477. Difference Between Fardh, Waajib, Sunnah And Nafl

By Asma bint Shameem 

Basically our ibaadaat are divided into TWO categories:

1. Obligatory ibaadaat

These are also called FARDH.  

It is compulsory that we carry out these obligatory acts; otherwise we will be sinful.

And of course if we do them, we get rewarded for doing them. 

2. Non-obligatory ibaadaat.

These are the VOLUNTARY ibaadaat and they’re also called Nafl ibaadaat. 

If we do these acts of voluntary ibaadaat, we get rewarded for doing them but if we don’t do them, we are *not* sinful. 

So our ibaadaat are either:

1.  Fardh which means ‘Obligatory’

2. Nafl which means ‘voluntary’

Now, FROM the voluntary or NAFL ibaadaat, there were certain ibaadaat that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam PREFERRED over others. 

And he LOVED to do these Nafl ibaadaat a lot. 

These are called SUNNAH. 

So Sunnah ibaadaat are in reality a kind of NAFL ibaadah. 

AND not only that, but FROM the SUNNAH there are certain ibaadaat that the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam did very REGULARLY and did not give them up EVEN THOUGH, he knew very well that they were NOT FARDH. 

These are called “Sunnah 

al-Mu’akkadah”.

Example: the two Sunnah before Fajr. 

Or the Sunnah after Maghrib. 

And those acts of NAFL ibaadaat that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam did only SOME times and did NOT do at other times are the non Mu’kkadah Sunnah.  (Ghair Mu’akkadah)

Example: the four Sunnah before Asr.

Or the Sunnah before Ishaa. 

*But then what is Wajib ?*

The majority of the ulama say that there’s NO DIFFERENCE between fardh and wajib. And BOTH mean the same thing; both imply ‘obligation’. 

The Hanafis think there’s a slight difference between fardh and wajib. 

To them, fardh is of an obligation of a higher degree while wajib is also an obligation but of a lesser degree. 

“The companions of Abu Haneefah claimed that fardh is that which is proven to be obligatory on the basis of definitive evidence, and waajib is that which is proven to be obligatory on the basis of ambiguous evidence.” 

(Qawaati‘ al-Adillah fi’l-Usool (1/131)

However ALL the ulama including the Hanafis, agree that if we don’t do an act that’s wajib, then we’re sinful and if we do it, we’re rewarded. 

So basically, the difference is really of ‘wording’ and nothing more. 

May Allaah enable us to love ALL ibaadaat and perform the obligatory AND the Nafl as much as possible. Ameen. 

And Allaah knows best