Verified Number of Nafl Prayers from Authentic Hadiths

❖ Voluntary (Nafl) Prayers According to Authentic Hadiths ❖
✍ Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori

✦ Linguistic Clarification​

The term "Tatawwu‘" refers to performing an act voluntarily, not out of obligation but by personal choice.
It is derived from the Arabic root تَطَوَّعَ يَتَطَوَّعُ (Form V verb pattern).


References:

• Lisān al-‘Arab: 8/243
• Al-Ṣiḥāḥ: 3/1255
• Al-Qāmūs al-Muḥīṭ: p. 670

✦ Shar‘i Definition​

Tatawwu‘ refers to any act of obedience or devotion that is legislated in addition to the obligatory duties.


References:

• Al-Ta‘rīfāt: p. 42
• Al-Fiqh al-Islāmī wa Adillatuh: 2/1055
• Mughnī al-Muḥtāj: 1/219

✦ Alternative Terms for Tatawwu‘​

Other synonymous terms include:
Mandūb, Mustaḥabb, Nafl, Sunnah, Iḥsān, and Faḍīlah.


References:

• Irshād al-Fuḥūl: 1/20
• Al-Baḥr al-Muḥīṭ by Al-Zarkashī: 1/284
• Al-Iḥkām by Al-Āmidī: 1/111
• Al-Wajīz: p. 39

✦ Ruling on Nafl Prayers​

❝The one who performs Nafl is praised, while the one who omits them is not blamed.❞
Irshād al-Fuḥūl: 1/20
Al-Mustaṣfā by Al-Ghazālī: 1/75
Al-Muwāfaqāt by Al-Shāṭibī: 1/109


Although one is not sinful for omitting Sunnah and Nafl prayers, entirely abandoning them is not acceptable, because they complete deficiencies in the obligatory prayers on the Day of Judgment:


"انظروا هل تجدون العبدى من تطوع فتكملون به فريضته"
Look for any voluntary acts of worship from My servant, and use them to complete his obligatory deeds.
Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd: 770–771
Musnad Aḥmad: 4/103
Ibn Mājah: 1426
Al-Ḥākim: 1/262


Principle:


"مَا لَا يَتِمُّ الْوَاجِبُ إِلَّا بِهِ فَهُوَ وَاجِبٌ"
That which is necessary to complete an obligation takes on the ruling of being obligatory.

❖ Evidence for Nafl Prayer from Authentic Hadiths​

✿ Encouragement for Voluntary Prayers through Abundant Sujūd​

Narration:
Rabi‘ah ibn Ka‘b al-Aslamī رضي الله عنه requested companionship with the Prophet ﷺ in Jannah. The Prophet ﷺ advised:


"فـاعـنـى على نفسك بكثرة السجود"
Help me achieve this for you by increasing your prostrations.
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 489
Abū Dāwūd: 1320
Al-Nasā’ī: 1138


Imām al-Ṣan‘ānī notes: Increased sujūd is only possible through voluntary prayers, as obligatory prayers have fixed units.

✿ Pre- and Post-Ẓuhr Nafl Prayers​

➊ Narration from Umm Ḥabībah رضي الله عنها:


Whoever performs four Rak‘āt before Ẓuhr and four after it, Allah will make Hellfire forbidden for him.
Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd: 1130
Musnad Aḥmad: 6/326
Al-Tirmidhī: 428
Al-Nasā’ī: 2/204


➋ Narration from ‘Alī رضي الله عنه:


The Prophet ﷺ used to pray four Rak‘āt before Ẓuhr, two after it, and four before ‘Aṣr, dividing them in pairs with taslīm between each two.


Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tirmidhī: 489
Ibn Mājah: 1161


➌ Narration from Abū Ayyūb al-Anṣārī رضي الله عنه:


The heavens are opened for four Rak‘āt before Ẓuhr without taslīm in between.
Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd: 1131


➍ Narration from ‘Ā’ishah رضي الله عنها:


The Prophet ﷺ never omitted four Rak‘āt before Ẓuhr and two Rak‘āt before Fajr.
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1182

✿ Four Rak‘āt Before ‘Aṣr​

➊ Narration from Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما:


May Allah have mercy on the one who prays four Rak‘āt before ‘Aṣr.
Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd: 1132
Al-Tirmidhī: 430

✿ After Maghrib: Two Rak‘āt​

➊ Narration from Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما:


And two Rak‘āt after Maghrib...
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1180
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 729


➋ Narration from Rāfi‘ ibn Khadīj رضي الله عنه:


Pray these two Rak‘āt (Sunnah) at home after Maghrib.
Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Mājah: 956


➌ Instruction of the Prophet ﷺ to pray Nafl at home:


The best prayer of a man is in his house, except the obligatory ones.
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 731
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 781

✿ Before Maghrib: Two Rak‘āt​

➊ Between every two adhān (i.e., adhān and iqāmah) is a prayer.


Said thrice, then added: For whoever wishes.
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 627
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 838


➋ Narration from ‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal رضي الله عنه:


Pray before Maghrib, pray before Maghrib... then said: For whoever wishes.
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1183


➌ The Prophet ﷺ himself prayed two Rak‘āt before Maghrib:
Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān: 1586


➍ Narration from Anas رضي الله عنه:


We used to pray two Rak‘āt after sunset and the Prophet ﷺ would not forbid us.
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 836

✿ After ‘Ishā and Before Fajr: Two Rak‘āt Each​

➊ Narration from Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما:


I memorized ten Rak‘āt from the Prophet ﷺ... including two after ‘Ishā and two before Fajr.
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 937
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 729


➋ Narration from Umm Ḥabībah رضي الله عنها:


Whoever prays twelve Rak‘āt daily and nightly, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise.
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 728


➌ Details in Sunan al-Tirmidhī:


Four before Ẓuhr, two after it, two after Maghrib, two after ‘Ishā, and two before Fajr.


Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tirmidhī: 338–339

✿ Additional: Four Rak‘āt After ‘Ishā​

➊ Narration from Ibn ‘Abbās رضي الله عنه:


The Prophet ﷺ prayed ‘Ishā, then came home and prayed four Rak‘āt, then slept.
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 697

✿ Total Voluntary Prayers Observed by the Prophet ﷺ​

Imām Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:
The Prophet ﷺ consistently observed 40 Rak‘āt daily:

• 17 Obligatory
• 12 Sunnah Rawātib
• 10 Night (Qiyām al-Layl)
  Zād al-Ma‘ād: 1/327