﷺ saw a man praying two rakʿahs after the Fajr prayer and asked why. The man said: "I had not prayed the Sunnah before Fajr, so I am making them up now." The Prophet ﷺ remained silent, indicating approval.
(Abū Dāwūd, al-Taṭawwuʿ, 1267; Ibn Mājah, 1145 – authenticated by Ibn Ḥibbān, al-Ḥākim, and al-Dhahabī)
⑤ Making Up Sunnah of Fajr After Sunrise
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Whoever did not pray the two rakʿahs of Fajr should pray them after the sun rises."
(al-Tirmidhī, al-Ṣalāh, 423; Ibn Mājah, 1155)
Shaykh Ibn Bāz said:
"If someone did not pray the Sunnah before Fajr, he may perform it immediately after the Farḍ or after sunrise; both are established in the Sunnah."
(Fatāwā Islāmiyyah, 1/437)
⑥ Times When Voluntary Prayer Is Prohibited
ʿAmr ibn ʿAbasah (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Pray the morning prayer, then do not pray until the sun has risen and is high… and after ʿAṣr, do not pray until sunset…" (Full hadith explaining prohibited times)
(Muslim, Ṣalāt al-Musāfirīn, 832)
