Special Prayers

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever prays twelve Rak'ahs in a day and night, a house will be built for him in Paradise” (Muslim). Umm Habibah's report lists them as:

• Two before Fajr — “better than the world and all in it” (Muslim).
• Four before Dhuhr (two and two) and two after.
• Two after Maghrib.
• Two after Isha.
• They are prayed at home when possible: “The best prayer of a person is in his house, except the obligatory” (Bukhari and Muslim).

Witr means “odd”: a closing prayer of the night, from after Isha until Fajr. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Make the last of your night prayer Witr” (Bukhari and Muslim). Tahajjud is the voluntary prayer after sleeping, best in the last third of the night, when Allah descends to the lowest heaven and asks who calls upon Him (Bukhari and Muslim). In Ramadan, the night prayer in congregation is called Taraweeh. Scholars differ on whether it is eight Rak'ahs with Witr (as in Aisha's report) or twenty (the practice in Umar's time); both are accepted. Witr is a strongly recommended Sunnah (Hanafis call it Wajib).

Prayed from when the sun has risen the height of a spear (about 15–20 minutes after sunrise) until shortly before it reaches its zenith. The least is two Rak'ahs, the usual is four, and up to eight. The Prophet ﷺ said that every day, each joint of the body owes charity, and two Rak'ahs of Duha are enough to fulfil it (Muslim). It is also called the prayer of the Awwabin (those who often return to Allah).

Two short Sunnah prayers that are easy to keep: “When one of you enters the mosque, let him not sit until he prays two Rak'ahs” (Bukhari and Muslim) — the Tahiyyat al-Masjid, prayed even when arriving during the sermon (Bukhari and Muslim). And after making Wudu, two Rak'ahs: the Prophet ﷺ told Bilal that he had heard his footsteps ahead of him in Paradise because he prayed two Rak'ahs after every Wudu (Bukhari and Muslim).

Obligatory on every adult, sane, resident Muslim man. Women, travellers and the sick are excused, but may attend (women who attend do not need to pray Dhuhr). It replaces Dhuhr and is prayed as two Rak'ahs after two sermons (khutbahs), in congregation. After the call, hasten to remembrance of Allah and leave trade (62:9). Listen to the sermon in silence: “If you say to your companion ‘Be quiet’ while the imam is speaking, you have spoken idly” (Bukhari and Muslim). Those excused pray Dhuhr as usual.

Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are each marked by a prayer of two Rak'ahs, in congregation, in an open place if possible, after sunrise and before noon, with no adhan or iqamah, and before the sermon. Extra Takbirs are said in each Rak'ah (seven and five in the majority view; three and three in the Hanafi view). Even women in menstruation attend the gathering, staying out of the prayer area (Bukhari and Muslim). On Eid al-Fitr eat some dates before going out; on Eid al-Adha eat after the prayer, from the sacrifice. Take one road there and another back. Say the Takbir from the eve of Eid:

When you face an important choice (marriage, a job, a journey) pray two voluntary Rak'ahs, then make this Dua. The Prophet ﷺ taught it to us as he taught the Quran (Bukhari). Afterwards, take the step that seems easiest, and trust that what happens is best. It is not about seeing a dream: it is asking for guidance, and combining it with consultation of trusted people (Shura). Name your need at the phrase “this matter”.

Allah eased prayer for the traveller: “When you travel in the land, there is no blame on you for shortening the prayer” (4:101). Shorten (Qasr) the four-Rak'ah prayers (Dhuhr, Asr, Isha) to two; Fajr and Maghrib stay as they are. The traveller may also combine (Jam') Dhuhr with Asr and Maghrib with Isha, at the time of either (Muslim). The travel begins when leaving the town; scholars differ on the minimum distance (commonly about 80 km) and on how many days of stay end the concession. A traveller praying behind a resident imam follows him fully.

Prayer never drops while a person is conscious. The Prophet ﷺ told Imran ibn Husayn: “Pray standing; if you cannot, then sitting; if you cannot, then on your side” (Bukhari). Bowing and prostration are done as far as possible; when not, one nods, with the prostration lower than the bow. If Wudu is harmful, Tayammum is allowed. If a person cannot keep track of time, they may combine prayers as allowed. Allah does not burden a soul beyond its ability (2:286).

Whoever sleeps through a prayer or forgets it, prays it as soon as they remember: “Whoever forgets a prayer or sleeps through it, let him pray it when he remembers” (Bukhari and Muslim). Leaving prayer deliberately is a grave matter: “Between a man and shirk and disbelief is abandoning the prayer” (Muslim). The one who did so must sincerely repent, resume the prayers, and, according to most scholars, make up the missed prayers; some scholars say repentance and regular prayer from now on suffice. Do not delay: make it up in order, as soon as possible.

When there is a solar or lunar eclipse, the Prophet ﷺ said: “The sun and moon are two signs of Allah… so when you see them, hurry to the remembrance of Allah, prayer, Dua and charity” (Bukhari and Muslim). The eclipse prayer (Salat al-Kusuf) is two Rak'ahs, each with long recitation and long bowing. In drought, the community prays Salat al-Istisqa: they go out humbly, make Dua and seek forgiveness, and pray two Rak'ahs, as the Prophet ﷺ did (Bukhari and Muslim).