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:

Assalamualaikum;

Dear Brother My question is

The Namaz Sunnah like

Fajir : 2 Rakat (before Farz)

Zohar : 4 Rakat (before Farz) & 2 Rakat (after Farz)

Maghrib : 2 Rakat (after Farz)

Isha : 2 Rakat (after Farz)

These are the Sunnat Mo-ak-keda or not,,

The sunnat before Farz, if we couldn't perform due to Aqamat start, so it is necessary to perform after Farz?

And Namaz "Tahay-yutul-Masjid" is Sunnat Mo-Ak-Keda ?

Plz answer my question

Jazakallah

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Answer:

Sunnah fard nafl

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 none 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 or non-obligatory 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.

Amongst the Sunnah prayers offered by the Prophet (saws), the scholars of Jurisprudence have divided them into two categories:

1. Sunnah Muaqqeda
2. Sunnah Ghayr-Muaqqeda

Ref: Sunnah Muaqqeda: The term ‘Muaqqeda’ itself means something which is stressed or emphasized. The non-obligatory prayers which were constantly stressed and emphasized by the Messenger of Allah (saws) by his acts or his words like the two rakahs before Fajr, four rakahs before and two rakahs after Dhuhr, two rakahs after Magrib, two rakahs after Isha, the witr prayers, etc. are known as Sunnah Muaqqeda or non-obligatory prayers which were almost always offered by the Prophet (saws).

Ref: Sunnah Ghayr-Muaqqeda: The non-obligatory prayers which were sometimes offered by the Prophet (saws) like two rakahs before Asr, or two rakahs before Magrib, etc. are termed as Sunnah Ghayr-Muaqqeda.

Your Question: The sunnat before Farz, if we couldn't perform due to Aqamat start, so it is necessary to perform after Farz?

The only prayers which are necessary and prescribed as a duty unto the believers are the five obligatory prayers of the day and night….all the other prayers would be considered supererogatory and voluntary.

If perchance one misses a voluntary Sunnah prayer, regardless of whether it is ‘Muaqqeda’ or ‘Ghayr-Muaqqeda’, it would be best and preferred that one strive to offer it after the obligatory prayer. Because the Sunnah prayers are not obligatory, if for any reason one does not offer them, there is no sin. The most that can be said of one who does not offer the Sunnah prayers is that he lost a great opportunity to earn huge rewards from Allah Subhanah.

Your Question: And Namaz "Tahay-yutul-Masjid" is Sunnat Mo-Ak-Keda ?

Al-Muwatta Hadith 9.60

Yahya related from Malik, from Amir ibn Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr, from Amr ibn Sulaymaz-Zuraqi, from Abu Qatadaal-Ansari that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "Whenever you enter the masjid, you should pray two rakahs before you sit down."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.52 Narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah

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

As much as the two-rakah ‘tahiyat-ul-masjid’ prayers were encouraged by the Messenger of Allah (saws), the absolute majority of the scholars and jurists in Islam have not included the ‘tahiyat-ul-masjid’ prayers amongst the ‘Sunnah Muaqqeda’ prayers….the ‘tahiyat-ul-masjid’ prayers are considered as ‘Sunnah Ghayr-Muaqqeda’ prayers in Islamic Jurisprudence.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan