Rawatib (Regular Sunnah Prayers)
The voluntary prayers regularly prayed before and after the obligatory prayers.
Rawatib (plural of ratibah) are the voluntary prayers regularly prayed before and/or after the five obligatory prayers. They are considered sunnah mu'akkadah (strongly recommended) and hold a special status in Sunni Islam.
The twelve rawatib according to the most well-known narration are: 2 rak'ah before Fajr, 4 rak'ah before Dhuhr and 2 rak'ah after, 2 rak'ah after Maghrib, and 2 rak'ah after Isha. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever prays twelve voluntary rak'ah during the day, Allah will build a house for him in Paradise" (Sahih Muslim, narrated by Umm Habibah).
The Fajr rawatib's two rak'ah have a special status. The Prophet said: "The two rak'ah of Fajr are better than this world and everything in it" (Sahih Muslim). Aisha narrated that the Prophet was never more careful with any voluntary prayer than the two rak'ah before Fajr. In the Hanafi school, the four rak'ah before Asr are also considered rawatib, bringing the total number to 20.
Related terms
Masjid al-Aqsa (The Farthest Mosque)
The third holiest mosque in Islam, in Jerusalem, connected to the Prophet's nocturnal journey.
Isha (Night Prayer)
The fifth and final daily prayer, performed when darkness has fallen.
Masjid al-Nabawi (The Prophet's Mosque)
The Prophet Muhammad's mosque in Medina, the second holiest mosque in Islam.
Makruh (Discouraged)
Actions that are discouraged in Islamic law but not forbidden.
Tawaf (Circumambulation of the Kaaba)
The ritual of walking seven times around the Kaaba counterclockwise as part of Hajj and Umrah.
Waqt (Prayer Time)
The specific time interval within which a prayer must be performed.