By Asma bint Shameem
The Sunnah prayers associated with the five daily prayers are something “mustahabb” or recommended.
Reading these “Sunnan ar-Rawaatib” is a beautiful act of ibaadah for which you will be rewarded and it is highly encouraged to read these Sunnan.
If you don’t read these Sunnah prayers, you’re *not sinful* but you’re missing out on a LOT of goodness and rewards.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“There is no Muslim slave who prays twelve rak‘ahs to Allaah each day, voluntarily, apart from the obligatory prayers, but Allah will build for him a house in Paradise.”
(Muslim)
The hadeeth is referring to the twelve Sunnah associated with the five daily prayers.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam also said:
"Allaah will build a house in Heaven for whoever is diligent in observing 12 Sunnah Rak'aat (They are): 4 Rak'aat before and 2 after the Dhuhr Prayer, 2 after the Maghrib, 2 after the ‘Ishaa Prayer and 2 before the Fajr prayer.”
( at-Tirmidhi - saheeh by al-Albaani)
These Sunnah are actually for our OWN GOOD.
The best deeds after the faraa’idh or obligatory deeds are the voluntary deeds or Nafl ibaadaat.
Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala says in a hadeeth Qudsi:
“My slave does not draw closer to Me by anything more beloved to Me than that which I have made obligatory upon him, and My slave continues to draw closer to Me by doing naafil (supererogatory) deeds until I love him....” (al-Bukhaari )
Also these voluntary prayers act as a ‘buffer’ or ‘cushion’ for our fardh Salaah.
When Allaah will look at our deeds on the Day of Judgment, these Sunnah prayers will fill any ‘gaps’ or shortcomings that we may have in our obligatory duties.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“The first thing among their deeds for which the people will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be prayer.
Our Lord will say to His angels, although He knows best, ‘Look at My slave’s (obligatory) prayer, is it complete or lacking?’
If it is complete, it will be recorded as complete, but if it is lacking, He will say, ‘Look and see whether my slave did any VOLUNTARY (naafil) prayers.’
*If he had done voluntary prayers, He will say, ‘Complete the obligatory prayers of My slave from his voluntary prayers.’*
Then the rest of his deeds will be examined in a similar manner.”
(Abu Dawood - saheeh by al-Albaani)
Shaikh Saleh al-Munajjid said:
“the one who neglects a mustahabb Sunnah will not be punished, but he is missing out on a great reward and the chance to make up any shortfall in his obligations (waajibaat), because on the Day of Resurrection, any shortfall in his obligations will be made up from his Sunnah actions, if he has any to his credit.
Doing Sunnah actions is also a means of maintaining the practice of waajib actions.”
As for the Sunnah of Fajr, the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
‘The two rak’aat Sunnah of Fajr prayer are BETTER than the Dunyaa and everything that is in it.” ( Muslim)
And he said:
“They are *more beloved to me* than the Dunyaa and everything that is in it.” (Muslim)
And for the Sunnah of Dhuhr, the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“Whoever, observes the practice of offering four rak’ahs before Duhr prayer and four rak’ahs after it. Allaah will shield him against the fire of hell.” (Abu Dawood and At-Tirmithi- saheeh by al-Albaani)
For the Sunnah before Asr, the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
"May Allaah have mercy on one who prays 4 raka’aat before the ‘Asr Prayer." (at-Tirmidhi- hasan by al-Albaani)
For the two Sunnah before Maghrib, the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“Pray before maghrib, pray before maghrib, pray before maghrib for whoever wills”(al-Bukhaari, Muslim)
And the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“Between each two calls (the adhaan and iqaamah) there should be a prayer, between each two calls there should be a prayer, between each two calls there should be a prayer” – and the third time he said, “for whoever wishes.” (al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
Praying these Sunnah prayers makes such a big difference in our record of good deeds that it’s beyond comprehension.
Just look at the difference that these prayers make in just one year...
the difference between those who pray the Sunnah associated with the five daily prayers and those who do not pray them is 4320 rak’aat!
That’s because each day we pray 12 Sunnah Mu’akkadah.
Multiply 12 X 365= 4320
And the difference between the one who prays witr daily, even if it’s just one rak’ah.. and those who do not pray it... is (365) rakahs and if they read 3 rak’aat of witr daily, it makes a difference of 1080 rak’aat!
And the difference between the one who prays two rak’aat of Duhaa prayer daily and those who don’t pray them is 720 rak’aat.
If we add the non Mu’akkadah Sunnah to this number, it comes to 7920 rak’aat!
If you add 3 witr to it, it becomes 9000!
Subhaan Allaah!
What a huge difference!
And just think about this...
for every rak’ah there are two sajdahs... which means two levels are raised in jannah in ever rak’ah...
The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
“You should prostrate to Allaah a great deal, for you will not perform one prostration to Allaah but Allaah will raise you one degree in status thereby and erase one sin for you.”
[Muslim (488)]
And Rabee‘ah ibn Ka‘b radhi Allaahu anhu said:
“I used to stay overnight with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and bring him water for wudoo’ and whatever he needed.
He said to me:
“Ask.”
I said:
I ask to be with you in Paradise. He said: “Is there anything else?”
I said:
That is all.
He said:
“Help me to do that for you by prostrating a great deal.” [Muslim (489)]
So my recommendation would be to pray the Sunnah as much as possible.
We can never really estimate the importance and the impact these Sunnah prayers have on our records of good deeds.
We’ll never achieve that if we are just lazy or negligent and indifferent in praying them.
May Allaah give us the understanding of the importance of the Sunnah prayers and the LOVE and tawfeeq to perform them regularly. Ameen.
And Allaah knows best
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