Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil, Discussion on Ṣalāh, Vol. 1, p. 217
Some people say that there is no such thing as nafl prayer, because any prayer performed or commanded by the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ is called sunnah, and any prayer not performed or commanded by him ﷺ is called bidʿah. So then, what exactly is nafl prayer? Please clarify the definitions of nafl and sunnah prayers.
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʿammā baʿd!
From your question it appears that, according to those who hold this opinion, any prayer performed or commanded by the Messenger ﷺ is termed sunnah. This is correct in their view.
However, calling such a prayer nafl is also established from the Qurʾān and Sunnah.
Allāh ﷻ says:
«وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّکَ»
(Sūrah Banī Isrāʾīl 17:79)
"And in the night, stand in prayer with it (Qurʾān), as an extra (nāfilah) for you."
«صَلِّ الصَّلاَةَ لِوَقْتِهَا فَإِنْ أَدْرَكْتَهَا مَعَهُمْ فَصَلِّ فَإِنَّهَآ لَکَ نَافِلَةٌ»
"Pray the ṣalāh at its appointed time, then if you find the congregation, pray with them also, and it will be a nafl for you."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Masājid, Bāb Karāhiyyat Taʾkhīr al-Ṣalāh ʿan Waqtihā al-Mukhtār)
«مَاذَا فَرَضَ اﷲُ عَلَیَّ مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ؟»
"What has Allāh made obligatory upon me in prayer?"
He ﷺ replied:
«خَمْسُ صَلَوَاتٍ فِی الْيَوْمِ وَاللَّيْلَةِ»
"Five prayers during the day and night."
The man asked:
«هَلْ عَلَیَّ غَيْرُهَا؟»
"Is there anything else upon me besides that?"
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«لاَ إِلاَّ أَنْ تَطَوَّعَ»
"No, except if you volunteer (nafl) prayers."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Īmān, Ḥadīth 46; Kitāb al-Ṣawm, Ḥadīth 1891)
From the above evidences, it is clear that:
❀ Every prayer beyond the farḍ is called taṭawwuʿ, nāfilah, or nafl.
❀ Any prayer proven from the Messenger ﷺ — by his command (qawl), by his practice (fiʿl), or by his approval (taqrīr) — is termed sunnah and also nafl.
❀ These prayers are also called taṭawwuʿ in Sharīʿah.
Hence, denying the existence of nafl prayer is effectively a denial of what is clearly established in the Qurʾān and Sunnah.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
❖ Question:
Some people say that there is no such thing as nafl prayer, because any prayer performed or commanded by the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ is called sunnah, and any prayer not performed or commanded by him ﷺ is called bidʿah. So then, what exactly is nafl prayer? Please clarify the definitions of nafl and sunnah prayers.
❖ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʿammā baʿd!
From your question it appears that, according to those who hold this opinion, any prayer performed or commanded by the Messenger ﷺ is termed sunnah. This is correct in their view.
However, calling such a prayer nafl is also established from the Qurʾān and Sunnah.
✦ Evidence of Nafl Prayer from the Qurʾān:
Allāh ﷻ says:
«وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّکَ»
(Sūrah Banī Isrāʾīl 17:79)
"And in the night, stand in prayer with it (Qurʾān), as an extra (nāfilah) for you."
✦ Evidence of Nafl Prayer from Ḥadīth:
- In Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Abū Dharr (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger ﷺ said:
«صَلِّ الصَّلاَةَ لِوَقْتِهَا فَإِنْ أَدْرَكْتَهَا مَعَهُمْ فَصَلِّ فَإِنَّهَآ لَکَ نَافِلَةٌ»
"Pray the ṣalāh at its appointed time, then if you find the congregation, pray with them also, and it will be a nafl for you."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Masājid, Bāb Karāhiyyat Taʾkhīr al-Ṣalāh ʿan Waqtihā al-Mukhtār)
- In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, a man asked the Prophet ﷺ:
«مَاذَا فَرَضَ اﷲُ عَلَیَّ مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ؟»
"What has Allāh made obligatory upon me in prayer?"
He ﷺ replied:
«خَمْسُ صَلَوَاتٍ فِی الْيَوْمِ وَاللَّيْلَةِ»
"Five prayers during the day and night."
The man asked:
«هَلْ عَلَیَّ غَيْرُهَا؟»
"Is there anything else upon me besides that?"
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«لاَ إِلاَّ أَنْ تَطَوَّعَ»
"No, except if you volunteer (nafl) prayers."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Īmān, Ḥadīth 46; Kitāb al-Ṣawm, Ḥadīth 1891)
✦ Definition of Nafl and Sunnah Prayers:
From the above evidences, it is clear that:
❀ Every prayer beyond the farḍ is called taṭawwuʿ, nāfilah, or nafl.
❀ Any prayer proven from the Messenger ﷺ — by his command (qawl), by his practice (fiʿl), or by his approval (taqrīr) — is termed sunnah and also nafl.
❀ These prayers are also called taṭawwuʿ in Sharīʿah.
Hence, denying the existence of nafl prayer is effectively a denial of what is clearly established in the Qurʾān and Sunnah.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
