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
Mashhad (Imam Reza's City)
The sacred city in Iran with Imam Reza's shrine, Iran's most visited pilgrimage destination.
Shafa'ah (Intercession)
The Prophet's and the Imams' intercession with Allah for the believers on the Day of Judgment.
Tajwid (Proper Quran Recitation)
The science of proper pronunciation and recitation of the Quran during prayer.
Makruh (Discouraged)
Actions that are discouraged in Islamic law but not forbidden.
Sujud al-Sahw (Prostration of Forgetfulness)
Two extra prostrations performed to compensate for errors in prayer.
Salat al-Musafir (Traveler's Prayer)
The shortened prayers that travelers perform while traveling.