The Ruling on the Duha Prayer and the Number of Its Rak'ahs
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Question:
We begin first with the message from Abdullah ibn Saleh al-Abdullah, who is asking about the Dhuha prayer from Buraydah in al-Qasim. He says: What is the ruling on the Dhuha prayer? I have asked about it personally from more than one student of knowledge, and they gave me several different answers. Some said that the hadiths reported regarding it are not authentic, so it should be left. Some said that it is prayed. Some said that whoever wishes may pray it whenever he wishes, with the number of rak'ahs he wants. And some said that it is prayed one day and left the next. Therefore, I turned to the program *Nur 'ala al-Darb*.
I hope that Allah will illuminate the path for us, and I also hope that I will not seek the answer from anyone other than you. May Allah guide you and bless your lives.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon whoever follows his guidance. After that:
The Dhuha prayer is a confirmed sunnah. Its minimum is two rak'ahs, and its best is eight. If one prays more, there is no harm; if he prays ten, or twelve, or more than that, there is no harm. It is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed it as eight rak'ahs on the Day of the Conquest. It is also established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) advised Abu al-Darda and Abu Hurayrah to do so. It is reported in the Sahih from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he advised Abu Hurayrah and Abu al-Darda with three things: the Dhuha prayer, fasting three days of every month, and the witr prayer before sleeping.
It is also established in the Sahih from the hadith of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the charity of the wealthy people, the people of wealth, and that they had preceded others in giving charity from their wealth, he said: until he said: Sahih Muslim 720.
This indicates that two rak'ahs of Dhuha take the place of these charities that are prescribed for the believer to pay for his joints and limbs. This indicates its confirmation, and that it is a great, confirmed prayer in which there is great good.
It is recommended to perform it every day. Some of the Salaf said that it is performed one day after another, but the correct view is that it is performed every day. This is because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) advised it, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) advised it, and he encouraged it. This indicates that it is a sunnah, every day if that is possible. However, it is not obligatory; if one leaves it on some days, there is no harm. Even if he leaves it permanently, there is no harm, because it is a confirmed sunnah, like the witr, and like the rawatib of the obligatory prayer, like the sunnah of the Zuhr, Maghrib, 'Isha', and Fajr. They are all sunnahs, they are all voluntary prayers. If a servant leaves them, there is no sin upon him.
But the best and most preferable is to maintain it and to take care of it, because there is a great reward in it, and because the obligatory prayers are completed by it. The Dhuha prayer is of that nature, so it is a confirmed sunnah at all times.
As for the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not maintain it consistently, it is likely that he did so so as not to make it difficult for his Ummah. Because if he had maintained it consistently, its confirmation would have increased, and that might have been difficult for some people. Also, because of his many preoccupations (peace and blessings be upon him). And because the sunnah has three aspects: a sunnah established by speech, a sunnah established by action, and a sunnah established by approval. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed it, approved it, and advised it (peace and blessings be upon him). All of this was done by him (peace and blessings be upon him). He performed it on the Day of the Conquest, and he performed it at other times. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray four rak'ahs of Dhuha, and he would increase whatever Allah willed." Muslim narrated it. And the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) performed it, and may Allah be pleased with them. This indicates that it is a confirmed sunnah, that he approved it, advised it, and performed it (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes.
We begin first with the message from Abdullah ibn Saleh al-Abdullah, who is asking about the Dhuha prayer from Buraydah in al-Qasim. He says: What is the ruling on the Dhuha prayer? I have asked about it personally from more than one student of knowledge, and they gave me several different answers. Some said that the hadiths reported regarding it are not authentic, so it should be left. Some said that it is prayed. Some said that whoever wishes may pray it whenever he wishes, with the number of rak'ahs he wants. And some said that it is prayed one day and left the next. Therefore, I turned to the program *Nur 'ala al-Darb*.
I hope that Allah will illuminate the path for us, and I also hope that I will not seek the answer from anyone other than you. May Allah guide you and bless your lives.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon whoever follows his guidance. After that:
The Dhuha prayer is a confirmed sunnah. Its minimum is two rak'ahs, and its best is eight. If one prays more, there is no harm; if he prays ten, or twelve, or more than that, there is no harm. It is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed it as eight rak'ahs on the Day of the Conquest. It is also established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) advised Abu al-Darda and Abu Hurayrah to do so. It is reported in the Sahih from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he advised Abu Hurayrah and Abu al-Darda with three things: the Dhuha prayer, fasting three days of every month, and the witr prayer before sleeping.
It is also established in the Sahih from the hadith of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the charity of the wealthy people, the people of wealth, and that they had preceded others in giving charity from their wealth, he said:
Has not Allah made for you that with which you may give charity? Indeed, for you is a charity in every tasbih, and a charity in every tahliyah, and a charity in every tahmid, and a charity in every takbir, and enjoining good is a charity, and forbidding evil is a charity.
أوليس قد جعل الله لكم ما تصدقون به؟ إن لكم بكل تسبيحة صدقة، وبكل تهليلة صدقة، وبكل تحميدة صدقة، وبكل تكبيرة صدقة، وأمر بالمعروف صدقة، ونهي عن المنكر صدقةand two rak'ahs which one prays in the forenoon will suffice.
ويكفي من ذلك ركعتان يركعهما من الضحىThis indicates that two rak'ahs of Dhuha take the place of these charities that are prescribed for the believer to pay for his joints and limbs. This indicates its confirmation, and that it is a great, confirmed prayer in which there is great good.
It is recommended to perform it every day. Some of the Salaf said that it is performed one day after another, but the correct view is that it is performed every day. This is because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) advised it, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) advised it, and he encouraged it. This indicates that it is a sunnah, every day if that is possible. However, it is not obligatory; if one leaves it on some days, there is no harm. Even if he leaves it permanently, there is no harm, because it is a confirmed sunnah, like the witr, and like the rawatib of the obligatory prayer, like the sunnah of the Zuhr, Maghrib, 'Isha', and Fajr. They are all sunnahs, they are all voluntary prayers. If a servant leaves them, there is no sin upon him.
But the best and most preferable is to maintain it and to take care of it, because there is a great reward in it, and because the obligatory prayers are completed by it. The Dhuha prayer is of that nature, so it is a confirmed sunnah at all times.
As for the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not maintain it consistently, it is likely that he did so so as not to make it difficult for his Ummah. Because if he had maintained it consistently, its confirmation would have increased, and that might have been difficult for some people. Also, because of his many preoccupations (peace and blessings be upon him). And because the sunnah has three aspects: a sunnah established by speech, a sunnah established by action, and a sunnah established by approval. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed it, approved it, and advised it (peace and blessings be upon him). All of this was done by him (peace and blessings be upon him). He performed it on the Day of the Conquest, and he performed it at other times. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray four rak'ahs of Dhuha, and he would increase whatever Allah willed." Muslim narrated it. And the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) performed it, and may Allah be pleased with them. This indicates that it is a confirmed sunnah, that he approved it, advised it, and performed it (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.