What are the regular voluntary prayers (rawatib) for the obligatory prayers in the mosque and outside the mosque?
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The questioner : What are the regular voluntary prayers (rawatib) for the obligatory prayers in the mosque and outside the mosque?
The Shaykh : The regular voluntary prayers (rawatib) attached to the obligatory prayers are twelve rak'ahs:
Four before the midday prayer (Zuhr), that is, between the call to prayer (adhan) and the midday prayer, with two taslims, and two after it, and two after the sunset prayer (Maghrib), and two after the night prayer ('Isha'), and two before the dawn prayer (Fajr). These are twelve: six for the midday prayer, two for the sunset prayer, two for the night prayer, and two for the dawn prayer.
And the most emphasized of these rawatib is the sunnah of the dawn prayer, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did not leave it, whether resident or traveling. Indeed, when he slept through the dawn prayer while traveling and did not wake up, he and his companions, until the sun had risen and they had departed from the place where sleep overtook them, and then they stopped, he ordered Bilal to give the adhan. Then the people prayed the rawatib of the dawn prayer, and then he led them in the dawn prayer as he used to pray it every day. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) made up for it after it was missed, and while traveling. This indicates its importance and emphasis.
And it is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 416Sahih (Darussalam) meaning by that the sunnah of the dawn prayer. If you catch it before the dawn prayer, that is what is sought. And if you enter and the imam has already begun the dawn prayer, then make it up after the prayer, or delay it until the sun rises, that is, until it rises and ascends the length of a spear. These are the regular voluntary prayers (rawatib) attached to the obligatory prayers.
And as for the sayingThe questioner :"In the mosque or elsewhere".
For we say: It is better to pray these rawatib in your house, because all voluntary prayers are better for a person to pray in his house, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):Bulugh al-Maram 2:313 And he (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) used to pray the night prayer in his house, and the witr in his house, and the rawatib in his house, and he would not attend the obligatory prayer except at the iqamah. For this reason, it is prescribed for the imam to remain in his house praying the rawatib and not attend the mosque except at the iqamah of the prayer. Likewise, on Friday, he does not attend for the Friday prayer except when he comes to deliver the sermon.
As for the belief of some people that it is recommended for the imam on Friday to come early to gain the virtue of being early, this is not correct. This Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did not come except for the sermon only; he did not come early.
If someone asks: Is it not recommended that the standing in Ramadan prayer (qiyam Ramadan) be in the mosques?
We say: Yes, but this is an exception. And for this reason, we say that this issue is excluded from the voluntary prayers, that is, the standing in Ramadan prayer, for it is better that it be in the mosques.
Second: The eclipse prayer (kusuf), on the view that it is a sunnah, is better to be in the mosque. And it is also better in the eclipse prayer that it be held in the congregational mosques (jama'at) and not in every mosque, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gathered the people in one place. But if we know that it may be difficult for the people, or if it is the custom of the people that each neighborhood prays in its neighborhood, then there is no harm in each neighborhood praying in its neighborhood, and they should not leave the eclipse prayer.
Third: The prayer for rain (istisqa') is a sunnah, and yet it is recommended to gather for it in the prayer ground for the festival (musalla al-'id). These are the exceptions.
If someone asks: Is it better to pray voluntary prayers in the house, even in Makkah?
We say: Yes, even in Makkah, it is better to pray the voluntary prayers in your house.
And even in Madinah? Yes, and even in Madinah, it is better to pray the voluntary prayers in the house, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:Bulugh al-Maram 2:313 although he said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 325Sahih (Darussalam).
And the belief of some people that it is better in Makkah to pray the voluntary prayers in the Sacred Mosque (al-Masjid al-Haram) is an error, because the hadith of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is general. But if you come forward for prayer, for example, in Makkah and you pray the greeting of the mosque (tahiyat al-masjid) and you wish to pray whatever voluntary prayers you wish, then that is good and contains much good.
The Shaykh : The regular voluntary prayers (rawatib) attached to the obligatory prayers are twelve rak'ahs:
Four before the midday prayer (Zuhr), that is, between the call to prayer (adhan) and the midday prayer, with two taslims, and two after it, and two after the sunset prayer (Maghrib), and two after the night prayer ('Isha'), and two before the dawn prayer (Fajr). These are twelve: six for the midday prayer, two for the sunset prayer, two for the night prayer, and two for the dawn prayer.
And the most emphasized of these rawatib is the sunnah of the dawn prayer, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did not leave it, whether resident or traveling. Indeed, when he slept through the dawn prayer while traveling and did not wake up, he and his companions, until the sun had risen and they had departed from the place where sleep overtook them, and then they stopped, he ordered Bilal to give the adhan. Then the people prayed the rawatib of the dawn prayer, and then he led them in the dawn prayer as he used to pray it every day. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) made up for it after it was missed, and while traveling. This indicates its importance and emphasis.
And it is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he said:
The two Rak'ah of Fajr are better than the world and what is in it.
ركعتا الفجر خير من الدنيا وما فيهاAnd as for the sayingThe questioner :"In the mosque or elsewhere".
For we say: It is better to pray these rawatib in your house, because all voluntary prayers are better for a person to pray in his house, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):
The most excellent prayer of a person is (that which he prays) in his house except that which is prescribed (the five congregational prayers).
أفضل صلاة المرء في بيته إلا المكتوبةAs for the belief of some people that it is recommended for the imam on Friday to come early to gain the virtue of being early, this is not correct. This Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did not come except for the sermon only; he did not come early.
If someone asks: Is it not recommended that the standing in Ramadan prayer (qiyam Ramadan) be in the mosques?
We say: Yes, but this is an exception. And for this reason, we say that this issue is excluded from the voluntary prayers, that is, the standing in Ramadan prayer, for it is better that it be in the mosques.
Second: The eclipse prayer (kusuf), on the view that it is a sunnah, is better to be in the mosque. And it is also better in the eclipse prayer that it be held in the congregational mosques (jama'at) and not in every mosque, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gathered the people in one place. But if we know that it may be difficult for the people, or if it is the custom of the people that each neighborhood prays in its neighborhood, then there is no harm in each neighborhood praying in its neighborhood, and they should not leave the eclipse prayer.
Third: The prayer for rain (istisqa') is a sunnah, and yet it is recommended to gather for it in the prayer ground for the festival (musalla al-'id). These are the exceptions.
If someone asks: Is it better to pray voluntary prayers in the house, even in Makkah?
We say: Yes, even in Makkah, it is better to pray the voluntary prayers in your house.
And even in Madinah? Yes, and even in Madinah, it is better to pray the voluntary prayers in the house, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:
The most excellent prayer of a person is (that which he prays) in his house except that which is prescribed (the five congregational prayers).
أفضل صلاة المرء في بيته إلا المكتوبةSalat is this Masjid of mine is better than a thousand Salat in another, except for Masjid Al-Haram.
صلاة في مسجدي هذا خير من ألف صلاة فيما سواه إلا المسجد الحرام مسجد الكعبةAnd the belief of some people that it is better in Makkah to pray the voluntary prayers in the Sacred Mosque (al-Masjid al-Haram) is an error, because the hadith of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is general. But if you come forward for prayer, for example, in Makkah and you pray the greeting of the mosque (tahiyat al-masjid) and you wish to pray whatever voluntary prayers you wish, then that is good and contains much good.