Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

Society Religion & Philosophy
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My roomie is shia and we were having a discussion on the differences in our namaz. I dont understand why sunnis pray sunnat in namaz, but they don’t.

Anyone have info on this - what is the historical reason for the split in style of prayer, and any other reasons.

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

we tend to have more relaxed requirements as far as namaz goes. non farz namazein are considered optional but recommended, because they're not farz.

the historical reasons will depend on what your source is.

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

^ Sadly It is the way it is..

One of the reason most people (younger folks) don't pray obligatory prayers that they say it takes too long . For instance Zuhr, Isha.

It is made difficult by sunni scholars, who gave too much importance to non-obligatory prayers that they are considered part of prayer. So it is a major turn off for younger generation

It should be like this ...

Grown up should ask children to pray only farz prayers (preferably in masjid) and pray regularly. They should not be burdened by asking to pray Sunnat /nafal etc. Once they grow older and get used to, they will develop more patience and understanding of religion will be more at ease and will not find Nafal/sunnat prayers as a burden

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

in the sub-continen (and in hanafis to be more specific), prayer is considered incomplete if sunnah prayers r left out....

here in arabia, ppl dont really bother much about sunnah prayers....
and many ppl will just leave them out....

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

We do pray nafals but in our own time, Farz are way more important. However, its good to pray nafls with each salah, providing you dont feel that your farz wont be accepted if you dont have time for nafl, i.e your not made to think its compulsory.

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

^^

Read Shia Prayer book - "Namaz e Jafariya" there are total more number of Rakaat (cycle) in prayer including Farz(frad) and nafals than Ahle Sunnah.

It is instructed that who dont even pray any prayer; at least he should pray Farz Prayer; to become regular in prayers and then slowly he start praying Nafals.

Qaza (Qada) of Farz (frad) is more important than praying Nafal in that time in which you(we) are praying Nafal Namaz. That is why most shias, after/before praying fard namaz instead of praying a prayer with the Niyyah of Nafal they do the Niyyah of Qaza Farz Namaz. On which there will be punishment from Allah if you miss any.

However the importance of Nafal/Sunnat Namaz is still there.

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

Dude, I know the differences exist. I guess no one knows WHY they exist.

Like where did the concept of sunnat vs. nafl vs. farz prayers originate? Why is there a distinction?

And why do sunnis feel more obligated to pray the sunnat when shias don't?

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

They emphasize more on the term “Sunnat” pretending that they are Ahle Sunnah. No such thing shias give less value to Sunnat; they got the teachs from Ahle Bait(AS); They are true guards & guide of Sunnat of The holy Prophet(PBUH&HF). Shia do have the same importance for Sunnat/Nafal prayers as Ahle Sunnah.

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

Opinion of Ahl-e-Sunnah wal Jama’t follows :

There are two types of Sunnat prayers:

1- Sunnat-e-Moakkidah:

is the type of sunnat prayer which Rasoolulah:saw: always prayed along with the Fardh prayers. These includes: Two sunnat Raka’t before the fardh prayer of Faj’r, Four Sunnat Raka’t before the fardh of Zuh’r and two after it, two sunnat after maghrib fardh and two after isha.

2- Sunnat-e-gher Moakkidah:

is the type of sunnat prayer which Prophet:saw: sometimes prayed and some times did not. These includes: Four sunnat before As’r prayer and Four before Isha Prayer.

Nawaafil:

Nafil salah is the one which can be offered as additional prayers and according to a hadeeth sunnat and nawaafil will be treated as substitute for fardh on the day of judgement if the count of faraaidh salah falls short.

Waajib:

Waajib salah is the one which has almost the similar treatment as of Fardh but is not fardh. The Three vit’r after isha prayer are waajib and are not considered part of isha but a waajib prayer for the night hence can be offered till Tahajjud nawaafils.

The qadhaa prayer is only offered for Fardh prayer and the waajib (Except for the waajib of Eidain)… The faj’r sunnah is also offered as qadhaa if praying it before the zuh’r time starts, otherwise only fardh salah is prayed.

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

It is said that AnHazoor (saw) used to brush his teeth almost before every prayer. I soooo wish people would follow his sunnah!

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

we call them sonnat but they call them nawafil.

i must admit when i pray i don’t pray the sonnah because i’ve been told it’s optional, just 2 farz for fajr, 4 for zohr, 4 for asr, 3 for maghreb and 4 for isha. Most religious peeps pray like this in mosque but they also pray some sunnats before and after at home.

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

Okay, so the sunnat are sunnat because the rasul would pray them (but not always)...correct?

So then why have shias departed from this rule?

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

except for the koran shias have a different source for deriving prophet (s) hadith which is their imams(pbut), ahle bait (pbut) and a few sahabas (r), they don't beleive in our hadith compilations like bukhari and muslim etc. because they belive our narrators/sahabah like abu bakr (r), amma aisha (r), abu hurayrah (r) etc. were mufaiqs so because of the different source their rulings are different.

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

what is a mufaiq?

what is ahle bait?

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

For the Tahajjud prayer which was emphasised upon the Prophet (saw) see Surah 17:79...

"And during a part of the night, pray Tahajjud beyond what is incumbent on you (nafilatan); maybe your Lord will raise you to a position of great glory."

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

Mustahab Prayers

  1. There are many Mustahab prayers which are generally called Nafilah, but more stress has been laid on the daily Mustahab prayers. The number of the Rak’ats everyday excluding Friday, is 34. It is an follows:

8 Rak’ats Nafilah for Zuhr
8 Rak’ats Nafilah for Asr
4 Rak’ats Nafilah for Maghrib
2 Rak’ats Nafilah for Isha
11 Rak’ats Nafilah for Tahajjud (Namaz-e-Shab)
2 Rak’ats Nafilah for Fajr

As an obligatory precaution, the Nafilah for Isha prayers should be offered while sitting, and therefore its 2 Rak’ats are counted as one. But on Friday, 4 Rak’ats are added to the 16 Rak’ats of the Zuhr and the Asr Nafilah, and it is preferable that all these 20 Rak’ats are offered before the Zuhr sets in.
773. Out of the 11 Rak’ats of the night Nafilah, 8 Rak’ats should be offered with the niyyat of the Nafilah, 2 Rak’ats with the niyyat of Shaf’a, and 1 Rak’at with the Niyyat of Witr. Complete instructions regarding Namaz-e-Shab are given in the book of prayers.

    • All Nafilah prayers can be offered while sitting, but then, certain Fuqaha say that 2 Rak’ats prayed sitting should be counted as one Rak’at. For example, if a person wishes to offer Zuhr Nafilah which consists of 8 Rak’ats, in a sitting posture, he should offer 16 Rak’ats. And if he wishes to offer Witr prayers while sitting, he should offer two prayers of 1 Rak’at each. This later preference is not known from any sources; however, they may be followed with the hope of earning divine pleasure.

  2. Zuhr Nafilah and Asr Nafilah should not be offered when one is on a journey, and one may offer Isha Nafilah with the intention of Raja’.

The Timings of Daily Nafilah Prayers

    • The Zuhr Nafilah is offered before Zuhr prayers. Its time is from the commencement of the time of Zuhr, up to the time when the shadow of indicator equals 2/7th of its length. For example, if an indicator is 7 yards long, and the shadow appearing after Zuhr reaches 2 yards, the Nafilah time would end. He should now offer Zuhr prayers.
    • The Asr Nafilah are offered before Asr prayers, and its time is till the moment when the shadow of an indicator appearing after Zuhr, reaches of 4/7th of its length.

In case a person wishes to offer Zuhr and Asr Nafilah after their recommended time, he can offer the Zuhr Nafilah after Zuhr prayers, and the Asr Nafilah after Asr prayers, but as a precaution, he will not make niyyat of Ada or Qadha.

    • The Maghrib Nafilah should be offered after Maghrib prayers, and one should make an effort to offer it in time after Maghrib. However, if one delays offering Maghrib Nafilah till redness in the western sky disappears, then it would be better to offer Isha prayers at that moment.

  2. The time for Isha Nafilah is from the completion of Isha prayers till midnight. It is better to offer it immediately, after Isha prayers.

    • The Fajr Nafilah is offered before the Fajr prayers, and its time commences when Namaz-e-Shab has been completed, till the time of Namaz-e-Fajr draws near. But if someone delays it till redness is seen in the eastern sky, then it is better to pray namaz of Fajr.
    • The time for Namaz-e-Shab is from midnight till Adhan for Fajr prayers, and it is better to offer it nearer the time of Fajr prayers.

  5. A traveller (i.e. one on a journey), and a person who finds it difficult to offer Namaz-e-Shab after midnight, can offer it before midnight.

Source:
Islamic Laws according to the Fatawa of Ayatullah al Uzama Syed Ali al-Husaini Seestani - IRAQ
http://al-islam.org/laws/rulesofnamaaz1.html#776

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

munafiq=hypocrite, fake show sha ka muslim

ahle bait = people of the (prophet’s .s.) household

i’ve considered shiaism myself not that i know anything about it or even my own sect but mut’ah sounds tempting.

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Re: Praying Sunnat vs. just Farz

nope… there are sunnat which were offered **always **and there are which were not.

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I dont get what the inherent difference is between sunnat that were always prayed and farz.

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The sunnat prayer is additional prayer that Prophet:saw: offered but if you pray fardh alone, the prayer is done for that time. But if you pray only sunnat you MUST pray fardh anyway… This is a mercy of the prophet:saw: that he taught us these additional prayer for the reference of hadeeth I quoted above.