Islamic Sunnah Prayers

Islam is built on five pillars, the second of which is establishing prayer. It is the first thing for which a servant will be held accountable. If it is good, he has succeeded, and if it is corrupt, he has lost. Sometimes, prayer may be flawed or deficient, such as forgetfulness or obsessive thoughts.

Islamic Sunnah Prayers were established as a mercy and generosity from Allah to His servants, to compensate for this deficiency, to attain full reward, and to increase closeness to Allah, the Almighty. So in this blog we will discuss what the Islamic Sunnah Prayers are and how to perform it.

What are the Islamic Sunnah Prayers?

The Islamic Sunnah Prayers of the five daily prayers have another name: the Rawatib Sunnahs. They refer to the confirmed Sunnah prayers that accompany the obligatory prayer, whether performed before or after it. It has been proven that they number twelve rak’ahs.

As for the wisdom behind Islamic Sunnah Prayers legitimacy, Allah, the Almighty, has permitted voluntary and optional acts of worship out of compassion for His servants.

In addition the Islamic Sunnah Prayers complete any deficiencies in the obligatory prayers and make up for them on the Day of Judgment.

Abu Hurairah – may Allah be pleased with him – narrated on the authority of the Messenger of Allah – may Allah bless him and grant him peace – who said: “The first thing for which a servant will be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection will be the obligatory prayer.

If he completes it, then well and good. Otherwise, it will be said, ‘Look to see if he has any voluntary prayers.’ If he has any voluntary prayers, then the obligatory prayer will be completed from his voluntary prayers. Then the same will be done with the rest of the obligatory deeds.”

Moreover Islamic Sunnah Prayers increase a person’s intimacy with Allah Almighty and bring him closer to Him. It was proven that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: “The servant is closest to his Lord when he is prostrating.”

It was also authentically reported on the authority of Rabia bin Ka’b al-Aslam, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: “I used to spend the night with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, and I brought him his ablution water and what he needed.

He said to me: ‘Ask.’ I said: ‘I ask you for your companionship in Paradise.’ He said: ‘Or something else?’ I said: ‘That is it.’ He said: ‘Then help me with yourself by prostrating frequently.’” There are Sunnah prayers that increase a Muslim’s reward, expiate his sins, and raise his status. For his degrees.

What are the divisions of the Sunnah?

Speaking about the Islamic Sunnah Prayers, the Sunnah is divided into two categories:

1.the regular Sunnahs (Sunnah Rawatib)

These are called regular Sunnahs because they are based on consistency and continuity. They are also the Sunnahs that follow other prayers, including the Sunnahs that follow the five obligatory prayers, which are divided into pre- and post-obligatory prayers.

It is not permissible to perform the Sunnahs of the prayers alone without the obligatory prayers that accompany them. The regular Sunnahs are divided into two categories:

the pre-obligatory Sunnahs which are performed before the obligatory prayers. They consist of six rak’ahs: two rak’ahs before Fajr prayer, and four rak’ahs with two salutations before Dhuhr.

Their time begins with the start of the prayer time until the person begins the obligatory prayer.

The post-obligatory Sunnahs (Sunnahs) which are performed after the obligatory prayers. They also consist of six rak’ahs: two rak’ahs after Maghrib prayer, two rak’ahs after ‘Isha’ prayer, and two rak’ahs after Dhuhr prayer. Their time begins with the completion of the obligatory prayer until the end of the obligatory prayer time.

The evidence for what was mentioned about the number of rak’ahs of Islamic Sunnah Prayers is the statement of the Mother of the Believers, Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her:

“The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to pray four rak’ahs in his house before noon, then he would go out and lead the people in prayer, then he would come back and pray two rak’ahs.

He used to lead the people in Maghrib prayer, then he would come back and pray two rak’ahs, then he would pray the Isha’ prayer with the people and enter my house and pray two rak’ahs.”

And her statement likewise: “Whoever perseveres…” Whoever prays twelve rak’ahs in the Sunnah, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise: four rak’ahs before Dhuhr, two rak’ahs after Dhuhr, two rak’ahs after Maghrib, two rak’ahs after ‘Isha’, and two rak’ahs before Fajr.

The detailed number of rak’ahs

The detailed number of rak’ahs for each of the five obligatory prayers, based on what has been mentioned, is as follows:
Sunnah of Fajr: Two rak’ahs are recommended before the obligatory Fajr prayer, according to the consensus of jurists. The Sunnah of Fajr is one of the most important and best Sunnahs.

Sunnah of Dhuhr: The minimum is two rak’ahs before the obligatory prayer and two rak’ahs after it, according to the majority of jurists from the Hanafi, Shafi’i, and Hanbali schools. The best, according to them, is four rak’ahs before it and two rak’ahs after it, with one tasleem.

Sunnah of Asr: There is no regular Sunnah for the Asr prayer, but it is recommended to perform four rak’ahs before the Asr prayer, according to all jurists.
Sunnah of Maghrib: Two rak’ahs after the Maghrib prayer, according to the consensus of jurists. It is recommended to increase it to six rak’ahs according to the Hanafi and Maliki schools.

Sunnah of Isha: Two rak’ahs after Isha. It is recommended to perform four rak’ahs before it and four rak’ahs after it.

2.Nawafil

Speaking about Islamic Sunnah Prayers, Naafil that are not dependent on others. Examples include the Sunnah of Duha, the Sunnah of Qiyam al-Layl, and others.

Naafil are divided into: absolute Sunnahs, such as the Qiyam al-Layl prayer, and restricted Sunnahs, such as the regular prayers.

Based on this, the supererogatory is more general than the Sunnah, and the supererogatory includes the regular Sunnahs and others.

How to Perform Islamic Sunnah Prayers

Islamic Sunnah prayer is performed in the same way as obligatory prayers, with their pillars, conditions, and Sunnahs. As for the timing of Islamic Sunnah Prayers, a Muslim is permitted to pray Sunnah at any time of the day or night, with the exception of times when it is disliked.

Islamic Sunnah Prayers are performed during the day as two rak’ahs (rak’ahs) by two. It is disliked to pray four rak’ahs with one tasleem during the day.

At night, it is performed as two rak’ahs by two, four rak’ahs with one tasleem, six rak’ahs, eight rak’ahs, more or less than that.

This is based on the hadith of Abdullah ibn Umar, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: “The prayers of the night and day are two by two, and the witr is one rak’ah at the end of the night.”

The difference between the daytime prayer and the night prayer is that the Islamic Sunnah Prayers during the day does not exceed the obligatory prayer in the number of rak’ahs.

As for the night prayer, the basic principle is standing and voluntary prayer; therefore, it is permissible to exceed it in the number of rak’ahs.

The best prayer is that which is two rak’ahs at a time, during the day and at night. The prayer begins with the opening takbir, then the opening supplication, then the recitation of Surat Al-Fatihah, followed by bowing, prostration, standing, recitation, testimony of faith, and taslim.

What is the ruling on abandoning confirmed Sunnahs?

The ruling on abandoning Islamic Sunnah Prayers, in terms of reward and punishment, is that there is no sin, whether the omission is intentional or inadvertent.

That is, a Muslim will not be punished for abandoning them in the Hereafter, as he would be for abandoning obligatory acts, even though he will be rewarded for doing them in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

As for etiquette with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), a Muslim should not abandon an action or statement that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to adhere to.

Continually abandoning Islamic Sunnah Prayers and belittling them may lead a Muslim to abandon obligatory acts, because those who do not honor the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) may even diminish their respect for other acts of worship and thus abandon them.

Continually abandoning Islamic Sunnah Prayers is considered by some scholars to be a violation of chivalry, meaning that it is condemned in Islamic law and in society and diminishes their value.

Performing Islamic Sunnah Prayers makes up for any shortcomings in the perfection of an obligatory act, such as a lack of complete humility in prayer.

It also protects a Muslim from abandoning or falling short in performing obligatory acts, because those who adhere to performing Islamic Sunnah Prayers are far removed from the status of others.

Conclusion

The Islamic Sunnah Prayers, or Rawatib prayers, are a type of voluntary prayer that is timed and complements the five obligatory prayers.

They are performed either before the obligatory prayer, and their time begins with the start of the obligatory prayer, or after it, and their time begins with the completion of the obligatory prayer.

The time for each prayer ends with the end of the obligatory prayer. The Islamic Sunnah Prayers were prescribed to compensate for any deficiency in the perfection of the obligatory prayer.