OF SUNNAT & NAFL PRAYER

Q1:HowmanySunnat-e-Muakkadaharethere?

A.Following are theSunnat-e-Muakkadah (emphasised Sunnah):

Two Rak'ahs before Fajr prayer, four Rak'ahs before Zuhr prayer and two after Zuhr, twoRak'ahs after Maghrib prayer, two Rak'ahs after 'Ishaa prayer and four Rak'ahs before Jumu'ah prayer and four after Jumu'ah. It means that one has to offer fourteen Rak'ahs of Sunnat-e- Muakkadah on Friday and twelve Rak'ahs on each of other remaining days. It is desirable that one should offer four Rak'ahs of Sunnat-e-Muakkadah after Jumu'ah prayer and then twoRak'ahs so that both "Ahaadess" (Prophetic sayings) to these effects are acted upon.

 

Q2: Whatare theexcellences of Sunnat-e-Muakkadah?

1. The Holy Prophet said: Allah Almighty will build a house for the believer who offers twelve Rak'ahs of "Tataww'o" (Nafl prayer means Sunnat-e-Muakkadah) daily in addition to "Fard" prayer for the sake of Allah.

 

(FourRak'ahsbeforeZuhrprayerandtwoafterZuhr,twoafterMaghrib,twoafter'Ishaaandtwo before Fajr prayer).

 

Q3:WhichRak'ahsof allthesearethemost important?

1. Of all these Sunnat-e-Muakkadah, the two Rak'ahs of Fajr are the most important. The importance can be gauged from the fact that some Muslim scholars describe it as "Waajib". These Sunnats can not be offered sitting or while riding or in train in motion without any valid reason like that of Witr prayer. An Hadees in this respect says: do not forgo Fajr Sunnat under any circumstances even if enemy horses (forces) come pounding on you. After Fajr, the most importantSunnatarethefourSunnatofZuhrprayerwhichareofferedbeforeFardprayer.About these Sunnat an Hadees stressed: he will not attain my (Prophet's) intercession who abandons these Sunnat. After Zuhr Sunnat, the most important are the Sunnat of Maghrib prayer. An Hadees says: the one who offers two Rak'ahs (Sunnat) after obligatory prayer of Maghribwithout talking to anybody, his (this) prayer is lifted up to "Illi-yeen" (a place in the seventh heaven under empyrean where the names of the believers deserving Paradise are entered and sheets of their actions are maintained) and then are the post-Zuhr's two Rak'ahs (Sunnat) and post-'Ishaa's two Rak'ahs (Sunnat).

 

Q4:Will onehave toofferSunnat prayerif missedor not?

1. If one whose Fajr prayer was missed offers Fajr prayer before the Sun reaches the zenith should also offer Sunnat and if he has offered obligatory prayer but Sunnat were missed then he does not need to offer them. But it is better to offer the missed Sunnat after the Sun has risen. Offering the prayer before Sun rise is forbidden.

 

NootherSunnatsthan Fajr'saretobe offeredifmissed, omitted.

As for Zuhr and Jumu'ah Sunnats, if one missed pre-Zuhr or pre-Jumu'ah's four Rak'ahs (Sunnat) and offered obligatory prayer then he should offer these Sunnat after the obligatory prayer isover provided the time is there i.e. the stipulated time of the prayer is not running out. It is better to offer them after "Fard" and then the post-Zuhr's or post-Jumu'ah's Sunnat.

Q5:CanNaflprayerbeofferedornotafterJama'athasbeenestablished?

1. No Nafl prayer even Sunnat-e-Muakkadah can be offered after Jama'at has been established except the Sunnat of Fajr and that too when one is sure to join Jama'at even Qa'adah after completing Sunnat otherwise not. These Sunnat should neither be offered adjacent to the row of Jama'at nor behind the row but at such a place in mosque that there is a cover between him and the Jama'at. And in case one finds Imaam (Jama'at) in Rukoo and he does not know whether it is the first Rakah's Rukoo or of the second then he should abandon Sunnat and join Jama'at.

 

Q6:Willtalk betweentheintervalofSunnatandFardprayervitiateSunnatornot?

1. Talk between the interval of Sunnat and Fard prayer does not vitiate Sunnat. However, its reward is curtailed. So is the case with all those things,acts which are forbidden during prayer. It is also Makrooh to delay performance of the post-Fard Sunnat without any valid excuse, thoughit will be observed if delayed.

 

Q7:WhatisrecitedinthefirstQa'adahoffourRak'ahs Sunnat?

1. Only "Attahiyat (Tashah-hud)" is recited in Qa'dah Ulaa (first sitting posture) of four Rak'ahs Sunnat-e-Muakkadah.IfonerecitesDuroodShareefbymistakeinitthenhewillhavetoobserve Sajdah Sahv in Qa'dah Akheera. Sana and Ta'awuz are also not recited in the third Rak'ah of these Sunnat. As for other four Rak'ahs Sunnat, prayer of "Mannat" (vow) and Nafl prayer one has to recite Durood Shareef in Qa'dah Ula and recite Sana and Ta'awuz in third Rak'ah.

 

Q8:CanNaflprayerbeofferedsittingornot?

1. Nafl prayer can be offered sitting even though one is able to offer these standing. But it is better to offer Nafl in standing posture as an Hadees says: the prayer offered while sitting is half of that offered while standing that means the reward is halved. However, the reward will not be curtailed if one is compelled to offer Nafl sitting owing to some valid excuse. Likewise, it is better to offer the post-Witr two Nafl prayer standing.

Q9:HowtoofferNaflprayer sitting?

1. The one who wants to offer Nafl prayer sitting should sit in Tashah-hud(sitting posture for observingQa'dah)andfoldthehandsbelowthenavelwhiledoingQiraa-atasisdoneinQiyaam. And while observing Rukoo he should bow his head so much that it comes close to the knees.