There are five obligatory
prayers in Islam that is, Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha, in which they
differ in rakats. It is important to know the number of rakats of the prayer performing
or else it will regard as invalid.
1.
Fajr Prayer.
2 rakats sunnat Mu’akkaadah,
2 Rakats Fard (obligatory).
2.
Zuhr Prayer
2 or 4 rakats sunnat
Mu’akkadah, 4 rakats fard, 2 rakats sunnat Mu’akkadah and an unspecified number
of nafl as time and capacity allows.
Ibn Umar (R.A) said “I
prayed alone with Allah’s Messenger (S.A.W.) 2 rakats before and 2 rakats after
the Zuhr prayer.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
It is a familiar practice tooffer 4 rakats sunnat before Zuhr prayer, but this Hadith proves that 2 rakats
sunnat before the Zuhr prayer is also allowed.
3.
Asr Prayer
2 or 4 rakats sunnat ghair
Mu’akkada, 4 rakats fard. Ali (R.A) said “Allah’s Messenger (S.A.W.) used to
pray 4 rakats before Asr prayer separating them with a salutations….” (Tirmidhi)
Another Hadith narrated by
Ali (R.A) says, “Allah’s Messenger (S.A.W) used to pray rakats before Asr
prayer.” (Abu Dawood)
4.
Maghrib Prayer.
2 rakats nafl, 3 rakats
fard, 2 rakats sunnat Mu’akkadah and an unspecified number of nafl as time and
capacity allows.
Abdullah bin Mughaffal
reported the Prophet (S.A.W.) as saying “Pray before the Maghrib prayer”,
adding when saying it the third time. “This applies to those who wish to do
so.” (Bukhari & Muslim)
That was because he did not
wish people to treat it as a compulsory sunnat.
2 rakats nafl after the
sunset and before the maghrib prayer allowed for those who wish to do so. For
this above Hadith is a sure proof. However, some people forbid this and others
find it very strange if they see a person offer 2 rakats nafl before Maghrib.
5.
Isha Prayer.
An unspecified number of
nafl rakats according to the time and capacity, 4 rakats fard, 2 rakats sunnat
Mu’akkadah, unspecified number of nafl as time and capacity allows and 3 witr.
Some people insist very emphatically
upon the offering of 4 rakats optional sunnat before the isha prayer but during
our entire research we could not find a single proof, any practice or order
from the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) or his companions to justify this claim.
Certainly it is allowed to pray nafl while waiting for Jama’at.
Some people offer 2 rakats
nafl after the witr prayer. However, there is an authentic Hadith which states
that the witr prayer should be offered after all the nafl which a person wishes
to pray have been offered.
Ibn Umar (R.A.) reported
that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) said “Make witr as the last prayer of your
night prayer.” (Mishkat)
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