Rak’ahs of Nafl Prayer
Linguistic Explanation:
Voluntary action is not obligatory but performing any act out of one’s own will is called voluntary (Tatawwu’). This chapter is derived from the root تَطَوْعَ يَتَطَوْع تفعل.
In Qamus, its meaning is mentioned as النافلة.
Shariah Definition:
Such obedience and compliance which is lawful beyond the obligatory duties and commands.
Words for Tatawwu’:
The following words are also used for Tatawwu’:
Mandub, Mustahabb, Nafl, Sunnah, Ihsan, and Fadilah, etc.
Ruling on Tatawwu’:
Its ruling is:
ما يمدح فاعله ولا يذم تاركه
“Whoever performs it is praised (i.e., rewarded), but whoever leaves it is not blamed (i.e., it is not sinful).”
It should be noted that although there is no sin in leaving Nafl and Sunnah prayers, it is not permissible to abandon them entirely because on the Day of Judgment, deficiencies in obligatory prayers will be compensated by Nafl prayers, as in the hadith where Allah Almighty says: انظروا هل تجدون العبدى من تطوع فتكملون به فريضته “Look! If you find voluntary worship of My servant, then complete his (deficient) obligatory acts with it.”
And it is established in principle that whatever is necessary for the completion of obligatory acts has the same ruling, as the rule states:
مالا يتم الواجب إلا به فهو واجب
“Whatever is indispensable for the completion of an obligatory act is also obligatory.”
Legitimacy:
It is narrated from Hazrat Rabi’ah bin Ka’b Aslami (RA) that one day the Prophet (PBUH) said to me: “Ask.” I said:
أسألك مرافقتك فى الجنة
“I seek your companionship in Paradise.”
The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Ask for something more besides that.” I said, “That is all I desire.” The Prophet (PBUH) said: فـاعـنـى على نفسك بكثرة السجود
“Then help me by increasing your prostrations to achieve your goal.”
Imam San’ani (RA) states that the abundance of prostrations is only possible when there is abundance in prayer, and abundance or scarcity is only possible in Nafl prayers, whereas any increase or decrease in obligatory prayers is absolutely forbidden.
1. It is narrated from Hazrat Umm Habibah (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
من صلى أربع ركعات قبل الظهر وأربعا بعـدهـا حرمه الله على النار
“Whoever regularly prays four rak’ahs before Dhuhr and four after it, Allah has forbidden the Fire for him.”
2. It is narrated from Hazrat Ali (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to pray four rak’ahs before Dhuhr and two after it, and four rak’ahs before Asr, and يفصل بين كل ركعتيں بالتسليم “he would separate every two rak’ahs with salam.”
It is understood that the four rak’ahs to be prayed with Dhuhr and Asr should be prayed two by two, but the following hadith indicates that it is preferable to pray the four rak’ahs before Dhuhr with one salam.
3. It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Ayyub Ansari (RA) that “for such four rak’ahs prayed before Dhuhr without salam, the gates of heaven are opened.”
4. It is narrated from Hazrat Aisha (RA) that ان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كان لايدع أربعا قبل الظهر وركعتين قبل الغداة
“The Prophet (PBUH) did not leave four rak’ahs before Dhuhr and two rak’ahs before Fajr.”
It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar (RA) that the Prophet (PBUH) said:
رحم الله امراً صلى قبل العصر أربعا
“May Allah have mercy on the one who prays four rak’ahs before Asr.”
Praying these four rak’ahs two by two is also correct, as stated in the previous hadith narrated from Hazrat Ali (RA).
Two Rak’ahs after Maghrib
➊ In Sahihain, there is a narration from Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that وركعتين بعد المغرب “And praying two rak’ahs after Maghrib is (recommended).”
➋ It is narrated from Hazrat Rafi’ bin Khadij (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) led us in Maghrib prayer in the mosque and then said:
ار كعوا هاتين الركعتين فى بيوتكم
“Perform those two rak’ahs (i.e., Sunnah) in your homes.”
◈ Generally, this was the practice of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he performed Nawafil and Sunnah prayers at home and also advised the companions to do so, as narrated from Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
فصـلـو أيها الناس فى بيوتكم فان أفضل صلاة المرء فى بيته إلا المكتوبة
“O people! Pray in your homes. Indeed, the best prayer of a person besides the obligatory prayers is the one he performs at home.”
It is prescribed to pray two rak’ahs before Maghrib.
➊ It is a Prophetic hadith: بين كل آذانين صلاة “Between every two Adhans (i.e., Adhan and Iqamah) there is a prayer.”
Saying this for the third time, the Prophet ﷺ said: لمن شاء “Whoever wishes may perform these Nawafil.”
➋ It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Mughaffal (RA) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
صلوا قبل المغرب ، صلوا قبل المغرب
“Pray before Maghrib, pray before Maghrib.”
Then for the third time, the Prophet ﷺ said:
لــمــن شـاء كراهية أن يتخذها الناس سنة
“This ruling is only for the one who wishes to pray. The Prophet ﷺ said this out of concern that people might make it a Sunnah (obligatory).”
➌ In a narration of Sahih Ibn Hibban: ان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم صلى قبل المغرب ركعتين “The Prophet ﷺ performed two Rak’ahs before Maghrib.”
➍ It is narrated from Hazrat Anas (RA) that after sunset we used to perform two Rak’ahs while the Prophet ﷺ was watching us:
فلم يأمرنا ولم ينهنا
“Neither did the Prophet ﷺ command us to do it nor did he forbid it.”
Two rak’ahs after Isha and two rak’ahs before Fajr
➊ It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that: حفظت من النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم عشر ركعات ….
“I remember the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to pray ten rak’ahs: two rak’ahs before Zuhr and two after it, two rak’ahs at home after Maghrib, two rak’ahs at home after the obligatory Isha prayer, and two rak’ahs before dawn (i.e., before Fajr prayer).”
➋ It is narrated from Hazrat Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
من صلى اثنتى عشرة ركعة فى يوم وليلة بني له بهن بيت فى الجنة
“Whoever prays twelve rak’ahs of nawafil during the day and night, a house will be built for him in Paradise in return.”
A similar narration is reported in Jami’ Tirmidhi but with this addition: “Four rak’ahs before Zuhr and two after it, two rak’ahs after Maghrib, two rak’ahs after Isha, and two rak’ahs before the morning prayer.”
These rak’ahs are called Sunnah Rawatib or Sunnah Mu’akkadah and they are not obligatory.
(The majority) hold this view.
It is also established that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to pray four rak’ahs after Isha, as narrated from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him):
فصلي رسول الله العشاء ثم جاء إلى بيته فصلى أربع ركعات ثم نام
“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) led the Isha prayer, then went home and after performing four rak’ahs, he went to sleep.”
(Ibn Qayyim) The Prophet (peace be upon him) consistently maintained forty rak’ahs during day and night: seventeen obligatory, twelve rak’ahs as narrated by Hazrat Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her), and ten rak’ahs of Qiyam al-Layl.
