What is the ruling on consistently performing the pre-'Asr sunnah and not leaving it off or holding fast to it?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on consistently performing the pre-'Asr sunnah and not leaving it off or holding fast to it?
The Shaykh : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 681Sahih (Darussalam) Then he said in the third instance: out of dislike for people to make it a regular practice. This indicates that a person should pray two rak'ahs before 'Asr, but he should not make it a regular voluntary prayer (rawatib), meaning that he may sometimes neglect it. However, if he enters the mosque after the adhan, he is commanded to pray, even if it is every day. Whenever he enters the mosque, let him pray two rak'ahs before sitting down, at whatever time he enters the mosque, whether night or day, even after 'Asr and after Fajr, because the prohibition in the prohibited times applies to one who wants to pray voluntary prayers without a cause.
As for one who prays voluntary prayers for a cause, it is permissible for him to pray voluntary prayers whenever he finds this cause, at any hour of the night or day, except for one who enters the Sacred Mosque for the purpose of tawaf, because tawaf suffices for the greeting of the mosque, as he will perform tawaf and then pray two rak'ahs behind the Maqam, or he may not pray.
The important point is that tawaf for one who enters the Sacred Mosque with the intention of tawaf suffices for the greeting of the mosque. As for one who enters the Sacred Mosque for prayer or to listen to a lesson, he prays two rak'ahs just as if he had entered another mosque. The statement by those who stated that the greeting of the Sacred Mosque is tawaf is not correct. It is said that the Sacred Mosque is like other mosques: if you enter it with the intention of prayer, meaning you want to pray or listen to dhikr or the like, you pray two rak'ahs and do not sit until you have prayed two rak'ahs. And if you enter it for tawaf, then tawaf suffices for the two rak'ahs.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Between each two Adhans [1] there is a prayer, between each two Adhans there is a prayer, between each two Adhans there is a prayer
بين كل أذانين صلاة، بين كل أذانين صلاة ، بين كل أذانين صلاةfor whoever wishes
لمن شاءAs for one who prays voluntary prayers for a cause, it is permissible for him to pray voluntary prayers whenever he finds this cause, at any hour of the night or day, except for one who enters the Sacred Mosque for the purpose of tawaf, because tawaf suffices for the greeting of the mosque, as he will perform tawaf and then pray two rak'ahs behind the Maqam, or he may not pray.
The important point is that tawaf for one who enters the Sacred Mosque with the intention of tawaf suffices for the greeting of the mosque. As for one who enters the Sacred Mosque for prayer or to listen to a lesson, he prays two rak'ahs just as if he had entered another mosque. The statement by those who stated that the greeting of the Sacred Mosque is tawaf is not correct. It is said that the Sacred Mosque is like other mosques: if you enter it with the intention of prayer, meaning you want to pray or listen to dhikr or the like, you pray two rak'ahs and do not sit until you have prayed two rak'ahs. And if you enter it for tawaf, then tawaf suffices for the two rak'ahs.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.