The following are the highly recommended prayers – Sunnah or Nafila (voluntary) – that a practicing Muslim is advised to perform daily. These have of course been proven by various Sahih Hadith and Our Prophet (PBUH) has diligently instructed his followers to perform these optional prayers. So what you read below are “voluntary” Prayers in addition to the 5 obligatory Fardh prayers.
On what grounds do we say that these voluntary prayers will bring us closer to Paradise? Because one cannot follow these voluntary prayers unless, a Muslim is steadfast in his Fardh (obligatory) Prayers. More so, even if one diligently prays 5 times a day, the Taqwa (or fear of Allah) would have led him to follow other obligations prescribed by Allah and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Since a Muslim performs all his duties sincerely, he is considered to be of high moral character.
With that context, it is not possible for the practicing (opportunistic) Muslim to ignore the following six voluntary prayers.
Contents
- 1 Tahajjud (pray especially in the last part of the night; before dawn)
- 2 The 12 optional prayers before/after each obligatory prayer
- 3 Duha (Morning prayer)
- 4 Tahiyyat-ul-Masjid (Prayer after entering the masjid)
- 5 Salat al-Witr (last prayer with odd rakat prayed at night)
- 6 Salat at-Tahiyatul Wudu (Nafl prayer after performing Wudu)
- 7 Conclusion
- 8 Other optional prayers performed on an as-needed basis (not daily)
Tahajjud (pray especially in the last part of the night; before dawn)
The Prophet (PBUH) said: “The best prayer after the obligatory prayer is the prayer at night.” ~ Muslim 1163.
On another occasion, after the Fajr (early morning) prayer, The Prophet (PBUH) was interpreting someone’s dream and said to the person (pointing to his father),
“Abdullah is a good man. I wish he prayed Tahajjud.” After hearing the Prophet’s statement, this father never missed the Tahajjud prayer in his life.
Tahajjud (or Qiyaam al-Layl) is a highly recommended Sunnah. Many texts from the Qur’an and Sunnah encourage this prayer and speak of its high status and great reward. Tahajjud plays a great role in strengthening one’s faith and helps in performing good deeds.
Allah says (Qur’an 73:1-6) – “O you who are wrapped in robes (i.e. Prophet Muhammad)! Stand (to pray) all night except a little. Half or slightly less than that. Or a little more. And recite the Qur’an (aloud) in a slow, (pleasant tone and) style. Verily, We will send down to you a weighty word (i.e. obligations, laws). Verily, getting up at night (for the Tahajjud prayer) is very hard and the most powerful and good for governing oneself and the most suitable for (understanding) the Word (of Allah).”
The Prophet (PBUH) said,
“Whoever spends his nights in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” ~Nasai 22/107
In another narration, The Prophet (PBUH) said,
“Our Lord, the Blessed, the Exalted, descends every night on the nearest Heaven to us, when the last third of the night remains, saying: “Is there anyone who calls upon Me, that I may answer the invocation? Is there anyone who asks Me that I may grant his request? Is there anyone who seeks My forgiveness so that I can forgive him?” ~ Bukhari 19/26, Tirmidhi 2/299
So praying at night, especially the last part of the night, is the most virtuous, because it is the time when the prayers are accepted by Allah. One can pray 2 to 13 rakats, (including Witr).
The 12 optional prayers before/after each obligatory prayer
The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Whoever prays twelve rakah during the day and night will have a house built for him in Paradise: 4 rakah before Dhuhr and 2 after it; 2 rakah after Maghrib; 2 rakah after Isha; and 2 rakah for Fajr.” ~ Tirmidhi 415
The Prophet (PBUH) said: “A house in paradise will be built for every Muslim who offers 12 rakah of optional prayer other than the obligatory prayer, both day and night, to seek the pleasure of Allah.” ~Muslim.
It is narrated that The Prophet (PBUH) never failed to pray four rakah for Dhuhr and two rakah for Fajr under any circumstances. The Prophet (PBUH) said about the two rakahs for the obligatory Fajr prayer: “They are dearer to me than the whole world.” ~ Muslim
Duha (Morning prayer)
Abu Huraira (ra) said: “My friend [The Prophet (PBUH)] advised me to observe three things: to fast 3 days of every month, to pray 2 rakahs of Duha (every day), and to pray Witr before going to sleep.” ~ Bukhari 30/88
The Prophet (PBUH) said: “In the morning, charity is due from every bone in the body of each of you. Any expression of Allah’s glorification is an act of charity. Every expression of praise to Him is an act of charity, every expression of confession of His Oneness is an act of charity, every expression of confession of His Greatness is an act of charity, commanding good is an act of charity, forbidding what is indecent is an act of charity, and two rak’ahs prayed in the forenoon (Duha) are sufficient.” ~ Muslim 6/101
A minimum of two rakat is prescribed for Duha. However, no maximum is prescribed. In some narrations, scholars have set a maximum at 8. One can pray as much as one wants. The recommended time is when a quarter of the day has passed (mid-sunrise) and the sun has reached its zenith (before zawal).
The other name of Duha prayer is Salat al-Ishraaq. It is so called because it is done immediately after sunrise (shurooq), i.e. 20 minutes after sunrise. So in short, Ishraaq prayer is Duha prayer done at the beginning of its time. It is mustahab (recommended) to stay in the masjid after the Fajr prayer until the sun rises, because this is what the Prophet (PBUH) and his companions did, and because there is great reward in it. Sahih Muslim (670) narrated that when the Prophet (PBUH) had prayed the Fajr prayer, he would sit in his place of prayer until the sun had properly risen.
Tahiyyat-ul-Masjid (Prayer after entering the masjid)
Tahiyyat-ul-Masjid is a prayer in which 2 nafl rakat is performed the moment one enters the mosque.
The Messenger said: “If any of you enters a masjid, he should pray two rakat before sitting down.” ~ Dawud 2/77
Salat al-Witr (last prayer with odd rakat prayed at night)
This prayer contains an odd nummer of rakat. The Prophet (PBUH) used to pray Witr as 1 rakah, and 3, and 5, and 7, and 9. Praying Witr prayer anytime after Isha and before Fajr is highly recommended. One should make Witr the last prayer at night, because The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Make Witr the last salah at night.” ~ Bukhari and Muslim.
The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Perform Witr before the dawn.” ~ Muslim 754
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “O people of the Qur’an, pray Witr, for Allah is One and loves that which is numbered odd.” ~ Abu Dawood 1416
The Sunnah indicates that if a person thinks that he will be able to get up at the end of the night (Tahajjud), it is better to postpone it, because prayer at the end of the night is better and is witnessed by the angels. But whoever fears that he will not get up at the end of the night should pray Witr before going to sleep, because of the hadith of Jaabir (ra) who said:
The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Whoever fears that he will not get up at the end of the night, let him pray Witr at the beginning of the night, but whoever thinks he will be able to get up at the end of the night, let him pray Witr at the end of the night, for the prayer at the end of the night is seen (by the angels) and that is better.” ~ Muslim 755.
With the above hadith it is advised that one should ideally pray Witr in Tahajjud. However, if one thinks that he will not be able to get up, then his Witr should be the last prayer after the Isha salah.
Salat at-Tahiyatul Wudu (Nafl prayer after performing Wudu)
After performing wudu, one should pray 2 rakat nafl, known as Tahiyyat al-Wudu. Several hadith have mentioned the blessings and benefit of doing this. For example:
“There is no Muslim who performs wudu and does it well and then stands and performs 2 units of prayer with devotion of heart and mind in the two of them, except that Paradise is guaranteed for him” ~ Muslim 288
The time of the Fajr prayer, the Prophet (Pbuh) asked Bilal (ra):
“Tell me about the best deed you did after embracing Islam, for I heard your footsteps before me in Paradise.” Bilal replied, “I have done nothing worth mentioning except that whenever I performed ablution during the day or at night, after that ablution I would pray as much as I was commanded to do. ~ Bukhari 19/30
Conclusion
Performing these prayers regularly, in addition to the obligatory Fardh prayers, ensures one’s place in Jannah, Allah willing. That is because if a Muslim sincerely performs 5 obligatory prayers AND the voluntary prayers mentioned above, he is likely to refrain from other haram or forbidden acts that begrudge Allah. Additionally, on the day of Qiyamah if the obligatory prayers were not perfect, Allah will ask the Angels to check if the believer has an optional prayer that will complete the obligatory prayers.
Other optional prayers performed on an as-needed basis (not daily)
There are other non-obligatory prayers like those mentioned below. However, these are not prayed daily. These prayers are based on need, given the situation you are in:
Salat al-Istikhara – Prayer to help you make important decisions in your life
Salat al-Taubah – Prayer for repentance from sins
Salat al-Taraweeh – Prayer in Ramadan after the Isha salah
Salat al Janazah – Funeral prayer which is almost obligatory for a Muslim
Salat for the journey