Bismihi Ta`ala
*THE IMPORTANCE OF SUNNAH MUAKKADAH*
The 12 Rakaats of Sunnah Muakkadah daily is important and need to be performed with farzs. Neglecting them is sinful. In fact one should try to persuade others by using virtues and fazail. Else the one neglecting them should be reminded that he would be sinful. The gravity on neglecting sunnah muakkadah is like indulging in an action that is more than makrooh tanzihi and less than makrooh tahrimi. Continuous neglect of sunnah penalize the faraizs. In fact, if the time of that salaah still prevails, then one should try to replace sunnahs muakkadah salaahs. But since it is not wajib, then it should not be replaced after its time has elapsed. But one should ask forgiveness and do istighfaar on those sins. Imaam Muhammad recommended that we replace the 2 sunnahs fajr after ishraaq time, but before zawaal.First of all, the virtue of reading 12 rakaats is that you are praying those sunnahs that the prophet did not leave. And the prophet SAW said:’’One who reads the twelve rakaats daily, then a house will be build for him in jannah. ‘’(Muslim)
قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أُمَّ حَبِيبَةَ تَقُولُسَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ مَنْ صَلَّى اثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً فِي يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ بُنِيَ لَهُ بِهِنَّ بَيْتٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مسلم
My teacher says that the fact that one will have a house in Jannah means definitely his entry to Jannah and not to Jahannam.
Also the prophet SAW described the sunnah Muakkadah as the ‘’completion’’ of the farzs. Mukammilat. Reported in Abu Dawood that the beloved prophet Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said that on the day of jugement, the first reckoning will be on salaah. If ever there has been some miscomings in farzs salaahs, then Allah Ta`ala will order the farishtas to look for the non farzs salaahs to complete the short comings in farzs.(Abu Dawood)
قَالَ يُونُسُ وَأَحْسَبُهُ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا يُحَاسَبُ النَّاسُ بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ الصَّلَاةُ قَالَ يَقُولُ رَبُّنَا جَلَّ وَعَزَّ لِمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ انْظُرُوا فِي صَلَاةِ عَبْدِي أَتَمَّهَا أَمْ نَقَصَهَا فَإِنْ كَانَتْ تَامَّةً كُتِبَتْ لَهُ تَامَّةً وَإِنْ كَانَ انْتَقَصَ مِنْهَا شَيْئًا قَالَ انْظُرُوا هَلْ لِعَبْدِي مِنْ تَطَوُّعٍ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُ تَطَوُّعٌ قَالَ أَتِمُّوا لِعَبْدِي فَرِيضَتَهُ مِنْ تَطَوُّعِهِ ثُمَّ تُؤْخَذُ الْأَعْمَالُ عَلَى ذَاكُمْسنن أبي داود
That is why ulamas treat the sunnah muakkadah as Tawabi` or Mukammilatul farz. That is those salaahs that are together with farzs or that complete farzs. Definitely me and you have short comings on our salaah and need the sunnah muakkadahs to complete them.The fact that the beloved prophet SAW encouraged the sahabahs to read these 12 rakaats brings a distinction in the status of the sunnah Muakkadahs. 2 before fajr, 4 before Zohr, 2 after Zohr, 2 after maghrib and finally 2 after esha.(Muslim) Witr is wajib and should be replaced in the morning in any case.(Abu Dawood)
And finally know that the virtues of farz is achieved until sunnah muakkadah are added. We find in Bukhari shareef a hadith saying that the virtues of Jum`ah is attached also to the sunnah muakkadahs. Note that there are four sunnahs muakkadahs before Jum`ah and 4 after Jum`ah:
حَدَّثَنَا سَلْمَانُ الْفَارِسِيُّ قَالَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ اغْتَسَلَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَتَطَهَّرَ بِمَا اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْ طُهْرٍ ثُمَّ ادَّهَنَ أَوْ مَسَّ مِنْ طِيبٍ ثُمَّ رَاحَ فَلَمْ يُفَرِّقْ بَيْنَ اثْنَيْنِ فَصَلَّى مَا كُتِبَ لَهُ ثُمَّ إِذَا خَرَجَ الْإِمَامُ أَنْصَتَ غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجُمُعَةِ الْأُخْرَىبخاري
The beloved prophet SAW said: ‘’One who took a bath on the day of Jum`ah, then cleaned himself properly, then he applied oil or perfumed himself properly, then he went(to masjid) and he did not separate between two persons(to sit in between) then HE PRAYED WHAT WAS PRESCRIBED FOR HIM, then when the imaam came out, he remained quiet, then all his sins will be forgiven from this Jum`ah to the other Jum`ah.’’(Bukhari) The beloved prophet SAW used the term ‘’kutiba’’ or ‘’prescribed’’ for sunnah muakkadahs. This denotes the importance and almost obligation of reading sunnah muakkadahs. During travelling of more than 77 kms out your town, then sunnah muakkadahs does not hold the same importance. But nonetheless, even during travelling, do read the 2 sunnahs of fajr. When travelling in cars, airports, transiting, in the plane, etc then do not read the sunnah muakkadahs except 2 sunnah of fajr. But when you are at ease, in a hotel staying less than 15 days and not hectic, then recommended that you read the sunnah muakkadahs. If you did not read during travelling, then not sinful. Note that it is best to pray sunnah Muakkadahs at home. But if you are not used to pray them at home, then pray them in the masjids. Try to change the place that you prayed your farz and pray sunnahs another place to multiply the earth witness of your salaahs. Women will pray their sunnahs and farzs at home. Finally, know that Rasouloullah Swalallahou Alaihi Wasallam replaced sunnah Muakkadah when missed. Not after its time has expired. This differentiate it from wajib.
حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيى، وزَيْدُ بْنُ أخْزَمَ، ومُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَعْمَرٍ، قالُوا: حَدَّثَنا مُوسى بْنُ داوُدَ الكُوفِيُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا قَيْسُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ خالِدٍ الحَذّاءِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ، عَنْ عائِشَةَ، قالَتْ: كانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «إذا فاتَتْهُ الأرْبَعُ قَبْلَ الظُّهْرِ، صَلّاها بَعْدَ الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ الظُّهْرِ»ابن ماجة
Reported in Ibn Majah that if happened that Rasouloullah Swalallahou Alaihi Wasallam missed the 4 rakaats before zohr(muakkadah) then he would replace them after the 2 rakaats(muakkadah). But when Rasouloullah Swalallahou Alaihi Wasallam was asked whether we should replace sunnah muakkadah after its time has elapsed, he replied NO.(Musnad Abi Yalaa)حَدَّثَنا أبُو خَيْثَمَةَ، حَدَّثَنا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هارُونَ، حَدَّثَنا حَمّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنِ الأزْرَقِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، عَنْ ذَكْوانَ، عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، قالَتْ
: صَلّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ العَصْرَ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ بَيْتِي فَصَلّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ قُلْتُ: يا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، صَلَّيْتَ صَلاةً لَمْ تَكُنْ تُصَلِّيها، فَقالَ: «قَدِمَ عَلَيَّ مالٌ فَشَغَلَنِي عَنْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ كُنْتُ أرَكَعُهُما بَعْدَ الظُّهْرِ فَصَلَّيْتُهُما الآنَ»، فَقُلْتُ يا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أفَنَقْضِيهُما إذا فاتَتا قالَ: «لا» مسند أبي يعلى الموصلي
The only exception is for sunnah of Fajr if missed to be replaced between ishraaaq and Zawaal. -Ibn Majah
حَدَّثَنا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ إبْراهِيمَ، ويَعْقُوبُ بْنُ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ كاسِبٍ، قالا: حَدَّثَنا مَرْوانُ بْنُ مُعاوِيَةَ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ كَيْسانَ، عَنْ أبِي حازِمٍ، عَنْ أبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أنَّ النَّبِيَّ – ﷺ – «نامَ عَنْ رَكْعَتَيِ الفَجْرِ، فَقَضاهُما بَعْدَ ما طَلَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ»ابن ماجة
Mufti Mackoojee