Sunnah Prayers

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format_quote Originally Posted by anonymous

,

Can anyone tell me how many sunnah prayers there are for each fard prayer please?

Wa alaikum asalaam,

Fajr - 2 sunnah before the fardh, and absolutely nothing after
Dhuhr - 4 sunnah before the fardh + 2 Sunnah after
'Asr - 4 sunnah ghair muakkadah before the fardh, and absolutely nothing after
Maghrib - 2 sunnah after the fardh
'Isha - 4 sunnah ghair muakkadah before the fardh + 2 sunnah after the fardh + Witr after that

The ghair muakkadah is what Sayyidina Rasulullah (Salallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam) used to pray, but occasionally did not, all others (sunnah muakkadah) he used to pray always.

What is the differences between nafl and sunnah and do we have to pray both of them?

Nafl is your own option, the sunnah is specifically the amount that Sayyidina Rasulullah (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) used to pray and told us to pray.

Also if the time for fard prayer has already gone past can I still pray sunnah prayer before I pray the fard prayer?

No. There is no qadha of sunnah prayers.

Allah knows best..

Jazzakallah khair sister!!

Two more questions I would like to ask;

Whenever we enter a masjid its a good sunnah to give a salaam to the masjid - i.e. by performing two rakats of sunnah prayer. But what if when you enter the masjid the fard prayer is about to start or have already started do I pray the sunnah prayer before I join the obligatory prayer? Also if I do start with the fard prayer do I pray the 'salaam to the masjid' sunnah prayer afterwards?

The other question is can I pray salaat witr if I dont know the dua you have to do? you know the long dua the imaam recites in the last rakat of the taraweeh? If im praying on my own do I just pray two rakats tahajud without doing the witr as I dont know the dua?

Jazzakallah khair for reading it please reply

format_quote Originally Posted by anonymous

,

Can anyone tell me how many sunnah prayers there are for each fard prayer please?

What is the differences between nafl and sunnah and do we have to pray both of them?

Also if the time for fard prayer has already gone past can I still pray sunnah prayer before I pray the fard prayer?

Insha'Allah hope my questions makes sense.

Jazzakallah khair

What does the 5 daily prayers consist of?

Regarding the prayers themselves then there are four types of prayers.

One is the Fard prayers which are the obligatory prayers.

Second are the Waajib prayers which are the compulsory prayers. These are almost as important as the obligatory prayers so still have to be made up. The Wajid prayer in the Hanafi Madhab is the Witr prayer which is 3 Raka'ah.

Thirdly are the Sunnah prayers and Fourthly are the Nawafil prayers which are voluntary.

There are two types of Sunnah prayers:

One is Sunnah Mu'kaddah which in the Hanafi Madhab are the emphasised Sunnah's so they should be prayed and if are consistently neglected for no good reason then may be sinful.

The second is Ghayr Sunnah Mu'kkadha which are the Sunnah prayers which are not so emphasised but still carry a lot of reward like for example the 4 Raka'ah Sunnah before the 4 Fard of Asr.

Then there are Nawafil prayers which are the voluntary prayers. These can be prayed as much as one wants to throughout the day and night except at the forbidden times of prayer which are 3:

1. After the Fard of Fajr up until 20 minutes after Sunrise

2. When the sun is at its highest point (Zawwal) which is 20 minutes before Dhuhur begins

3. From after praying the Fard of Asr up until Maghrib begins.

Note: Qadha and Janaaza prayers can still be prayed at these times.

Nawafil prayers are recommended to I pray as they cover any defiency in ones Fard prayers and enable one to get closer to Allah. In Ramadan the Nawafil prayers carry the reward of a Fard prayer. Subhanallah. That is why during Ramadan we should aim to pray as many Sunnah's and Nawafil prayers as we can.

The following is the structure of the daily 5 prayers:

Fajr:

2 Raka'ah Sunnah Mu'kaddah - The most emphasised Sunnah Mu'kaddah prayer of the day

2 Raka'ah Fard

Dhuhur:

4 Raka'ah Sunnah Mu'kaddah

4 Raka'ah Fard

2 Raka'ah Sunnah Mu'kaddah

2 Raka'h Nawafil

Asr:

4 Raka'ah Sunnah Ghayr Mu'kaddah - Not so emphasised but still very rewarding

4 Raka'ah Fard

Maghrib:

3 Raka'ah Fard

2 Raka'ah Sunnah Mu'kaddah

2 Raka'ah Nawafil

Isha:

4 Raka'ah Sunnah Ghayr Mu'kaddah (In the Hanafi Madhab)

4 Raka'ah Fard

2 Raka'ah Sunnah Mu'kaddah

2 Raka'ah Nawafil

3 Raka'ah Witr (Hanafi Madhab) - Waajib prayer so is compulsory to pray and has to be made up if missed.

2 Raka'ah Nawafil (Optional)

It is best to pray the 3 Witr as late as possible like just before sleep or even after Tahajjud prayer in the latter part of the night just before dawn (Fajr).

Click on the video for a practical guide on how to pray for women according to the Hanafi Madhab:

format_quote Originally Posted by anonymous

Jazzakallah khair sister!!

Two more questions I would like to ask;

Whenever we enter a masjid its a good sunnah to give a salaam to the masjid - i.e. by performing two rakats of sunnah prayer. But what if when you enter the masjid the fard prayer is about to start or have already started do I pray the sunnah prayer before I join the obligatory prayer? Also if I do start with the fard prayer do I pray the 'salaam to the masjid' sunnah prayer afterwards?

The other question is can I pray salaat witr if I dont know the dua you have to do? you know the long dua the imaam recites in the last rakat of the taraweeh? If im praying on my own do I just pray two rakats tahajud without doing the witr as I dont know the dua?

Jazzakallah khair for reading it please reply

If the Fard prayer is about to start then you you should pray it and if you want to then you may pray the 2 Nawafil prayer after the fard as long as it is after Dhuhur, Maghrib or Isha as it is not permissable to pray any Nawafil prayers after Fajr prayer until 20 minutes after Sunrise and after Asr prayer until Maghrib begins.

It is also not necessery to have to pray any Nawafil prayers so if you miss it then it is not an issue but o pray many nawafi prayers is a very good habit to gain and one that may enable one to get closer to Allah.
Also Nawafil prayers during this blessed month are far more rewarding. They are rewarded the same as Fard prayers in normal times:


The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “...And whoever performs an obligatory act during it, he is like whoever performed seventy obligatory acts in other times.” [Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 1887]


Here are a list of Nawafil prayers we can all do everyday of our lives:


1 Pray 12 Raka'ahs of Sunnah daily: - 2 Sunnah of Fajr, 4 Sunnah & 2 Sunnah of Dhuhr and 2 Sunnah of Maghrib

Umm Habibah Ramilah bint Abu Sufyan (RA) narrated she heard the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) saying: “A house will be built in Paradise for every Muslim who offers twelve units of Prayers other than the obligatory ones in day and night, to seek pleasure of Allah.” [Muslim]


2. Salaatul Duhaa (Can be prayed from 20 mins after sunrise up until 20 minutes before Dhuhr begins)

So we should remain seated after Fajr prayer & recite the Qur'an or do Dhikr up until 20 minutes after Sunrise and pray Salaatul Duhaa. If not then we can pray it anytime before midday.

'Salat al-Dhuhaa consists of 2 - 12 Rakaats and it is preferable to perform 8 Rakaats.' [Raddul Mukhtaar vol.1 pg.505]

The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is reported to have said: Whoever prayed twelve rakaats (before midday), then Allah will, as a reward, prepare a palace of gold for him in Paradise. [Mishkat, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah]

3. 4 Sunnah, 2 Sunnah & 2 Nafil of Dhuhr

Umm Habibah (RA) narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Whoever sticks to the habit of offering four rak`ahs before Noon Prayer and four rak`ahs after it, Allah will shield him against the Hell-Fire.” [Abu Dawud & At-Tirmidhi]

4. Raka'ahs Sunnah of Asr

The Prophet (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi wa sallam) said: "May Allaah have Mercy on the one who offers four (Raka'ahs) before 'Asr prayer." [Abu Dawud]

5. Two Raka'ahs Sunnah after entering Masjid

Abu Qatadah (RA) narrated the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) as saying: “If any one of you enters a mosque, he should pray two rak`ahs before sitting.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

6. Tahiyyatul Wudu - 2 Raka'ahs Voluntary prayer after doing Wudu (Ablution)

Abu Hurayrah (RA) reported the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) saying to Bilal (RA): “Tell me about the best of your deeds (i.e. one which you deem the most rewarding) since your embracing Islam because I heard your footsteps in front of me in Paradise.” Bilal (RA) replied: “I do not consider any act of mine more rewarding than that whenever I make ablution at any time of night or day, I perform Prayer for as much as was destined for me to do.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

7. Tahajjud - The Night Vigil Prayer


The MOST REWARDING Voluntary prayer after the Obligatory prayers is Tahajjud:

Abu Hurairah (Ra) reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “The best fast after the fast of Ramadan is the fast of Muharram and the best Salaah after the obligatory prayers is the prayer performed at night.”[Muslim]

Allah listens to the prayers at night:

Jaabir (RA) says that he heard the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) saying,“Certainly in the night, there is a moment in which, if coincided by a
submissive person asking Allah of the good of this world and the hereafter, Allah gives him whatever he asks for, and that is the entire night. [Muslim]

Those who had the habit of praying Tahajjud will enter Paradise:

Asmaa binte Yazeed (Ra) narrates that The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “On the day of resurrection, the people will be gathered upon one plain field
and an announcer will proclaim saying, “Where are those who separated their sides from their beds? A little amount of people will stand up. They will enter
paradise without reckoning, and then it will be ordered that the remaining people be taken to reckoning”. [Baihaqi]

The Tahajjud prayer can be prayed After Isha but is best to pray it after sleeping and then awakening in the third part of the night before Fajr begins. It is between 2 - 12 Raka'hs.

Then let us pray all of our Obligatory prayers on time (congregation for men) and increase in doing volntary prayers especially during this blessed month for every voluntary prayer is rewarded like that of an Obligatory prayer!


Regarding your question about Witr prayer then if you do not know the dua in Witr then it is sufficient to repeat "Allahummahghfirlee" three times. Although you should try your best to learn the Dua Qunoot. You may pray Tahajjud before or after Witr but witr should be prayed before Fajr begins.

If you have anymore questions then please do not hesitate to ask.