Rakahs, Sunnah, and Nafl in the Five Daily Prayers – Complete Guidance from Authentic Aḥādīth
Source: Fatāwā ‘Ilmiyyah, Volume 3 – Issues Related to Prayer, Page 91The Question:
A Deobandi brother requested that the number of rak‘ahs in the five daily prayers be proven from authentic aḥādīth, along with full references. He claimed that in Ḥanafī fiqh the number of rak‘ahs is fixed and is due to the efforts of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (رحمه الله), including 17 rak‘ahs for ‘Ishā’.
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh. Ammā ba‘d:
The Prophet ﷺ said to Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (رضي الله عنه):
"فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ فَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي يَوْمِهِمْ وَلَيْلَتِهِمْ"
"Tell them that Allah has made five prayers obligatory for them during their day and night."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 7372; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 19, Dār al-Salām no. 121)
‘Ā’ishah (رضي الله عنها) reported:
"كَانَ أَوَّلَ مَا افْتُرِضَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ الصَّلَاةُ : رَكْعَتَانِ رَكْعَتَانِ... ثُمَّ أَتَمَّ اللهُ الظُّهْرَ وَالْعَصْرَ وَالْعِشَاءَ... فِي الْحَضَرِ، وَأَقَرَّ الصَّلَاةَ... فِي السَّفَرِ"
"The first prayers prescribed upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ were two rak‘ahs each, except Maghrib which was three. Then Allah completed Ẓuhr, ‘Aṣr, and ‘Ishā’ to four in residence, and left them as originally prescribed during travel."
(Musnad Aḥmad 26338 – ḥasan li-dhātih)
Number of Obligatory Rak‘ahs Established from Authentic Aḥādīth
- Fajr: 2 rak‘ahs (farḍ)
- Ẓuhr: 4 in residence, 2 in travel
- ‘Aṣr: 4 in residence, 2 in travel
- Maghrib: 3 rak‘ahs
- ‘Ishā’: 4 in residence, 2 in travel
These are proven by authentic narrations and agreed upon by the ummah. (Marātib al-Ijmā‘ of Ibn Ḥazm, p. 24–25; Tawḍīḥ al-Aḥkām, vol. 1, p. 408)
Refutation of the Claim Attributed to Ḥanafī Fiqh:
- The claim that the number of rak‘ahs is from Ḥanafī fiqh and the work of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah is incorrect.
- No authentic chain exists from Imām Abū Ḥanīfah himself proving these rak‘ahs.
- Books like al-Qudūrī, al-Mabsūṭ, and al-Hidāyah were authored long after Imām Abū Ḥanīfah and cannot be proof from him.
Challenge: Prove with authentic chains from Imām Abū Ḥanīfah:
① The number of obligatory rak‘ahs
② The Sunnah rak‘ahs
③ The nafl rak‘ahs
④ 17 rak‘ahs for ‘Ishā’
Details of the Sunnah Rak‘ahs from Authentic Aḥādīth:
① Before Fajr: 2 rak‘ahs Sunnah
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1180)
② Before Ẓuhr: 2 rak‘ahs Sunnah (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
③ After Ẓuhr: 2 rak‘ahs Sunnah (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
④ Before Ẓuhr: 4 rak‘ahs also proven (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1182)
⑤ Before ‘Aṣr: 2 rak‘ahs Sunnah (Sunan Abī Dāwūd 1272 – ḥasan)
⑥ Virtue of 4 before ‘Aṣr (Sunan al-Tirmidhī 430 – ḥasan)
⑦ After Maghrib: 2 rak‘ahs Sunnah (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 937)
⑧ After ‘Ishā’: 2 rak‘ahs Sunnah (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
Nafl Prayers:
"إِلَّا أَنْ تَطَّوَّعَ" – "Except if you offer voluntary prayers."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 46)
From this, voluntary prayers can be offered as much as one wishes, in sets of two rak‘ahs.
Final Point:
The number of rak‘ahs in the five daily prayers is established by authentic aḥādīth and ijmā‘, not by the personal effort of any later imām. Claims attributing these to Imām Abū Ḥanīfah without proof are false.
وَالله أعلم بالصواب
30 May 2010