Mu’akkadah Sunnahs of Maghrib and ‘Isha
This excerpt is taken from the book “Namaz Panjgana Ki Raka‘atain Ma‘a Namaz Witr wa Tahajjud” by Abu Adnan Muhammad Munir Qamar Nawabuddin.
The discussion of the Mu’akkadah Sunnahs of the five daily prayers continues. The details of Fajr and Zuhr have already been mentioned, and it has been clarified that there are no Mu’akkadah Sunnahs with ‘Asr. As for Maghrib and ‘Isha, both have two Mu’akkadah Sunnahs after their Fard prayers.
In Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنه) narrated that there are two Rak‘ahs after Maghrib and two Rak‘ahs after ‘Isha. Similarly, in Sahih Muslim and Sunan al-Nasai, Umm al-Mu’minin Umm Habibah (رضي الله عنها) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ used to pray two Rak‘ahs after Maghrib and two after ‘Isha.
(See: section on Zuhr Sunnah Rawatib; Nayl al-Awtar 3/2/14–16; Mukhtasar al-Albani p.106)
In Sahih Muslim and Abu Dawood, Umm al-Mu’minin ‘Aishah (رضي الله عنها) also reported that the Prophet ﷺ, after returning home, would pray two Rak‘ahs after Maghrib and two after ‘Isha.
(Mishkat 1/366)
❀ Special Recitation in Sunnahs of Maghrib
Just like the Sunnahs of Fajr, it is preferable to recite قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ in the first Rak‘ah and قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ in the second Rak‘ah of Maghrib Sunnahs.
(al-Mughni 2/127; Sifat Salat al-Nabi ﷺ)
❀ Total Number of Mu’akkadah Sunnahs in the Five Daily Prayers
- If four Sunnahs before Zuhr are considered: total = 12 Sunnahs.
- If two Sunnahs before Zuhr are considered: total = 10 Sunnahs.
In Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنه) narrated the Hadith of ten Sunnahs. Whereas in the Hadith of Umm Habibah (رضي الله عنها), reported in Sahih Muslim, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah, the Prophet ﷺ said:
ومن صلى فى يوم وليلة اثنتي عشرة ركعة سوى المكتوبة بني له بيت فى الجنة
“Whoever performs twelve Rak‘ahs in a day and night besides the obligatory prayers, a house will be built for him in Paradise.”
(Previous reference)
