Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Mr. Burhan, Assalamualaikum;

My question is :-

There are 4 sunnah before farz in Zuhar prayer.  Some people offer in 2 rakats (2+2) each and some people offer all 4 at one prayer itself.

Which is correct?

2) I believe there are total 12 rakaths in Zohar. 4 Sunnah + 4 Farz + 2 Sunnah + 2 Nafil.  On Friday there is only 2 rakath farz making a total of 10 rakaths.  However, I now come across people with two different opinion. Some say that the balance 2 farz rakths on Friday is added with Sunnah and therefore the equation is 4 Sunnah + 2 Juma + 4 Sunnah + 2 Nafil = 12 rakaths but some people say that there is only 2 rakath Farz and the sawab for the balance 2 farz rakths is for hearing the Khuthba.

Please clarify.

3) Sahar (Imsak) is compulsary for any fasting?  I heard that Sahar is not compulsary for fasting in Ramadan (not a routine habbit but only in extreme

cases) however is a must for Nafil Fastings.  Is this true?

4)  You have answered in sevaral previous questions that Ghusul is the highest act of purifying body and after this ablution is not necessary.

However after ghusul, while changing clothes (towel), the eyes may Fall

on the private parts...... does this necessitate ablution?

Regards,

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Sunnah and Nafl prayers

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His  forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Firstly, please allow us to clarify the difference between Fard, Sunnah and Nafl prayers.

Fard prayers: These are the five obligatory prayers at their appointed times of the day. If one prays them, he will earn a huge reward from Allah Subhanah; and if one does not pray them, there will be a severe accounting and punishment.

Nafl prayers: These are the voluntary prayers. If one prays them, he will earn a huge reward from Allah Subhanah; and if one does not pray them, there is no sin.

Sunnah prayers: These are the Nafl or voluntary prayers which were prayed by the Messenger of Allah (saws), and thus they become his (saw’s) Sunnah for us. If one prays them, he will earn a huge reward from Allah Subhanah; and if one does not pray them, there is no sin. The most that can be said of one who does not pray the Sunnah prayers is that he lost a great opportunity to earn huge rewards from Allah Subhanah.

Your question:There are 4 sunnah before farz in Zuhar prayer.  Some people offer in 2 rakats (2+2) each and some people offer all 4 at one prayer itself.
Which is correct?

There are authentic narrations from the Messenger of Allah (saws) that he (saws) prayed the four rakah Nafl (Sunnah for us) prayers before Dhuhr prayer most times in a 2+2 combination, and at times in a four rakah combination with only one tasleem. Therefore, if one prays either way, 2+2 with two tasleems, or a 4 rakah with only one tasleem, both would be following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), and thus both would be correct and valid.

Your question:I believe there are total 12 rakaths in Zohar. 4 Sunnah + 4 Farz + 2 Sunnah + 2 Nafil.  On Friday there is only 2 rakath farz making a total of 10 rakaths.  However, I now come across people with two different
opinion. Some say that the balance 2 farz rakths on Friday is added with
Sunnah and therefore the equation is 4 Sunnah + 2 Juma + 4 Sunnah + 2
Nafil = 12 rakaths but some people say that there is only 2 rakath farz
and the sawab for the balance 2 farz rakths is for hearing the Khuthba.
Please clarify.

The Dhuhr prayers have only four obligatory rakahs in the ‘fard’ prayer. The Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) was that he used to pray four rakahs nafl before Dhuhr prayers, and two rakahs nafl after the Dhuhr prayers, which are his (saw’s) Sunnah for us. One may pray any number of nafl prayers one wishes after the Dhuhr prayers in two rakah combinations.

The day of Jumuaa or Friday is different.

Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "Whoever is to pray after the Jumu'ah, should pray four rak'at." (Related by Muslim, Abu Dawud, and at-Tirmidhi.)

Ibn 'Umar says: "The Prophet (saws) would pray two rak'at in his house on the day of Jumu'ah." (Related by Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi.)

Abu Dawud records from ibn 'Umar that when the Messenger of Allah (saws) prayed (the voluntary prayers after Jumuaa) in the mosque, he would pray four rak'at, and when he (saws) prayed in his house, he would pray two rak'at.

Because the Messenger of Allah (saws) used to give the Friday sermon as soon as he entered the mosque, he used to pray a two rakah voluntary prayer at home before he came to the mosque. The way of the noble companions of the Messenger of Allah (saws) was that they used to pray two rakahs ‘tahiyatul-masjid’ as soon as they entered the mosque on Friday, and pray any number of Nafl or voluntary prayers (mostly four rakah in a 2+2) combination. Then they would listen to the Friday sermon, and after the Jumuaa prayers, they would pray a further four rakahs voluntary prayer.

One must understand that there is no fixed number of rakahs while praying voluntary or nafl prayers, as these are extra prayers, and one may pray any number one wishes to pray. The Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) on a Friday was that he would pray two rakah voluntary prayers at home, then lead the 2-rakah Jumuaa prayer, and then pray four rakah (2+2 or 4 with one tasleem) voluntary prayer if he prayed in the mosque or two rakah if he prayed in the house.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) did emphasize the importance of the two rakah ‘tahiyatul-masjid’ prayer as soon as one entered the mosque, even if one enters in the middle of the Friday sermon.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.52 Narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah

A person entered the mosque while the Prophet (saws) was delivering the Khutba on a Friday. The Prophet (saws) said to him, "Have you prayed?" The man replied in the negative. The Prophet (saws) said, "Get up and pray two Rakat."

Your question:Sahar (Imsak) is compulsary for any fasting?  I heard that Sahar is not compulsary for fasting in Ramadan (not a routine habbit but only in extreme cases) however is a must for Nafil Fastings.  Is this true?

Suhoor or taking a meal before dawn on the days of fasting is not obligatory. It is a Sunnah or voluntary act, and the Messenger of Allah (saws) himself used to take a meal before he began his obligatory or voluntary fasts, and guided the believers to do the same.

It is narrated by Hadrat Anas bin Malik (r.a.) that the Prophet (saws) said, "Take Suhur, as there is a blessing in it."

The taking of ‘suhoor’ or pre-dawn meal for fasting is a Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), and he recommended and urged the believers to eat and drink something before the fast begins. It would make the fast easy for the believer and he(saws) said that Allah has put a blessing in this meal.

It is a preferred Sunnah, but not obligatory or compulsory. If one does not take the ‘suhur’ and intends to fast, his fast will be valid.

If for whatever reason, one does not like to get up and eat a full meal, it is preferred that he get up just before dawn and eat something (even one date) and/or a gulp of water… so that he may be able to get the blessings of the ‘suhur’.

Your question: You have answered in sevaral previous questions that Ghusul is the highest act of purifying body and after this ablution is not necessary.
However after ghusul, while changing clothes (towel), the eyes may fall
on the private parts...... does this necessitate ablution?

The acts that invalidate wudu are:

1. answering the call of nature,
2. releasing wind,
3. sleeping, and
4. sexual emissions.

Looking at one’s private parts does not constitute breaking the presence of wudu; thus if one who is in a state of wudu happens to look at his private parts, his wudu will be considered valid and he does not need to redo his wudu to attend prayer.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan