Jurisprudence

Q 713: Should nāfilah prayers be recited loudly or quietly?
A: It is mustaḥabb to perform the daytime nāfilahs quietly and the nightly ones loudly.

Q 714: Is it permissible to perform night prayers as follows: two four-rak‘ah prayers instead of four two-rak‘ah ones, then a two-rak‘ah one, followed by the watr prayer?
A: It is not correct to perform the night nāfilah in the form of four-rak‘ah prayer.

Q 715: Is it necessary to perform the night prayers in the dark and in such a manner that nobody knows that we do it?
A: It is not required to perform it in the dark or to hide it from others. However, it is not permissible to show it off.

Q 716: Having performed the noon and afternoon prayers during the nāfilah’s time, occasionally we perform their nāfilahs, should the intention be to make qaḍā’ or something else?
A: In such a case, it is based on caution to perform them for the sake of proximity to Allah, the Exalted, not with the intention of adā’ or qaḍā’.

Q 717: Please explain in detail how to perform the night prayer?
A: Night prayer comprises eleven rak‘ahs in all. Eight of these rak‘ahs, which are performed two by two, are called night prayer. The next two-rak‘ah prayer performed like morning prayer is called shaf‘ prayer, and the last rak‘ah is known as rak‘ah of watr. It is mustaḥabb, in the qunūt of the rak‘ah of watr, to seek Allah’s forgiveness, to pray for believers, and to make appeals for fulfillment of requests to the Beneficent Allah, in accordance with what is mentioned in the books of supplications.

Q 718: How are the night prayers performed in respect of the chapters, begging Allah’s forgiveness and supplications?
A: The recitation of a certain chapter, repenting, or supplication is not a necessary part. After making intention and saying takbīrah al-iḥrām, it is sufficient to recite the Fātiḥah in every rak‘ah, perform rukū‘ and prostration, say their dhikr, and terminate it by tashahhud and salām, although one may recite a chapter of the Holy Qur’an after the Fātiḥah if one wants to.