User:Liquesce/sandbox/Salat/Optional Prayers
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Optional prayers may be offered at any time during the day, except at sunrise, true noon, and sunset. The prohibition against salah at these times is to prevent the appearance of sun-worship.
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[edit] Witr
Witr salah is performed after the salah of 'Ishaa. It may contain any odd number of raka'ah from one to eleven according to the different madha'ib. However, witr is most commonly offered with three raka'ah. It is preferable to perform witr in the latter part of the night, but it is much better to perform witr at the beginning of the night than not at all.
During a three-raka'ah witr prayer, it is recommended that the sura following Sura al-Fatihah be Sura al-'Ala. In the second rak'ah, it is preferred that that sura be Sura Al-Kafirun while in the third raka'ah, one of the last three chapters of the Qur'an is recommended. Before going to ruk'u in the third raka'ah, the Muslim should offer an extra takbir and du'a while standing.
[edit] Eid salah
Eid salah is performed on the morning of Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha. It is wajib upon males to perform it, but women will often times still attend. It consists of two raka'ah, with seven takbirs offered before the start of the first raka'ah and seven raka'ah offered before the second. Unlike with jumu'ah prayers, the khutbah (or sermon) is offered after salat. However, the khutbah is an integral pary of the Eid salat. The Eid prayer must be offered between sunrise and true noon, or between the time periods for fajr and dhuhr, respectively.
[edit] Sunnah prayers
Sunnah, unlike Fard, are voluntary prayers performed by Sunni Muslims for extra reward. The Sunnah salah (as with all other Sunnahs) originated from the practice of the Prophet Muhammad, who used to perform more prayers than the obligatory amount.
While optional (nafl) salat may be performed at any almost any time of the day, certain Sunnahs have prescribed waqts associated with them. Those ordained for before the fard prayers must be performed between the call to prayer (adhan) and the start of the iqamah, while those ordained for after the fard prayers can be performed any time between the end of the fard prayers and the end of the current prayer's waqt. Any amount of extra raka'ah may be offered, but most madhabs (Islamic schools of thought) prescribe a certain number of raka'ah for each Sunnah salah.
[edit] Tarawih
Tarawih is extra salah prescribed during the month of Ramadan. Followers of Imam Abu Hanifa recite twenty raka'ah, while others will limit them each taraweeh prayer to just eight raka'ah total. Either way, taraweeh must be performed after 'Isha. It is common practice to complete a khatm (complete recitation) of the Qur'an in tarawih during the month of Ramadan. It is considered a bidah, or an innovation, by Shi'as.
[edit] Nafil Prayers
"Nafl" (supererogatory) prayers are numerous which one can offer, as many as he or she likes almost any time. They cannot be offered at sunrise, true noon, or sunset because of the practice of sun-worship, which is a form of idolatry.
[edit] Tahajjud
Tahajjud salah is performed after the 'Isha salah until dawn. It can include any number of raka'ah.
- It's reported about the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) that he said: "Adhere to night prayer, for it is the habit of the righteous before you, and a means of drawing nearer to your Lord; it is an expiation for sins, and a deterrent from wrongdoing." [Tirmidhi & al-Hakim]
- Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As (Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah be pleased with him) said to him, "Oh Abdullah, do not be like so-and-so, he used to pray in the night then he abandoned night prayer." [Bukhari & Muslim]
- And it is reported by Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) that, "The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to perform eleven rakats of prayer (at night), prostrating in it a prostration the length it takes any of you to read fifty verses (ayats) before raising his head." [Bukhari]
It is recommended that tahajjud be prayed during the last third of the night, but performing it at any other time is better than not performing it at all.
[edit] Ishraq
Ishraaq time begins when the sun in the morning, twelve minutes after sunrise. Offering two or four rakaat prayer this time is highly rewarding. A hadith says that the one who sits and busies himself in remembrance of Allah after finishing Fajr prayer in congregation till he offers this two rakaat prayer after sunrise, will earn reward of Hajj and Umrah.
- Abu Hurairah has also related that the eternally blessed Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) once sent some companions on jihad. They returned soon with much booty. Someone asked in surprise how the military expedition returned so soon with so much booty. The Holy Prophet said, "Should I not tell you about the men who would come back even sooner and still more booty?" Then he said, "He who performs his ablution well, then completes his fajr prayer and then (after sunrise) performs his Ishraq prayer, comes sooner and with greater booty" (Targhib p. 427. vol. I ref. Abu Yate ba Isnad-e-Sahib).
"He who says Ishraq prayers without fail shall have his lesser sins forgiven even though they may be as numerous as foam specks on the surface of the sea." (Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)
These two hadiths along with another one equating ishraq prayers with 360 good deeds demonstrate the great reward of performing this short nafl prayer.
[edit] Duha (Chasht)
Chasht prayer comprises at least two rakaat and at the most twelve. Its time begins after sunrise and ends at meridian. It is better to offer Salaatul Duha (Chasht) when one-fourth of the day comes off.
- Abu Hurayra related that the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) said, "Whoever adheres to the Duha prayer shall have his sins forgiven, even if they are like the foam of the sea." [Tirmidhi, 438]
- Abu Hurayra said, "My Dear One (Allah bless him & give him peace) enjoined me with three: to sleep having performed the witr prayer; to fast three days every month; and the two rakats of Duha." [Nasa'i, 1659]
- Mu`adha said that she asked `A'isha (Allah be pleased with her), "How many rakats did the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) pray for the Duha prayer?" She replied, "Four rakats, and he would add what he wanted." [Muslim 1175, Ahmad 23317, Ibn Maja 1371]
[edit] Awabeen
Offering six to twenty rakaat after the Maghrib obligatory prayer is commendable. This prayer is called Salaatul Awabeen. It is optional to offer with one, two or even three salaams if reading six rakaat. But it is better to say salaam after every two rakaat. If all six rakaat are offered jointly (i.e. with one salaam), then the first two will be deemed "Sunnat-e-Muakkadah" and the remaining four as Nafl. A hadith says that the one who offers six rakaat prayer after Maghrib prayer speaking nothing but what is good in between the two prayers, will earn reward equal to the worship of twelve years.
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[edit] Tahiyatul Masjid
Tahiyatul Masjid, also called Masjidus Salaam, is a highly recommended salat consisting of two rakaat and performed when first entering a mosque, as a way of greeting the place of worship.
- On the authority of Abu Qatada (Allah be pleased with him) he said, "The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: 'If any of you enters the Mosque, let him not sit until he prays two rakats.'" [Bukhari & Muslim]
- And on the authority of Abu Dhar (Allah be pleased with him) he said, "I entered the mosque, and there was the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) sitting alone, so he said: 'Oh Abu Dhar, Truly the mosque has a greeting, and indeed its greeting is two rakats, so stand up and pray them.'"[Reported by Ibn Hiban in his Sahih]
- Ibn Abidin explains in his commentary Radd al-Muhtar on al-Durr al-Mukhtar that, "What's intended by it (i.e. greeting the mosque) is drawing nearer to Allah not to the mosque, because a man if he enters the house of a king greets the king not his house." [Radd al-Muhtar 'ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar, 1:456]
[edit] Tahiyatul wudu
Tahiyatul wudu is a highly recommended prayer that is performed after making wudu. It is commendable to offer two rakaat of Tahiyatul Wudu before the washed parts of the body dry up after performance of ablution. The excellence of this prayer is proved by ahadith. However, offering obligatory prayer soon after ablution or bath will serve as its substitute. Offering two rakaat prayer after ghusl (bath) is also a commendable act.
- Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) related that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said to Bilal, "Oh Bilal, tell me about a work that you are most hopeful about (being rewarded for) from the works you have done in Islam, for I heard the thumping of your sandals in front of me in Jannah." He said, "I did not do a work more hopeful to me, except that I never performed ablution in an hour of night or day without praying with that ablution what was written for me to pray." [Bukhari & Muslim]
- Muslim reports that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless and give him peace) said, "There is no Muslim who performs ablution properly, than gets up and offers two rakats turning to them wholeheartedly, except that Paradise becomes necessary for him."
[edit] Salatut Tasbih
A. Salaatul Tasbih can be offered any time except for the prohibited times. It is better to offer this prayer before Dhuhr prayer. This prayer is highly rewarding. A hadith stresses the importance of this prayer saying something like "offer Salaatut Tasbih daily if you could do, if not then once a week, if not then once a month, if not then once a year if it is not possible even, then at least once in lifetime."
The followers of Hanafi madhab offer Salaatul Tasbih as has been reported in "Tirmidhi Shareef i.e. one should stand up for four Raka'ahs prayer as per the rules; say Allahu Akbar and fold the hands below his navel; recite "Sana" followed by this Tasbih i.e. "Subhaanal Laahi wal-Hamdu Lillaahi walaa Ilaaha Illal-Laahu wal-Laahu Akbar" (Glory be to Allah, Praise be to Allah. There is no deity but Allah. Allah is the Most Great) fifteen times and then recite "Ta'awuz", "Tasmiyah", "Surah Fatihah" and any other Surah and then recite the same Tasbih ten times; perform "Ruku" and recite the same Tasbih ten times after "Subhaana Rabbiyal Adheem"; rise from Rukoo reciting "Sami Allaahu Liman Hamedah" and "Allaa Humma Rabbanaa wa Lakal Hamd" and then recite the same Tasbih ten times; observe "Sajdah" and recite the same Tasbih after "Subhaana Rabbiyal 'Ala"; rise from Sajdah and sit in "Jalsah" and recite the same Tasbih ten times; perform second Sajdah and recite the same Tasbih ten times after "Subhaana Rabbiyal 'Ala," and then complete the remaining three Rakahs in the similar way. Thus, this Tasbih is recited 75 times in one Rakah and 300 times in all four Raka'ahs. It is better to recite Surah "Al-Takaathur" in the first Rakah after Surah Faateha, Surah "Al-'Asr" in second, Surah "Al-Kaafirun" in third and Surah "Al-Ikhlaas" in fourth Rakah.
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[edit] Salat ul istasqa
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Salat ul istasqa is a prayer consisting of two rakaah performed during the times of drought to ask Allah for rain.
[edit] Salat ul Kusuf and Salat ul Khusuf
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Salat ul Kusuf is a prayer consisting of two rakaah performed during a solar eclipse. Salat ul Khusuf is a two rakaah prayer performed during a lunar eclipse.
[edit] Salat al-Haajat
Salat al-Haajat is a prayer offered if one wants Allah Almighty to fulfill his need or to meet his want he should offer two or four Rakahs "Nafl" prayer after 'Ishaa prayer. He should, according to Hadees, recite "Ayatul Kursi" (throne verse) thrice after Surah Faateha in the first Rakah, Surah Al-Ikhlaas in second, Surah Al-Falaq in third and Surah Al-Naas in fourth Rakah, which is tantamount to offering four Rakahs in "Qadr" night and then "Du'aa" (supplication) for the fulfillment of his need. By the grace of Allah Almighty his Du'aa will be answered. "Mashaa-ikh" (religious leaders) say that they offered Salaatul Haajat and their needs were fulfilled.
[edit] Journey prayer
- On the authority of Maqtam ibn al-Miqdam? That he said, "The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless and give him peace) said, 'No one has left behind with their family anything better than two rakats offered at home when wanting travel.'" [Reported by al-Tabarani]
- Kaab ibn Malik relates, "The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) would not arrive from a journey except daytime in the forenoon, so if he arrived he started with the mosque and prayed two rakats in it then sat." [Muslim]
- Whoever desires to travel should offer two rakats of prayer in his home prior to traveling, and when he returns from his journey he should seek the mosque and offer two rakats therein. [ Radd al-Muhtar, 1:459]
[edit] Guidance prayer (Istikhara)
On the authority of Jabir ibn 'Abdi'llah (may Allah be well pleased with him and with his father) who said, "Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to teach us how to seek guidance in choosing the best option available in a practical enterprise [al-istikhara fi 'l-amr], just as he would teach us a Chapter [Sura] from the Qur'an. He would say:
"'If one of you is concerned about some practical undertaking, or about making plans for a journey, he should perform two cycles of ritual prayer [rak'atain], not as an obligatory observance [farida], but voluntarily. Then he should say:
- O Allah, I ask You to show me what is best, through Your knowledge, and I ask You to empower me, through Your power, and I beg You to grant me Your tremendous favor, for You have power, while I am without power, and You have knowledge, while I am without knowledge, and You are the One who knows all things invisible.O Allah, if You know that this undertaking is in the best interests of my religion, my life in this world, and my life in the Hereafter, and can yield successful results in both the short term and the long term, then make it possible for me and make it easy for me, and then bless me in it.If not, then turn it away from me, and make it easy for me to do well, wherever I may happen to be, and make me content with Your verdict, O Most Merciful of the merciful.
