Sunnah (Voluntary Prayer)
Voluntary prayers based on the Prophet's practice.
Sunnah (Arabic: سنة) means "way" or "practice" and in the context of prayer refers to the voluntary prayers that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) regularly performed in addition to the five obligatory prayers. These are also called "rawatib" (regular sunnah prayers).
The most emphasized sunnah prayers (mu'akkadah) are: 2 rak'ah before Fajr, 4 rak'ah before Dhuhr, 2 rak'ah after Dhuhr, 2 rak'ah after Maghrib, and 2 rak'ah after Isha. The Prophet said about the Fajr sunnah prayer: "The two rak'ah before Fajr are better than this world and all that is in it."
In addition to the regular sunnah prayers, there are other voluntary prayers such as Duha (mid-morning prayer), Tahajjud (night prayer), Istikhara (guidance prayer), and Tarawih (Ramadan night prayer). These prayers provide extra reward and strengthen the believer's relationship with Allah.
Related terms
Sunan al-Nasa'i (Nasa'i's Hadith Collection)
One of the six canonical hadith collections, known for its strict authenticity criteria.
Sunnah Mu'akkadah (Emphasized Sunnah)
Voluntary prayers that the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed regularly and rarely omitted.
Taqlid (Following a School of Law)
The practice of following a qualified scholar's legal opinions without necessarily knowing the evidence.
Munajat (Intimate Supplication)
Intimate, personal conversations with Allah, an important part of Shia prayer tradition.
Du'a Kumayl (Kumayl's Supplication)
One of the most famous Shia supplications, taught by Imam Ali to Kumayl ibn Ziyad.
Laylat al-Mi'raj (The Night of Ascension)
The night when Prophet Muhammad journeyed to the heavens and received the gift of prayer.