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 Brother Burhan .....Salam Alaikum ...

Hope u r doing well ...My question is about salat Sunna ( Extra prayers ) Is it true there is no 4 sunna in shariya ? its only 2 ...? I was told by someone that there is no 4 sunna in Shariya only 2 because I was told there are 4 sunna after Dhaher fardh pray . please clearify it and reply me.

Your`s truly

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Answer:

Sunnah 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.

Any ‘Nafl’ or voluntary prayer offered by the Prophet (saws) are known as Sunnah prayers. The Prophet (saws) offered these ‘nafl’ prayers on a regular basis, which are known in Fiqh as Sunnah Muakkedah:

1. Two rakahs before the obligatory Fajr prayers
2. Four rakahs before the obligatory Dhuhr prayers
3. Two rakahs after the obligatory Dhuhr prayers
4. Two rakahs after the obligatory Magrib prayers
5. Two rakahs after the obligatory Isha prayers

Your Question: Is it true there is no 4 sunna in shariya ? its only 2 ...? I was told by someone that there is no 4 sunna in Shariya only 2 because I was told there are 4 sunna after Dhaher fardh pray .

The Messenger of Allah (saws) would indeed observe four rakahs of voluntary prayer before (not after) the obligatory Dhuhr prayer and only two-rakahs after Dhuhr; thus the prayer of four rakahs of voluntary prayer before and two-rakahs after the obligatory Dhuhr prayer are considered as amongst the Sunnah Muakkedah.

The general practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws) was that he would offer his voluntary prayer in a two-rakah combination with a tashahud and tasleems at the end of each two-rakah prayer. But there are authentic records that at times the Messenger of Allah (saws) did offer four-rakahs (and even eight or ten rakahs) at one time with only one tashahud and tasleems at the end of the prayer.

Although it is best to follow the general practice of the Prophet (saws) and offer the voluntary or supererogatory prayers in a two-rakah combination, if one wishes for any reason to offer all the four-rakahs together with only one tashahud at the end, there is absolutely no harm as that too is amongst the recorded and authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

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