Question:

Please inform me about the Nafl Salāh of the day ex. Ishrāq and Awwābīn etc. when they should be performed, and what should be recited in each prayer.

Also, I have many Qadhā Salāh to make up. I have read some but have failed to maintain a routine of reading Qadhā Salāh every day.  Is it better to make up the Qadhā prayers rather than performing the Nafl prayers?  For example, during the Ishrāq period, instead of performing Nafl, is it permissible to perform a complete day of Qadhā instead?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Among the daily optional prayers are Salāt al-Tahajjud, Salāt al-Ishrāq, Salāt al-Dhuhā, and Salāt al-Awwābīn.

The actual time for Tahajjud Salāh is after one wakes up from his/her sleep and the most virtuous time is towards the latter portion of the night. [1] However if one is not able to awaken for the performance of Tahajjud Salāh, then he/she should perform Nafl Salāh before sleeping.

The time for Salāt al-Ishrāq extends from after sunrise (approximately 15 min. after sunrise) and ends before midday when the sun reaches its zenith. However, it is best to perform Salāt al-Ishrāq early when its time sets in.

Similarly, the time for Salāt al-Dhuhā extends from after sunrise (approximately 15 min. after sunrise) and ends before midday when the sun reaches its zenith. [2] However, based on a narration of Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam, the best time to perform Salāt al-Dhuhā is after one-fourth of the day expires.  In other words, the day stretches from sunrise to sunset.  After dividing this period into four parts, the best time for Dhuhā would be after the first part terminates.  The narration is as follows:

صَلَاةُ الْأَوَّابِينَ حِينَ تَرْمَضُ الْفِصَالُ (مسلم،ج 1، ص 515، دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت)

The time for Salāt al-Dhuhā is when the young ones of the camels feel the heat of the sun (i.e. when it becomes very hot)” 

(Sahīh Muslim)

Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam used to perform Salāt al-Ishrāq first, then would perform Salāt al-Dhuhā.  This is substantiated by a Hadīth narrated by Imām Tirmidhī Rahimahullāh.  The narration is as follows:

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ [ص:494] إِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا كَهَيْئَتِهَا مِنْ هَاهُنَا عِنْدَ العَصْرِ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ، وَإِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا كَهَيْئَتِهَا مِنْ هَاهُنَا عِنْدَ الظُّهْرِ صَلَّى أَرْبَعًا (سنن الترمذي،  ج 2، ص 137، الرسالة العالمية)

Alī Radhiyallāhu Anhu says (regarding the daytime prayers of Nabī Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam): Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam used to perform two Raka’āt when the sun was at a distance from the Zenith (in the other direction) similar to its distance at Asr time (Salāt al-Ishrāq).  And Nabī Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam performed four Raka’āt when the sun was at a distance from the zenith similar to its distance at Dhuhr time (Salāt al-Dhuhā).

(Sunan al-Tirmidhī)

The time for Salāt al-Awwābīn is after the performance of Maghrib Salāh.

There is no specified portion of the Qurān that must be recited in these prayers.  Any portion of the Qurān will suffice.

With regards to your missed prayers, you have stated that you have failed to maintain a routine of reading them every day.  An easy method would be to repeat one missed prayer after every Fardh and Wājib Salāh you perform. [3] Hence if three years of Salāh was missed then after three years all the missed prayers would be made up.

As a general principle, it is preferred to make up missed prayers instead of engaging oneself in optional prayers.  However, those prayers that have been specifically mentioned in Ahādīth (such as the emphasized Sunnahs and the optional prayers mentioned above) should not be missed even if one has to make up missed prayers. [4] If the above-mentioned method of making up missed prayers is adopted, then one will easily be able to perform missed prayers as well as these virtuous optional prayers.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

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