- Nafl salat
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jurisprudence
(Fiqh)PoliticalEtiquetteIslamic studies Nafilah salah (Arabic: صلاة نفل) is a type of optional salah in Islam. Like Sunnah salat, they are not considered obligatory but are thought to confer extra benefit on the person performing them. For example, offering Duha prayers.
Contents
Ishraq prayer
The time for the Ishraq prayer begins ten to twenty minutes after sunrise and consists of two Raka'ahs.[citation needed] Praying ishraq is considered to yield greater rewards than performing the lesser Jihad according to some traditions.[1]“According to majority of scholars of Hadith and Fiqh, Duha Prayer, Al-Ishraq Prayer, and Al-Awwabin Prayer are all names of the same salah (ritual Prayer). It is a recommended Prayer without any fixed number of raka'ahs, and its time proper starts a little after sun rise (approximately fifteen minutes after sunrise) and extends up to the time of the declining of the sun from the meridian. The above view of the majority of scholars and jurists[who?] is based on the fact that there is no reason to make a distinction in the sources.
A minority of scholars[who?], however, have made a distinction between Al-Ishraq Prayer and Duha Prayer. According to them, Al-Ishraq Prayer is done after sun rise (around fifteen minutes after) while Duha Prayer is done much later.
There is no doubt that the first view is more authentic and more in conformity with the close study of the hadiths in this respect. Anyway, one must never make an issue out of this controversy, for, after all, it is an optional Prayer. Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim has cited the various views about the importance of this Prayer. Some say[who?] that one should not exaggerate its importance, and therefore do it only sparingly and not consistently, while others insist that it should be performed consistently. In other words, there is nothing in the sources to make it obligatory or even comparable to Witr Prayer in importance.
The Prophet Muhammed is reported to have said, 'He who performs Fajr Salat with Jamaat and remains seated in the same place while engaging in Dhikr until after sunrise and thereafter performs 2 Rakaats Nafil Salat, (Ishraq), he will obtain the thawaab of one Hajj and one Umrah.' (Tirmidhi). In another hadith, Prophet Muhammed is reported to have said that Allah says, 'O son of Aadam, perform 4 Rakaats of Salat (Ishraq) in the early part of the day. It shall help you in accomplishing all your responsibilities during the rest of the day' (Mishkat).
As for the precise intention to be formulated while praying Duha Prayer or Al-Ishraq Prayer, or others, there is no hard and fast rule to follow. Since it is an optional Prayer, it is enough to say in one’s mind that one is praying nafl or sunnah of Duha or Ishraq. One may perform any number of raka`ahs from a minimum of two raka`ahs up to preferably eight raka`ahs.
Duha prayer
Duha prayer begins after sunrise and ends at meridian, and is generally thought to include at least two raka'ahs, though in some traditions the number is four or even twelve.[2][3][4][5][6] It is generally prayed when one-fourth of the day has passed.[citation needed] Performing this prayer is believed to be effective in seeking forgiveness for one's sins.[7]
The supererogatory morning prayer has been narrated from the Prophet, through paths that have reached mass-narration levels - from 19 to over 30 Companions - according to Imam al-Tabari, al-`Ayni in `Umdat al-Qari, al-Haytami, al-Munawi, and al-Qari in Sharh al-Shama'il, Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari, al-Kattani in Nazm al-Mutanathir, and as per the monographs compiled by al-Hakim and al-Suyuti as well as the recensions of Abu Zur`a al-`Iraqi in Tarh al-Tathrib, Ibn al-Qayyim in Zad al-Ma`ad, and al-Shawkani in Nayl al-Awtar. According to the vast majority of the Ulema of the Salaf and Khalaf it is a desirable and recommended prayer.
Names
The supererogatory morning prayer has many names. Among them:
- Salat al-Duha or Sibhat al-Duha - Sibha meaning a supererogatory prayer in general and Duha meaning morning, mid-morning, or late morning. This is the name that reoccurs the most in the narrations.
- Salat al-Awwabin - is the "prayer of the Oft-Returning" as specified by the Prophet for the late morning prayer when the sun is very hot.[8] The reason for this name is that one leaves dunya at that time to return to Allah Most High and makes up for the Night prayer that he missed. Hence Salat al-Duha is even more stressed for those who miss tahajjud and is its replacement.[9][10]
- Salat al-Ishraq - is the "sunrise prayer" or the prayer performed very shortly after sunrise.
- Salat al-Fath - is the "victory prayer" as it was established that the Prophet prayed it the morning he entered Makka (in al-Bukhari and Muslim) and this has become the Sunna of military leaders upon entering a newly-conquered region.
Tahiyat al-Masjid (Greeting of the Mosque)
Also called "masjidus salam", this is a highly recommended prayer consisting of two Raka'ahs and performed when first entering a mosque. It is considered to be a way of greeting the place of worship in order to draw nearer to Allah.[11]
Khawf
The word "Khawf" means fear. Khawf is a type of prayer that is prayed during time of fear. This prayer was performed by ProphetMuhammad in the Battle of Uhud. It is considered to be a substitute for normal prayers while on a battlefield.[12]
Summary
There are many more different types of Nafl Salat. So far, the ones listed are just the most common. The implication is, the more one does, the more reward he/she will be likely to get.
See also
References
- ^ Targhib p. 427. vol. I ref. Abu Yate ba Isnad-e-Sahib
- ^ Al-Sunan al-Sughra #1,659
- ^ Sahih Muslim #1,175
- ^ Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal #23,317
- ^ Sunan Ibn Majah #1,371
- ^ Mishkaat pg.116
- ^ Sunan al-Tirmidhi #438
- ^ Kanz al-Ummal #23437, 23461
- ^ Ibn al-Qayyim, Zad al-Ma`ad (1:356)
- ^ Itr, I`lam al-Anam Sharh Bulugh al-Maram, p. 628
- ^ Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar 'ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar, 1:456
- ^ Abu’l-Hasan Ahmad al-Quduri, "Mukhtasar al-Quduri"
Categories:- Salat
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