Advice to Those Who Are Not Praying Any Nawaafil Prayers

***A REMINDER TO MYSELF FIRST AND FOREMOST***


Assalaamu 'Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu
In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful
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Advice to Those Who Are Not Praying Any Nawaafil Prayers
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"QUESTION : What is your advice to someone who has stopped praying the Sunnah prayers in the daytime and does not pray anything at night?

ANSWER by Shaykh Muhammad 'Umar Baazmool, instructor at Umm Al-Quraa University in Makkah


There is nothing more outstanding as advice than the hadeeth of the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), when he said:


"The very first thing a servant will be asked about on the Day of Judgement is the prayer. If it is found to be deficient, then it will be said, 'Doesn't he have any optional prayers?' If it is found that he has optional prayers, then they will fill the void, and thus his prayers will be accepted, and the rest of his deeds will also be accepted." [1]

And the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) was asked about a dream that Ibn Umar had, so he (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:


"What a good man 'Abdullaah ibn Umar is, so long as he prays at night." [2]

So then consistently praying the optional prayers, the most important of them being the Witr prayer and the (12) Sunnahs throughout the day and night, is from the most important of all affairs to the Muslim. This is because you, O Muslim, by way of them, compensate for the lapses found in your obligatory prayers.

And the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) clarified in a hadeeth that a man may pray but he may only be credited with half of it, another may pray but only be credited with one third of it, and another may pray but only be credited with one fourth of it... [3]

The meaning is that it often occurs that the people have shortcomings in their prayers, while it is obligatory to offer them, completing them perfectly. So have you actually offered all of your prayers completely and perfectly according to the Sharee'ah?

So then you must take care to consistently offer optional prayers, you must take care to consistently offer the Witr prayer, you must take care to offer the other optional prayers consistently. It has been related that Imaam Ahmad said about the one who does not consistently pray the Witr prayer, "He is an evil man, his witness is not to be accepted."

So how could a Muslim who has no work keeping him from his worship become lazy and then abandon these (optional) prayers. No doubt, he has caused himself to lose a great amount of good, and to miss an opportunity to obtain tremendous virtues, while being free to do them and try to keep consistency in offering them.

I ask Allaah to excuse us and him, and to be gracious.

There is a hadeeth of the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam):


"May Allaah have Mercy on the one who offers four (rak'ahs) before 'Asr prayer." [4]

When you do not pray this prayer, four rak'ahs before the 'Asr prayer, you have prevented your own self from being included in those whom the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) supplicated for, those who pray this prayer.

The Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:

"Whoever consistanly prays twelve rak'ahs throughout the day and night, a palace will be built for him in Paradise." [5]

Most of the optional prayers have great virtues attached to them, described by the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam).

"Allaah will build a house in Heaven for whoever is diligent in observing 12 Sunnah Rak'aat (as follows): 4 Rak'aat before and 2 after the Dhuhr (Midday) Prayer, 2 after the Maghrib (Sunset Prayer), 2 after the ‘Ishaa’ (Evening) Prayer and 2 before the Fajr (Dawn) Prayer." Hadith sahih narrated by at-Tirmidhi No. 379 and by others. Hadith No. 6183 in Sahih al-Jaami’.
‘Anbasah ibn Abi Sufyan quoted Umm Habibah as saying "Allaah’s Messenger (May peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"A house will be built in Heaven for one who prays 12 Rak'aat in a day and evening as follows: 4 Rak'aat before and 2 after the Dhuhr Prayer, 2 after the Maghrib Prayer, 2 after the ‘Ishaa’ Prayer and 2 before the Fajr Prayer." Narrated by at-Tirmizi under No. 380. He said: The Hadith narrated by ‘Anbasah quoting Umm Habibah in this chapter is a hassan and sahih hadith. It is under No. 6362 in Sahih al-Jaami’.

The ‘Asr (Late-Afternoon) Prayer has no routine Sunnah (basic recommended voluntary prayer). However, it is mustahab (preferable and recommended) that one prays 4 Rak'aat before the ‘Asr Prayer. The 4 Rak'ahs are of less reward and significance in importance of adhering to them compared to the "sunnan al-rawaatib" described above. The 4 Rak'ahs are the ones intended by the Prophet (May peace and blessings be upon him) in saying: "May Allaah have mercy on one who prays 4 raka’aat before the ‘Asr Prayer." Narrated by at-Tirmidhi no. 395 and he declared it a hassan and ghareeb Hadith. Al-Albany rated the Hadith as hassan in Sahih al-Jami’ No. 3493.
All the foregoing 4-Rak'ah voluntary prayers are to be prayed two at a time according to Imam ash-Shafi’i and Imam Ahmad.

Allaah, the Exalted, knows best.--- last 3 paragraphs from Islamq&a


***A REMINDER TO MYSELF FIRST AND FOREMOST***

FOOTNOTES
[1] Collected by At-Tirmithee, Aboo Daawood, An-Nasaa'ee, and others, see Saheeh Al-Jaami'is-Sagheer wa Ziyaadah #2020.
[2] Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree #1122 (3/10 of Fat-hul-Baaree)
[3] see Saheeh Sunan Abee Daawood #796
[4] Saheeh Sunan Abee Daawood #1270
[5] Saheeh Sunan Abee Daawood #1250
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