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
Munajat (Intimate Supplication)
Intimate, personal conversations with Allah, an important part of Shia prayer tradition.
Masjid al-Nabawi (The Prophet's Mosque)
The Prophet Muhammad's mosque in Medina, the second holiest mosque in Islam.
Mafatih al-Jinan (Keys to Paradise)
The most widely used Shia prayer book, compiled by Shaykh Abbas al-Qummi.
Mab'ath (The Prophet's Calling)
The day when Prophet Muhammad received the first revelation and was called to prophethood.
Minbar (Pulpit)
The elevated platform in the mosque from which the imam delivers the Friday khutbah.
Hijri (Islamic Calendar)
The Islamic lunar calendar, which begins with the Prophet's migration to Medina.