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
Sahifa al-Sajjadiyyah (The Psalms of Sajjad)
A collection of supplications from the 4th Imam, called "The Psalms of Islam."
Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah)
Remembrance and glorification of Allah through repetition of sacred phrases.
Irsal (Arm Position in Prayer)
The Shia practice of letting the arms hang at the sides during prayer.
Raf' al-Yadayn (Raising the Hands)
The practice of raising the hands to the shoulders or ears at specific points in the prayer.
Salat al-Ayat (Prayer of the Signs)
An obligatory prayer performed during natural phenomena such as solar and lunar eclipses.
Hijri (Islamic Calendar)
The Islamic lunar calendar, which begins with the Prophet's migration to Medina.