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:

assalam alakum

dear brother

according to islam about sunnah in salat i need full information

for example iam from afghanistan in zuhar salah we first pray four rakat sunnah then four raka farz and then two raka sunna

but my main question is if iam musafer what should i do

or i reached jamayat when it is prayiny i can pray sunna what should i do after jumayat i should pray the remaning sunna or the one before

wasalam

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Answer:

Nafl and 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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

First and foremost brother, allow us to clarify the different types of prayers: Fard, Nafl, and Sunnah:

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 extra 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 Statements: …..for example iam from afghanistan in zuhar salah we first pray four rakat sunnah then four raka farz and then two raka sunna ……

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzab verse 21:

There is indeed the best example for you to follow in the Messenger of Allah, for every such person looks forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.

Dear and beloved Brother, it is not what people practice in a particular region like Afghanistan do which constitutes a ‘Sunnah’….but ‘Sunnah’ is what the Messenger of Allah (saws) did…..and Allah Subhanah has made it incumbent upon the believers who sincerely believe in Allah and the Last Day to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws)!

Your Question: ….according to islam about sunnah in salat i need full information

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 supererogatory 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 supererogatory 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.

Thus the ‘Sunnah Muaqqeda’ or supererogatory prayers which the Prophet (saws) almost always offered along with his ‘fard’ or obligatory prayers constitute a total of twelve-rakahs as follows:

Fajr: two rakahs before the fard.

Dhuhr: four rakahs before the fard, and two rakahs after.

Asr: none

Magrib: two rakahs after the fard.

Isha: two rakahs after the fard.

Your Question: …..i reached jamayat when it is prayiny i can pray sunna what should i do after jumayat i should pray the remaning sunna or the one before

If one enters a masjid and a congregation prayer is already in process, it would not be permissible for one to offer any type of prayer alone by themselves…..but they should immediately join the congregation.

For example if one reaches the masjid at ‘Fajr’ or ‘Dhuhr’ time, and notices that the congregational ‘fard’ prayer has already started, one should immediately join the congregation and offer their ‘fard’ prayer along with the congregation.

After the completion of the congregation prayer, one may offer the ‘Sunnah’ prayers which they have missed due to their late arrival, if they wish to do so.

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