Nafil = Voluntary......or obligatory?

[ShahnazZ]

:salam2: I hope you're all in the best state of health and iman.

I have a question about nafil prayers and it's something that's been crossing my mind quite frequently these days.

Fard - obligatory
Sunnah - based on the Prophet's (SAW) own actions
Nafil - VOLUNTARY

Okay.

These are the basics. Every madhab varies in the number of nafil and Sunnah prayers completed but the Fard is the same. Now, since Pakistan is a state mostly following the Hanafi madhab and my parents are Pakistani, I was raised to always pray nawafil as well to the point that it's become an obligatory habit. However, after practicing the TRUE Islam minus the cultural influences, my current concern focuses on the implementation of Nafil salat.

My question is this: If nafil prayers are voluntary, then is it okay to pray them as if they're obligatory? For example, my Arab friend prays Isha the following way: 4 raka'ats of Sunnah, 4 of Fard, 2 of Sunnah and then Witr. Whereas I was raised to pray Isha in the following way: 4 raka'ats of Sunnah, 4 of Fard, 2 of Sunnah, 2 of Nafil, Witr, and then 2 more Nafil. Growing up, if I ever missed the Nawafil or was too tired to pray it, I would be reprimanded as if I missed a Fard prayer.

I know there's nothing wrong with praying Nawafil and I hope to keep doing so inshAllah. But I don't want to implement something into the deen that wasn't there before and if Nafil is voluntary then it shouldn't be implemented as if it's obligatory.

The great scholar Abdur-Rahmaan ibn 'Amr Al-Awzaa'ee stated that: "Practice Sunnah with patience: Stop where the companions had stopped, say as they had said and abstain from what they had abstained from. What was sufficient for them, can be sufficient for you."

I hope no one's confused by what I'm asking. I have no problem with nafil. But I do have a problem with biddah. And what I'm asking is if fixing a pattern of a particular number of nawafil in our salawat constitutes as some type of biddah. If the Prophet SAW had prayed these nawafil prayers, then wouldn't they be considered Sunnah prayers? And if not, then why are we fixing patterns of Nawafil prayers in Salat if he didn't do it?

If anyone needs clarification please let me know. I'm starting to confuse myself. :shymuslima1:

 

[revert2007]

Assalamualikum Sister.

Many people are confused regarding sunnah prayers.I would like to elaborate further with these terms-Fard,Sunnah Muakkadah ,Sunnah Ghair Muakkadah,Nawafil, and Wajib

Fard :

Obligatory and every Muslim should perform it.The five daily prayers are obligatory-Fajr,Dhur,Asr,Maghrib and Ishaa

Sunnah Muakkadah :

It is an act that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, always used to do. These rakats must be offered. (However if missed, there is no makeup or qada for it).
Sunnah Ghair Muakkadah :

It is an act that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to leave sometimes without any reason. These are not obligatory.
Nawafil :

Voluntary prayer such as salat ad-duha ,tahajjud,qiam al lail
Below are the sunnah prayers

Fajr/Subh:

2 Sunnah Muakkadah
2 Fard

Zuhr/Dhur:

4 Sunnah Muakkadah
4 Fard
2 Sunnah Muakkadah
2 Nawafil

Asr:

4 Sunnah Ghair Muakkadah
4 Fard

Maghrib:

3 Fard
2 Sunnah Muakkadah
2 Nawafil

Isha:

4 Sunnah Ghair Muakkadah
4 Fard
2 Sunnah Muakkadah
2 Nawafil
3 Witr

The Prophet Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam usually prayed 12 rakaat of sunnah prayers.

Concerning their virtue, it was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays twelve rak’ahs during the night and day, a house will be built for him in Paradise: four before Zuhr and two after, two rak’ahs after Maghrib, two rak’ahs after ‘Isha’ and two rak’ahs before Fajr prayer.”



Allah knows the best.

Assalamualikum

source

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[Kakorot]

I haven't heard of any proof for two nawafil after dhur, maghrib and 'isha, only the two sunan.

 

[revert2007]

I haven't heard of any proof for two nawafil after dhur, maghrib and 'isha, only the two sunan.

Me too.I was adviced to do the 12 sunnah and if I wish to do nawafil,it is better to do as night prayers.you can do as much as you want at night ..When i was in malaysia..there are people who perform this nawafil prayers besides 12 sunnah.

Allah knows the best

 

[Seeking Allah's Mercy]

:salam2:wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu....

as far as i kno their is no time limit that has to be followed for nawafil.they can be prayed anytime and in any quantity and for any reason.e.g i pray two rakat nafal with almost every prayer.

nothing happens if we miss them.

i have a Q though,i heard that some of these nawafil that we pray may be considered to fill the spaces of the obligatory prayers we have missed.how true is that??

 

[sarahlou]

ALAHMDULILLAH! I was wondering the same thing and I was kinda confused. JazakAllah Kahir.

 

[ShahnazZ]

JazakAllah for the responses. However the question isn't about Sunnah prayers, it's about Nafil.

 

[revert2007]

Assalamualikum.
nafl or supererogatory Prayer consist the below.The names might be different but they are all considered as nafl prayer

• Duha prayer(sun rise prayer)
• Salat al-Awwabin (prayer of the Oft-Returning)
• Salat al-Fath (victory prayer)
• Tahiyat al-Masjid (Greeting of the Mosque)
• tahajud(if you sleep and wake up at late night for prayer)
• qiyamulai(if you did not sleep and pray at late night)

The names are different yet they are all under one category which means supererogatory prayers.

You might come across other names but some are considered bi'da.So becareful with what prayer you are performing.

To play safe,these are the prayers we know as listed and if you intended to pray more,just pray as tashahud or qiyamulai.The prophet pbuh used to pray night prayers till the fajr time comes.

I do not want to go further in detail by knowing all the names of prayers.Some are bi'da.Take slow steps.Always refer the hadith if these prayers was performed by the prophet pbuh

Allah knows the best.

 

[ShahnazZ]

JazakAllah khair for the responses....but I'm still confused. Before I always used to pray nawafil in my salawat. Now, after seeing how it's not mandatory, I only do it sometimes. Is this the way it should be or should I always pray the nawafil?

 

[Aapa]

Assalaam walaikum,

Salat is offered from the heart. We offer salat out of Love. We are given the mandatory salats and their times. This is, yet, another blessing from Allah subhana talla. However, when our hearts are so full of love, remorse, fear and needing..we make salat. We call upon Him. Thus there is no obligation..but the repentent heart understands the obligation.