http://askimam.org/public/question_detail/16045
format_quote Originally Posted by
Edem
Ohh I fully get it now. And when you enter the masjid you also pray something before the salat really begins and before the imam starts reciting. What is that called & what do they pray?
As promised, here's a better explanation:
The Prayers that we offer daily have been categorised into 5 types:
1.
Fardh – Compulsory. The person who leaves it out will be Sinful.
2.
Wajib – Obligatory (the obligation is a bit less than Fardh). The person who leaves it out will be Sinful.
3.
Sunnah Muakkadah – Constant practice of Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). The person who leaves it out without any valid excuse will be Sinful.
4.
Sunnah Ghair Muakkadah – Practice of Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). The person who leaves it out will not be Sinful.
5.
Nafl – Optional.
Hereunder is the number of rak’ats performed daily at each time of Salaah according to the Hanafi Mazhab:
Fajr Salaah: 4 Rak’ats
-2 Sunnah Muakkadah
-2 Fardh
Zuhr Salaah: 12 Rak’ats
-4 Sunnah Muakkadah
-4 Fardh
-2 Sunnah Muakkadah
-2 Nafl
Asr Salaah: 8 Rak’ats
-4 Sunnah Ghair Muakkadah
-4 Fardh
Maghrib Salaah: 7 Rak’ats
-3 Fardh
-2 Sunnah Muakkadah
-2 Nafl
Isha Salaah: 17 Rak’ats
-4 Sunnah Ghair Muakkadah
-4 Fardh
-2 Sunnah Muakkadah
-2 Nafl
-3 Wajib (Witr salaah)
-2 Nafl
Jumu’ah Salaah: 14 Rak’ats
-4 Sunnah Muakkadah
-2 Fardh
-4 Sunnah Muakkadah
-2 Sunnah Muakkadah
-2 Nafl
Source
This is the order they must be prayed in as well. So for fajr salaah for example, you pray the 2 sunnah first, then you pray the 2 fardh. They are prayed the same way, except when you make the intention in your heart, you should make the intention to pray sunnah for sunnah and fardh for fardh before you begin the prayer. If you do not do this, your salaah doesn't count.
You must pray the prayers of fardh, no exceptions, and you need to make a habit of making the prayers where it says "sunnah muakkadah" and "wajib." Anywhere it says "sunnah ghair mu'akadah" or "nafl" are just optional prayers, but you will get extra reward for them inshallah.