Sunnah prayers

[Azimush Shan]

Assalamu Alalikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh

I would like to start doing my Sunnah prayers but I have a question are they done the same way as the fard prayers in terms of the Recitation so would two Rak'a of sunnah be done like the two Rak'a of Fard in Fajr. Sorry my English is not great.

[Ibn Al Khattab]

Assalamu Alalikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh

I would like to start doing my Sunnah prayers but I have a question are they done the same way as the fard prayers in terms of the Recitation so would two Rak'a of sunnah be done like the two Rak'a of Fard in Fajr. Sorry my English is not great.

Wa Alaikum Salam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

May Allahu subhanahu wa ta'ala reward you for your intention, make it easy for you, and increase you iman and love for Allah and His messenger. Amin.

Yes, sunnah prayers are done like the 2 rakaat of Fajr except you can recite in a low voice instead of out loud.

There are many sunnah prayers so I will assume you are referring to the sunnah mu'akkadah prayers before and after the five daily prayers. The sunnah mu'akkadah prayers are:

2 rakaat before Fajr
4 rakaat before and 2 rakaat after Thuhr
2 rakaat after Maghrib
2 rakaat after Isha plus Witr


Here are some ahadith about sunnah prayers:


Umm Habibah Ramilah bint Abu Sufyan Radhiallahu ‘anhu narrated that she heard the Prophet Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa Salam saying: “A house will be built in paradise for every Muslim who offers twelve Rak’ah of optional salah other than the obligatory salah in day and night, to seek pleasure of Allah.” Narrated by Muslim.


Aisha radhiyallahu ‘anha narrated that the Prophet Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa Salam said : “The two rakaats before dawn (fajr) prayer are better than the word and all that it contains.” Narrated by Muslim.


Aisha radhiyallahu ‘anha narrated that the Prophet Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa Salam was never more regular and strict in offering any Nawafil than the two rakaats (sunnah before) dawn (fajr) prayer. Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.


Umm Habiba radhiyallahu ‘anha narrated that the Prophet Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa Salam said : “Whoever, observes the practice of offering four rak’ahs before Duhr prayer and four rak’ahs after it. Allah will shield him against the fire of hell.” Narrated bay Abu Daud and At-Tirmithi.


Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The prayers of the day and night are to be offered two by two.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 597; Abu Dawood, 1295; al-Nasaa’i, 1666; Ibn Maajah, 1322. This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Tamaam al-Mannah, p. 240.

What is meant by “two by two” is two rak’ahs by two rak’ahs. This is how it was explained by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him).

In Saheeh Muslim it is narrated that ‘Uqbah ibn Hurayth said: I said to Ibn ‘Umar: “What does two by two mean?” He said: “Saying the tasleem after each two rak’ahs.”

[Azimush Shan]

Jazakallahu khayran

[Suhaib Jobst]

Wa Alaykum as-Salaam wa-Rahmatullahi wa-Barakatuh,

I would like to start doing my Sunnah prayers but I have a question are they done the same way as the fard prayers in terms of the Recitation so would two Rak'a of sunnah be done like the two Rak'a of Fard in Fajr. Sorry my English is not great.

As for the sunna of the Fajr, then the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) would make these two rak'a so quick that one believed the iqamah was being called. He would recite in those two rak'a, Sura al-Kafirun and Sura al-Ikhlas, respectively in the first and second rak'a, after Fatiha.

http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/hadeeth/riyad/08/chap197.htm