We live in a world that demands so much from us. We work tirelessly and fatigue our bodies in this pursuit to take care of our families. Taking care of our families is an act of worship alongside many other acts of ibadah. It is important we do not lose ourselves to the Dunya and forget our true purpose, to worship AllahSWT. This can be done in many ways. It is integral to our spiritual health that we follow in the example of the greatest human being to walk the earth, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
One of the ways we can do this is by following the sunnah and worshipping Allah SWT, the way he (SAW) did, to the best of our abilities. The sunnah acts of worship can tragically be neglected and this is depriving the heart of that which benefits it. We must strive to revive and implement the sunnah and this is the best way to ensure we live enriched lives and have empowered communities.
As Muslims, it is important to try and excel in our worship during the month of Ramadan. A good way to do this is to start establishing extra sunnah prayers. The prayers we will focus on are the Duha,Tahajjudprayer, andWitrprayer.
TheDuha Prayer
The Duha prayer is classed as a supererogatory prayer that the Prophet Muhammed (SAW) would pray. This prayer is offered anytime between sunrise andDhuhrprayer. The benefits of praying this prayer are powerful. In a hadithqudsī, AllahSWTsays,
"O son of Adam! Pray fourrak'atsfor me at the beginning of the day, and I shall take care of you for the rest of it"(Tirmidhī)
Anyone who reads fourrak’ahof this extra sunnah prayer, Allah will take care of them for the rest of the day. This is powerful as we go through so much in our day, often encountering many obstacles and issues, therefore knowing Allah SWT is with us to aid us can offer a lot of comfort to a believing heart.
For the Duha prayer, you can read either twora’kahs, fourra’kahs, or eightra’kahs. The Prophet (SAW) would read up to eightra’kahs. Praying fourra’kahsis recommended but even offering twora’kahsis good.
TheTahujjud prayer
“Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: “Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?” [Bukhari]
TheTahujjudprayer is the prayer of the night. Ideally, it is offered during the last third of the night, the time beforefajr. But it can also be offered anytime throughout the night after Isha. During the last third of the night, Allah SWT descends to the lowest heaven seeking to answer any believer who is worshipping Him.
PrayingTahajjudsalah is relatively easy. The hardest part is waking up in the middle of the night but when you remember the reward and closeness in conversing with your Creator whilst most of the creation sleep it can offer comfort to the distressed soul. After you make wudu offer 2ra’kahsof sunnah prayer. You can pray as manyra’kahsas you want in intervals of 2. You will finish yourTahajjudby ending it withWitrsalah.
The last third of the night is a very blessed time. Since we are already waking up early to fast, try waking up a few minutes earlier and yourTahajjudsalah.
TheWitrPrayer
"TheWitrprayer is offered in units oftworaka'at. If you fear that dawn is near, conclude with a singlerak'ahso the night prayer will be of an odd number."(Bukhari)
TheWitrprayer is the last prayer of the night. It can be offeredany timeafter Isha and before Fajr. hence why if you plan on prayingTahajjudyou will wait to pray yourWitrprayer after finishing yourTahajjudsalah. Even though this is an extra prayer the Prophet (PBUH) would never leave it, even when he was traveling.
TheWitrSalah is done by praying tworak’ahsand then praying one singlera’kah. You can pray up to eightrak’ah, and then end it with one singlerak’ah. Praying 3, 5, 7, and 9ra’kahforwitrsalat is permissible. Another (Hanafi) method of praying this extra prayer is by praying threerak’ahsand then in the thirdra’kahafter reciting the surah, raise your hands in supplication, and recite DuaQu’noot.
Getting into the habit of praying your extra sunnah prayers can be challenging at first, but with patience and perseverance; By consistently performing these prayers, it will be ingrained within us and become the fibre of our being.
Below are a few tips to help you get into the practice of performing these extra prayers.
Tips on how to establish the prayers:
- Seek Help from Allah-Before starting any newendeavoursbe sure to seek the help of Allah SWT. He is the one who can guide you and help you attain closeness to Him.
- Create a Buddy System-Try finding someone who will start this journey with you. By having the support of a friend or family member it will become easier to fight yournafsand perform these extra prayers.
- Start Small:
“Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately and know that your deeds will not make you enter Paradise, and that the most beloved deed to Allah is the most regular and constant even if it were little” [Bukhari].
The most beloved deeds to Allah SWT are the small deeds that are done consistently. Try finding the prayer that is the easiest to do and perform them consistently. It is more beloved to Allah than praying all three at once and then giving up shortly after from being overwhelmed. Remember that consistency and patience praying the supererogatory prayers will develop into a habit and constantly reflecting on their virtues will enhance the experience and help solidify your intention.
May AllahSWTallow us to do that which pleases Him and make it easy for us to excel in thefardhand sunnah acts of worship. Ameen.
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By Human Appeal
Manchester, United Kingdom
