This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Abu Hamza Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi's book Sahih Fazail Amaal.
By performing Sunnah and Nawafil prayers, a person draws closer to the Lord. Whoever establishes a connection with the Lord becomes a friend of Allah, through whom all the goodness of this world and the Hereafter is attained. If a person ever slips and then prays Nawafil again seeking forgiveness from Allah, Allah envelops His servant in His mercy.
① The Virtue of the Sunnah of Fajr:
عن عائشة رضي الله عنها عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: ركعتا الفجر خير من الدنيا وما فيها
It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The two Rak'ahs of Fajr (Sunnah) are better than the world and all that is in it."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of the Prayer of Travelers, Chapter on the Recommendation of the Two Rak'ahs of Sunnah of Fajr, No: 725.
In Sahih Muslim, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) declared the two Rak'ahs of Fajr as the most beloved act:
”لهما أحب إلى من الدنيا جميعا .“
"Indeed, the two Rak'ahs of Fajr are more beloved to me than the entire world."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of the Prayer of Travelers, Chapter on the Recommendation of the Two Rak'ahs of Sunnah of Fajr: 725.
② The Reward of Praying Four Rak'ahs Before and After Dhuhr:
عن أم حبيبة رضي الله عنها تقول: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: من حافظ على أربع ركعات قبل الظهر ، وأربع بعدها حرمه الله على النار
It is narrated from Sayyida Umm Habiba رضي الله عنها that I heard the Prophet ﷺ say, "Whoever consistently prays four rak'ahs before Dhuhr and four rak'ahs after Dhuhr, Allah Almighty will forbid the fire of Hell upon him."
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi, Book of Prayer Times, Hadith No: 428
Al-Albani رحمه الله has declared it "Sahih."③ The reward of praying four rak'ahs before Asr:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
رحم الله امرأ صلى قبل العصر أربعا
"May Allah have mercy on the servant who prays four rak'ahs before Asr."
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi, Book of Prayer Times, Chapter on the four before Asr, Hadith No: 430
Al-Albani رحمه الله has declared it Hasan.④ The virtue of praying twelve rak'ahs daily besides the obligatory prayers:
عن أم المؤمنين أم حبيبة زوج النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم أنها سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: ما من عبد مسلم يصلي لله تعالى كل يوم ثنتي عشرة ركعة تطوعا ، غير فريضة إلا بنى الله له بيتا فى الجنة
Sayyida Umm al-Mu'minin Umm Habiba Ramla bint Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with her) heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: "Whoever, besides the obligatory prayers, prays twelve rak'ahs of nafl daily for the sake of Allah, then Allah will build a house for him in Paradise. Or (he said) a house will be built for him in Paradise."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Traveler's Prayer, Chapter on the Virtue of the Regular Sunnah Prayers before and after the Obligatory Prayers and the Number of Them, Hadith No: 728
⑤The Virtue of Salat al-Ishraq:
معاذة أنها سألت عائشة را كم كان رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم يصلي صلاة الضحى؟ قالت: نعم ، أربع ركعات، ويزيد ما شاء الله
Sayyida Mu'adhah asked Sayyida Aisha Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her): Did the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) pray the Duha prayer? She replied: Yes. He used to pray four rak'ahs and would pray as much as Allah willed.
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Travelers' Prayer, Chapter on the Recommendation of Duha Prayer, Hadith No: 719
The Duha prayer is the prayer of those who love Allah intensely and the people of Allah, therefore the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
لا يحافظ على صلاة الضحى إلا أواب، قال: وهى صلاة الأوابين
"Only those who frequently seek forgiveness from Allah observe the Duha prayer, and it is the prayer of those who frequently turn to Allah."
Reference: Sahih al-Jami' al-Saghir, Hadith No: 7628
Allah loves His servants immensely. If someone is unable to perform Hajj, they can attain the reward of Hajj and Umrah by adopting this easy method. Therefore, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
من صلى الغداة فى جماعة ، ثم قعد يذكر الله حتى تطلع الشمس ، ثم صلى ركعتين ، كانت له كأجر حبة وعمرة تامة تامة تامة
"Whoever prays the morning prayer in congregation, then remains engaged in the remembrance of Allah until the sun rises, then prays two rak'ahs, will be granted the complete, complete, and complete reward of Hajj and Umrah."
Reference: Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Chapters of Travel, Chapter on the Recommendation of Sitting in the Mosque, Hadith No: 586 - Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) graded it as Hasan.
⑥ Performing voluntary prayers at home:
عبد الله بن سعد ؛ أنه سأل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : عن الصلاة فى البيت، وعن الصلاة فى المسجد قال: فقد ترى ما أقرب بيتي من المسجد ولان أصلي فى بيتي أحب إلى من أن أصلي فى المسجد إلا أن تكون صلاة مكتوبة
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Saad رضي الله عنه asked the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم about praying at home and praying in the mosque: He صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said, "You see my house and how close it is to the mosque, but praying at home is more beloved to me than praying in the mosque, except for the obligatory prayers."
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Establishing Prayer, Chapter on Voluntary Prayers at Home, No: 1378 - Musnad Ahmad 342/4 - Sahih al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, No: 439.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما that the Noble Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
اجعلوا فى بيوتكم من صلاتكم، ولا تتخذوها قبورا
"Pray some prayers in your homes and do not make your homes like graveyards."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Tahajjud, Chapter on Voluntary Prayers at Home, No: 1187.
⑦ The reward of performing nawafil after ablution:
عن أبى هريرة رضى الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لبلال ، عند صلاة الغداة: يا بلال حدثني بأرجي عمل عملته ، عندك، فى الإسلام منفعة ، فإني سمعت الليلة خشف نعليك بين يدي فى الجنة . قال بلال: ما عملت عملا فى الإسلام ارجى عندي منفعة ، من أني لا أتطهر طهورا تاما ، فى ساعة من ليل ولا نهار، إلا صليت بذلك الطهور ، ما كتب الله لي ان أصلي
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه says that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم once asked Sayyiduna Bilal رضي الله عنه after the Fajr prayer: "O Bilal! After embracing Islam, which act of yours do you hope for the most forgiveness for, because tonight I heard the sound of you walking ahead of me in Paradise." Sayyiduna Bilal رضي الله عنه replied: "I find no act more hopeful than this: whenever I perform ablution during the day or night, I pray as much as Allah grants me the ability."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of the Virtues of the Companions ﷺ, Chapter on the Virtues of Bilal رضي الله عنه, Hadith No: 245.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir رضي الله عنه that the Noble Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
ما من مسلم يتوضأ فيحسن وضوءه، ثم يقوم فيصلى ركعتين ، مقبل عليهما بقلبه ووجهه ، إلا وجبت له الجنة
"Whoever is a Muslim and performs ablution well and according to the Sunnah, then prays two rak'ahs with utmost humility and concentration of heart and mind, Paradise becomes obligatory for him."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Purification, Chapter on the Recommended Acts after Ablution, Hadith No: 234.
The above hadith is general in its ruling. A person should perform ablution properly and then pray two voluntary rak'ahs with humility and devotion in such a way as if he is seeing Allah. If this is not possible, then he should feel as if Allah is watching him. These two voluntary rak'ahs can be performed in mosques, homes, or anywhere else possible, but the place must be clean.
