❀ Importance of the Twelve Sunnah Prayers and the Ruling on Declaring Them Obligatory ❀
Source: Fatāwā ʿUlamāʾ-e-Ḥadīth, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Volume 1
If a person in authority declares the twelve Sunnah prayers as obligatory, is it necessary to obey him?
In such a situation, the responsible individual should be advised gently and with wisdom that the twelve Sunnah prayers are not obligatory or wājib, but rather they are Sunnah Mu’akkadah (emphasized Sunnah).
These Sunnahs hold great importance and should not be neglected, as they will compensate for deficiencies in obligatory prayers on the Day of Judgment.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever among the Muslim servants performs twelve (voluntary) rakʿahs each day apart from the obligatory prayers, Allah will build a house for him in Paradise.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
① Four rakʿahs before Dhuhr
② Two rakʿahs after Dhuhr
③ Two rakʿahs after Maghrib
④ Two rakʿahs after ʿIshāʾ
⑤ Two rakʿahs before Fajr
It is incorrect to declare the twelve Sunnah prayers as obligatory, but encouraging their observance and regularly acting upon them is highly meritorious.
Allah knows best.
Source: Fatāwā ʿUlamāʾ-e-Ḥadīth, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Volume 1
✿ Question:
If a person in authority declares the twelve Sunnah prayers as obligatory, is it necessary to obey him?
✿ Answer:
In such a situation, the responsible individual should be advised gently and with wisdom that the twelve Sunnah prayers are not obligatory or wājib, but rather they are Sunnah Mu’akkadah (emphasized Sunnah).
These Sunnahs hold great importance and should not be neglected, as they will compensate for deficiencies in obligatory prayers on the Day of Judgment.
✿ Evidence from Hadith:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever among the Muslim servants performs twelve (voluntary) rakʿahs each day apart from the obligatory prayers, Allah will build a house for him in Paradise.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
✿ Sequence of the Twelve Sunnah Prayers:
① Four rakʿahs before Dhuhr
② Two rakʿahs after Dhuhr
③ Two rakʿahs after Maghrib
④ Two rakʿahs after ʿIshāʾ
⑤ Two rakʿahs before Fajr
✔ Summary:
It is incorrect to declare the twelve Sunnah prayers as obligatory, but encouraging their observance and regularly acting upon them is highly meritorious.
Allah knows best.
