The Book of Virtues

كتاب الفضائل

Chapter 24: Desirability of offering Nawfil (Voluntary or Optional) Prayers at Home

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him)reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When you have finished your (Fard) Salat (prayer) in the mosque, you should observe some of your (Sunnah and Nawafil) Salat at home; Allah will bless your homes because of your Salat (in your homes)."[Muslim]

'Umar bin 'Ata reported that Nafi' bin Jubair sent him to Sa'ib bin Ukht Namir to ask him about something that Mu'awiyah had seen him doing in Salat (prayer). He said

"Yes, I performed the Friday prayer along with him in the enclosure (Maqsurah), and when the Imam concluded the Salat with Taslim, I stood up in my place and performed the Sunnah prayer. When Mu'awiyah went home, he sent for me (and when I came) he said: "Never do again what you have done. When you have observed the Friday prayer, you must not start another Sunnah prayer till you have spoken to some one or have shifted your place; because the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered us not to follow up the congregational Salat with any other Salat until we have talked (to some one) or moved from the place."[Muslim].

Chapter 25: Witr Prayer, its Time and Ruling

'Ali (bin Abu Talib) (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Witr prayer is not obligatory as the prescribed Salat (prayers), but the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed it as his regular practice (Sunnah). He (ﷺ) said, "Allah is Witr (single, odd) and loves what is Witr. So perform Witr prayer. O followers of Qur'an, observe Witr (prayer)."[At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud].

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed Witr prayer in every part of night at the beginning, middle and at the last part. He (ﷺ), however, would finish his Witr prayer before dawn.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Make Witr prayer the last of your Salat at night."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Perform Witr prayer before dawn."[Muslim].

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to perform his voluntary prayer at night (i.e., Tahajjud prayer) while she was sleeping in front of him; and when the Witr prayer was yet to be observed, he would awaken her to perform her Witr prayer.[Muslim].

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Hasten to perform the Witr prayer before dawn."[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him)reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who apprehends that he may not get up in the later part of the night, should observe the Witr prayer in the first part of it; and he who is certain to get up in the last part of it, he should observe Witr at the end of the night, because Salat at the end of the night is attended (by the angels), and that is better."[Muslim].

Chapter 26: Merit of the (Optional) Duha (Forenoon) Prayer

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

My Khalil (the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)) directed me to fast three days of each month, and to observe two Rak'ah Duha (optional prayer) at forenoon, and to perform the Witr prayer before going to bed.[Al- Bukhari and Muslim].

Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him)reported

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "In the morning, charity is due on every joint bone of the body of everyone of you. Every utterance of Allah's Glorification (i.e., saying Subhan Allah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of His Praise (i.e., saying Al-hamdu lillah) is an act of charity and every utterance of declaration of His Greatness (i.e., saying La ilaha illAllah) is an act of charity; and enjoining M'aruf (good) is an act of charity, and forbidding Munkar (evil) is an act of charity, and two Rak'ah Duha prayers which one performs in the forenoon is equal to all this (in reward)."[Muslim].

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to perform four Rak'ah of Duha prayer (at the forenoon) and would add to them whatever Allah wished.[Muslim].

Umm Hani, daughter of Abu Talib (May Allah be pleased with her) reported

I went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the day of the conquest of Makkah. He was taking a bath at that time. When he finished the bath, he performed eight Rak'ah (of optional) prayers. This was during the Duha (forenoon).[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Chapter 27: Time for the Duha (Forenoon Optional) Prayer

Zaid bin Arqam (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

I saw some people performing Duha (prayers) in the early forenoon and warned them (saying): These people must know that performing Salat a little later is better. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The Salat of the penitent is to be observed when the young ones of camels feel the heat of the sun (i.e., when it becomes very hot)."[Muslim].

Chapter 28: Inducement to Perform Tahiyyat-ul-Masjid (Upon Entering the Mosque)

Abu Qatadah (May Allah be pleased with him)reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When anyone of you enters the mosque, he should perform two Rak'ah (of voluntary prayer) before sitting."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) when he was in the mosque, and he said to me, "Perform two Rak'ah prayer."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Chapter 29: The Excellence of Performing two Rak'ah of Voluntary Prayer after Ablution

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to Bilal (May Allah be pleased with him) "Tell me about the most hopeful act (i.e., one which you deem the most rewarding with Allah) you have done since your acceptance of Islam because I heard the sound of the steps of your shoes in front of me in Jannah." Bilal said: "I do not consider any act more hopeful than that whenever I make Wudu' (or took a bath) in an hour of night or day, I would immediately perform Salat (prayer) for as long as was destined for me to perform."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Chapter 30: The Excellence of Friday Prayer

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday. On that day Adam was created, he was admitted to Jannah, and he was expelled therefrom."[Muslim].

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If anyone performs Wudu' properly, then comes to the Friday prayer, listens to the Khutbah (religious talk) attentively and keeps silent, his (minor) sins between that Friday and the following Friday will be forgiven, with the addition of three more days; but he who touches pebbles has caused an interruption. "[Muslim].

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him)reported

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The five daily (prescribed) Salat, and Friday (prayer) to the next Friday (prayer), and the fasting of Ramadan to the next Ramadan, is expiation of the sins committed in between them, so long as major sins are avoided."[Muslim].