The five daily prayers are the pillar of a Muslim’s day. They are obligatory, and no Muslim can neglect them without great loss.
But alongside these obligatory prayers, the Prophet ﷺ prayed many voluntary prayers, known as sunnah or nafl prayers.
These prayers fill gaps in our obligatory prayers, raise our ranks, bring us closer to Allah and earn us His love.
This guide explains the most important sunnah prayers every Muslim should know: the regular sunnah prayers connected to the five daily prayers, Witr, Tahajjud, Duha, the prayer after wudu, the prayer on entering the mosque and others.
For each one, you will learn its virtue, its timing and how to pray it, so that you can gradually build these prayers into your own routine.
Why Sunnah Prayers Matter
They complete our obligatory prayers
The Prophet ﷺ said that the first thing a servant will be held accountable for on the Day of Judgement is the prayer.
If there is something lacking in the obligatory prayers, Allah will say: “Look and see whether My servant has any voluntary prayers,” and the shortfall will be made up from them.
Since few of us pray every obligatory prayer with perfect focus, the sunnah prayers act as a protection for our record.
They earn the love of Allah
In a hadith qudsi, Allah says: “My servant continues to draw near to Me with voluntary deeds until I love him. And when I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks.”
Voluntary prayers are among the most beloved of these deeds.
They raise ranks and erase sins
The Prophet ﷺ told a companion who wanted to accompany him in Paradise: “Help me against yourself by prostrating much.”
Every prostration raises a person by a degree and removes a sin.
They build a house in Paradise
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever prays twelve rak’ahs in a day and night, a house will be built for him in Paradise.” This refers to the regular sunnah prayers described below.
The Regular Sunnah Prayers (Sunan ar-Rawatib)
The rawatib are the sunnah prayers connected to the obligatory prayers, prayed either before or after them.
The Prophet ﷺ was consistent with them, and they are the most emphasised of the voluntary prayers. The twelve rak’ahs are:
- Fajr: 2 rak’ahs before.
- Dhuhr: 4 rak’ahs before (prayed as two sets of two) and 2 rak’ahs after.
- Maghrib: 2 rak’ahs after.
- Isha: 2 rak’ahs after.
That makes twelve rak’ahs in total.
Some narrations also mention two rak’ahs before Dhuhr instead of four, and other recommended prayers such as four rak’ahs before Asr, but the twelve listed above are the best-known and most consistently practised.
The two rak’ahs before Fajr
These are the most emphasised of all the regular sunnah prayers. The Prophet ﷺ never left them, even when travelling.
He said: “The two rak’ahs of Fajr are better than the world and everything in it.”
How to pray: Pray two short rak’ahs after the adhan of Fajr and before the obligatory prayer.
It is sunnah to recite Surah Al-Kafirun in the first rak’ah and Surah Al-Ikhlas in the second, or the verses Al-Baqarah 2:136 and Al Imran 3:64.
The Prophet ﷺ used to keep them light. After praying them, it is sunnah to lie briefly on the right side if one is at home.
The sunnah of Dhuhr
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever is consistent in praying four rak’ahs before Dhuhr and four after it, Allah will forbid him from the Fire.”
The confirmed sunnah is four before and two after, and adding two more after Dhuhr brings the extra reward mentioned in this hadith.
The sunnah of Maghrib
Two rak’ahs after the obligatory Maghrib prayer. The Prophet ﷺ often recited Surah Al-Kafirun and Surah Al-Ikhlas in them. These are often prayed at home.
The sunnah of Isha
Two rak’ahs after the obligatory Isha prayer. These are followed later by Witr.
Praying sunnah at home
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The best prayer of a person is in his house, except the obligatory prayers.”
Praying sunnah prayers at home brings blessing to the house and sets an example for children.
If you pray the obligatory prayer in the mosque, you can pray the sunnah after it at home, as long as you do not delay too long.
Witr: The Prayer of the Night
Witr is an odd-numbered prayer prayed after Isha and before Fajr. It is among the most emphasised voluntary prayers, and some scholars considered it obligatory.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah is Witr (One) and He loves the witr (odd), so pray witr, O people of the Quran.” He never left it, whether at home or travelling.
How many rak’ahs?
Witr can be prayed as one, three, five, seven, nine or eleven rak’ahs. The minimum is one rak’ah, and the most common practice is three.
How to pray three rak’ahs of Witr
There are two common methods:
- Pray two rak’ahs, end with salam, then stand and pray one rak’ah separately.
- Pray three rak’ahs together with one tashahhud at the end, or, according to some schools, with a sitting after the second rak’ah.
It is sunnah to recite Surah Al-A’la in the first rak’ah, Surah Al-Kafirun in the second and Surah Al-Ikhlas in the third.
The qunut of Witr
Many Muslims recite a dua called qunut in the last rak’ah of Witr, either before or after ruku depending on their school.
The Prophet ﷺ taught his grandson Al-Hasan this dua: “Allahumma-hdini fiman hadayt, wa ‘afini fiman ‘afayt, wa tawallani fiman tawallayt, wa barik li fima a’tayt, wa qini sharra ma qadayt, fa innaka taqdi wa la yuqda ‘alayk, wa innahu la yadhillu man walayt, tabarakta Rabbana wa ta’alayt.”
Best time for Witr
The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever fears they will not wake up in the last part of the night should pray Witr at the beginning of the night, and whoever hopes to wake should pray it at the end of the night, because prayer at the end of the night is witnessed.
After praying Witr, it is sunnah to say “Subhanal-Malikil-Quddus” three times, raising the voice on the third.
Tahajjud and Qiyam al-Layl
Tahajjud is voluntary prayer at night after sleeping. It is among the greatest of all voluntary prayers.
Allah describes the believers as those “who arise from their beds; they supplicate their Lord in fear and aspiration” (As-Sajdah 32:16).
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer.”
When to pray Tahajjud
The night prayer can be prayed at any time after Isha until Fajr, but the best time is the last third of the night.
The Prophet ﷺ said that in the last third of every night, Allah descends to the lowest heaven and says: “Who is calling upon Me that I may answer him? Who is asking of Me that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness that I may forgive him?”
How to pray Tahajjud
Pray in sets of two rak’ahs, ending each set with salam. The Prophet ﷺ usually prayed eleven rak’ahs including Witr, and sometimes thirteen.
There is no fixed limit. You can start with just two rak’ahs and gradually increase.
The Prophet ﷺ used to begin the night prayer with two light rak’ahs.
Tips for waking up for Tahajjud
- Sleep early and avoid heavy meals late at night.
- Make a sincere intention before sleeping and ask Allah to wake you.
- Set an alarm twenty or thirty minutes before Fajr.
- Begin with a small, achievable goal, such as two rak’ahs once a week.
- Avoid sins during the day, as scholars mention that sins can prevent a person from night prayer.
Salat ad-Duha: The Forenoon Prayer
Salat ad-Duha is prayed in the morning, after the sun has risen and before it reaches its zenith.
The Prophet ﷺ said that every morning, charity is due for every joint in a person’s body, and that two rak’ahs of Duha suffice for all of that.
Since the human body has 360 joints, this shows the immense value of this short prayer.
When to pray Duha
Its time begins about fifteen to twenty minutes after sunrise and lasts until shortly before Dhuhr. The best time is when the sun has become hot, in the late morning.
How many rak’ahs?
The minimum is two rak’ahs. The Prophet ﷺ prayed four, and sometimes more.
Some narrations mention eight rak’ahs, which he prayed on the day of the conquest of Makkah. You can pray any even number, in sets of two.
Tahiyyat al-Masjid: Greeting the Mosque
The Prophet ﷺ said: “When one of you enters the mosque, let him not sit until he has prayed two rak’ahs.” This prayer honours the house of Allah.
It can be replaced by the regular sunnah or the obligatory prayer if a person enters just before it begins.
The Prayer After Wudu
The Prophet ﷺ asked Bilal which deed he hoped most from, because he had heard his footsteps ahead of him in Paradise.
Bilal replied that whenever he made wudu, he prayed whatever Allah enabled him to pray after it.
The Prophet ﷺ also said that whoever performs wudu well and then prays two rak’ahs with full focus, Paradise becomes due for him.
Other Sunnah and Voluntary Prayers
Salat al-Istikharah
A two-rak’ah prayer followed by a special dua, prayed when seeking Allah’s guidance in a decision. The Prophet ﷺ taught it to his companions as he taught them surahs of the Quran.
Salat at-Tawbah
A two-rak’ah prayer of repentance. The Prophet ﷺ said that whenever a person commits a sin, then purifies himself, prays two rak’ahs and seeks forgiveness, Allah forgives him.
Salat al-Hajah
A voluntary prayer for asking Allah to fulfil a need.
Taraweeh
The night prayer of Ramadan, prayed after Isha, often in congregation.
The Eid prayers
Two rak’ahs prayed on the mornings of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, with extra takbirs.
The eclipse prayer
A special prayer prayed during a solar or lunar eclipse, with two ruku in each rak’ah.
The rain prayer
Salat al-Istisqa is prayed during drought to ask Allah for rain.
Times When Voluntary Prayer Is Not Allowed
There are certain times when voluntary prayers without a specific reason should not be prayed:
- After the Fajr prayer until the sun has risen a spear’s length.
- When the sun is at its zenith, until it passes the meridian.
- After the Asr prayer until the sun has set.
Prayers with a specific cause, such as greeting the mosque or making up a missed obligatory prayer, are permitted during some of these times according to many scholars.
How to Build a Sunnah Prayer Routine
Start small
If you do not pray any sunnah prayers yet, begin with the two rak’ahs before Fajr.
Once this becomes a habit, add the two after Maghrib, then the two after Isha, then the Dhuhr sunnah. Within a few months, you can be praying all twelve rak’ahs.
Add Witr
Make Witr a non-negotiable part of your night. Even one rak’ah is enough to keep this sunnah alive.
Try Duha on weekends
If your weekday mornings are busy, start praying Duha on weekends or holidays, then gradually include working days, perhaps during a break.
Choose a night for Tahajjud
Pick one night a week, such as Thursday night, to wake up for Tahajjud. Over time, you may find yourself waking more often.
Learn more surahs
Knowing more surahs makes voluntary prayers more meaningful and less repetitive.
Memorising a few new surahs each month gives you fresh recitations for your sunnah and night prayers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are sunnah prayers obligatory?
No. They are voluntary, and a person is not sinful for leaving them. However, leaving them regularly means missing great reward, and the Prophet ﷺ was consistent with them.
Can I pray sunnah prayers sitting down?
Yes. Voluntary prayers may be prayed sitting even without an excuse, although the reward is half that of standing, unless one has an excuse.
Can I make up missed sunnah prayers?
The Prophet ﷺ made up the sunnah of Fajr after sunrise and the sunnah of Dhuhr after Asr on one occasion. Many scholars permit making up the regular sunnah prayers.
What is the difference between sunnah and nafl?
Sunnah usually refers to the voluntary prayers the Prophet ﷺ regularly prayed, while nafl is a broader term for any extra voluntary prayer. Both are rewarded.
Can women pray sunnah prayers at home?
Yes. Praying sunnah prayers at home is recommended for everyone, men and women.
Final Thoughts
The sunnah prayers are a gift that turns an ordinary day into a day full of worship.
A few extra rak’ahs before Fajr, after Maghrib and before sleep can protect your obligatory prayers, earn you a house in Paradise and draw you closer to Allah’s love.
Begin with one sunnah prayer, stay consistent and add more as your heart grows attached to them.
The Prophet ﷺ said that the most beloved deeds to Allah are those done consistently, even if they are small.
Build a complete daily prayer routine with expert guidance.