Nafl (voluntary worship) are those special acts of devotion we perform purely out of love and longing for Allah, without any obligation or compulsion. They are not a substitute for the obligatory (fard) acts of worship; rather, they enhance their beauty and essence with sincere devotion. The word nafl itself means “gift”—and what could be a more magnificent gift than one a servant presents to their Lord, solely for His pleasure? Whether it’s a silent prostration in the solitude of Tahajjud, or a few quiet units of Duha (forenoon) prayer amidst a busy day, nafl worship brings tranquility to the heart, a sense of closeness, and an indescribable light. Personally, whenever I feel a restlessness in my heart, I find peace in performing nafl prayers—as if I have silently poured out my soul to my Lord.
Table of Contents
The most beautiful aspect of nafl worship is this: it is not just an act of worship, but an expression of a deep, intimate connection between the servant and their Creator—a state of confidential conversation, without any intermediary, without any conditions.
Types of Nafl Worship:
- Nafl Prayers (Salah)
- Voluntary Fasts
- Nafl Remembrance (Dhikr and Qur’an Recitation)
Especially during times when no obligatory worship is prescribed, engaging in the recitation of the Qur’an or dhikr becomes a form of nafl worship.
What Are Nafl Prayers?
Nafl prayers are intimate, voluntary acts of worship performed in addition to the obligatory ones, out of pure love for Allah and to seek closeness to Him. These are moments where a person willingly enters prostration, not out of obligation, but because their heart desires to be in conversation with their Lord—in solitude and in silence. For me, nafl prayers are a sanctuary, a place where I can retreat from the chaos of the world and open my heart before my Lord.
The silence of Tahajjud, the brightness of Duha, the light of Ishraq—all these nafl prayers provide a unique tranquility and intimacy with the Divine. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gave great importance to nafl prayers and said that through them, a servant becomes beloved to Allah. There is no set number for nafl prayers, but their spiritual impact is immense. These prostrations are not merely ritual—they are secrets, supplications, tears, and a bond that words cannot fully describe. For me, nafl prayer is a spiritual journey—one where every step carries the fragrance of Allah’s mercy.
Types of Nafl Prayers and Their Rulings:
1. Tahajjud Prayer
Tahajjud is a type of Qiyam al-Layl (night prayer), specifically performed after waking up from sleep during the night. Whatever is prayed before sleep does not count as Tahajjud.
(Radd al-Muhtar)
The minimum for Tahajjud is two rak‘ahs, and up to eight rak‘ahs have been authentically reported from the Prophet ﷺ, the Mercy to all worlds and the Intercessor for sinners. He ﷺ said:
“Whoever wakes up during the night and wakes up his family, and they both pray two rak‘ahs, will be recorded among those who remember Allah abundantly.”
This hadith is reported by al-Nasa’i and Ibn Majah in their Sunan, Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, and al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak. Al-Mundhiri said it meets the criteria of authenticity set by Bukhari and Muslim.
(Radd al-Muhtar)
Important Points Regarding Night Worship:
The best practice for someone who wants to sleep for two-thirds of the night and worship for one-third is to sleep in the beginning and end portions of the night and worship in the middle, which is a time of solitude, quiet, and focused attention.
If someone wants to split the night in half—sleeping for half and worshipping for half—it is better to worship in the last portion of the night, as it is the time of Divine manifestations.
Hadith (Bukhari & Muslim):
Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night and says: ‘Is there anyone calling upon Me so I may answer him? Is there anyone asking of Me so I may grant it to him? Is there anyone seeking forgiveness so I may forgive him?’”
The most virtuous prayer at this time is the Prayer of Dawud (عليه السلام), as narrated in Bukhari and Muslim:
“The most beloved prayer to Allah is the prayer of Dawud. He would sleep half the night, worship for one-third, and then sleep for the remaining sixth.”
This shows the importance of balance and spiritual rhythm in worship. It is also disliked for someone who is habitual in Tahajjud to abandon it without a valid reason.
Hadith (Bukhari & Muslim):
The Prophet ﷺ said to Abdullah ibn Umar (رضي الله عنه):
“O Abdullah! Do not be like so-and-so who used to pray at night and then abandoned it.”
(Mishkat, p. 109)
2. Ishraq Prayer
This is a two-rak‘ah prayer offered after the sun has fully risen. According to Tirmidhi, Sayyiduna Anas (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever offers Fajr in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until the sun rises, and then prays two rak‘ahs, will have the reward of a complete Hajj and ‘Umrah.”
(Bahar-e-Shari‘at, vol. 4, p. 21)
3. Duha (Forenoon) Prayer
This prayer is recommended (mustahabb), and its minimum is two rak‘ahs, while the maximum is twelve—with twelve being the most virtuous.
Virtues of Duha Prayer:
According to Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah, the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever prays twelve rak‘ahs of Duha, Allah will build for him a house of gold in Paradise.”
(Mishkat, p. 116)
Abu Dharr (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Each morning, charity is due on every joint of your body. There are 360 joints in the human body. Every tasbih (saying ‘SubhanAllah’) is charity, every tahmid (‘Alhamdulillah’) is charity, every takbir (‘Allahu Akbar’) is charity, enjoining good is charity, and forbidding evil is charity. And all these can be fulfilled by praying two rak‘ahs of Duha.”
(Muslim, Mishkat p. 116)
4. Salat al-Awwabin (Prayer of the Oft-Returning)
This is prayed after the Maghrib prayer and consists of six rak‘ahs.
According to Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah, Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever prays six rak‘ahs after Maghrib without speaking ill in between, it will be equal to twelve years of worship.”
(Mishkat, p. 104)
According to a narration in Tabarani, Ammar ibn Yasir (رضي الله عنه) reported that whoever prays six rak‘ahs after Maghrib will have all his sins forgiven—even if they are as much as the foam of the sea.
Another narration from Tirmidhi, from Sayyidah A’ishah (رضي الله عنها), says:
“Whoever prays six rak‘ahs after Maghrib, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise.”
Ruling:
Among these six rak‘ahs, two are the confirmed Sunnah after Maghrib. It is recommended to pray all six in sets of two.
(Mirqat)
5. Tahiyyat al-Wudu (Greeting of Ablution)
This is a two-rak‘ah prayer offered after performing ablution, before the limbs dry.
A narration from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir (رضي الله عنه) states that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever performs ablution and perfects it, then prays two rak‘ahs with full attention—both inwardly and outwardly—Paradise becomes obligatory for him.”
(Mishkat, p. 39)
Ruling:
It is also recommended to pray two rak‘ahs after a ritual bath (ghusl). If someone performs a fard prayer after ablution, it can suffice for Tahiyyat al-Wudu.
(Radd al-Muhtar)
6. Tahiyyat al-Masjid (Greeting of the Mosque)
Whenever someone enters a mosque, it is Sunnah to pray two rak‘ahs before sitting. Four are even better if possible.
Abu Qatadah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“When one of you enters the mosque, he should not sit until he prays two rak‘ahs.”
(Bukhari, Muslim, Mishkat p. 68)
Important Rulings:
If someone enters during a time when voluntary prayers are disliked—such as after Fajr or ‘Asr—they should not perform Tahiyyat al-Masjid. Instead, engaging in dhikr or salawat is sufficient.
If someone enters and prays any prayer (obligatory, Sunnah, or other), even without the specific intention of Tahiyyat al-Masjid, it will still suffice—provided it’s prayed soon after entering.
If one prays much later, a separate Tahiyyat al-Masjid is recommended.
It is not obligatory to perform Tahiyyat al-Masjid every time you enter the mosque in a single day.
If one cannot pray due to lack of ablution or other valid reasons, reciting the following four phrases will suffice:
“SubhanAllah, walhamdulillah, wa la ilaha illallah, wallahu akbar.”
(Radd al-Muhtar)
Prayer of Travel (Ṣalāt al-Safar)
Before Setting Out on a Journey: One should perform two rak‘ahs (units) of prayer at home before departing for travel. In a hadith narrated by Ṭabarānī, it is stated: “No one has left anything better for his family than those two rak‘ahs which he performed at the time of intending to travel.”
Upon Returning from Travel: When returning from a journey, one should perform two rak‘ahs in the mosque. According to a hadith in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim narrated from Sayyidunā Ka‘b ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him), it is reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would return from a journey during the forenoon, enter the mosque, and offer two rak‘ahs there before sitting down.
(Bahār-e-Sharī‘at, Volume 4, Page 22)
Prayer of Istikhārah (Seeking Guidance)
A sound hadith reported by all the major muḥaddithīn except Muslim, narrated from Sayyidunā Jābir ibn ʿAbdillāh (may Allah be pleased with them both), states that the Beloved Messenger ﷺ taught us to perform Istikhārah in all matters just as he would teach us a sūrah from the Qur’ān. When one intends to undertake any matter, they should perform two rak‘ahs of optional prayer and then say:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ
(Complete Arabic du‘ā omitted here for brevity but maintained above)
And then mention the specific need, either by replacing “هَذَا الْأَمْرَ” with the actual matter or mentioning it afterwards.
(Mishkāt, Page 116)
Rulings and Etiquette:
Istikhārah is not for the core act of good deeds like Ḥajj or Jihād as these are inherently good, but rather for choosing time or manner.
It is recommended to recite al-Ḥamdu (Sūrat al-Fātiḥah) and send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ before and after the du‘ā.
In the two rak‘ahs, it is preferable to recite Qul yā ayyuhal-kāfirūn in the first rak‘ah and Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad in the second.
Some elders recommended reciting “Wa rabbuka yakhluqu mā yashā’u wa yakhtār” in the first rak‘ah and “Wa mā kāna li-mu’minin wa lā mu’minatin” till the end in the second.
The better practice is to repeat Istikhārah up to seven times, as per a narration from Sayyidunā Anas (may Allah be pleased with him).
Some spiritual masters advised sleeping after Istikhārah with ablution and facing the qiblah; seeing white or green is a positive sign, and black or red is negative.
Prayer of Tasbīḥ (Ṣalāt al-Tasbīḥ)
This prayer holds immense reward. Some scholars have stated that only one lacking in religion would leave it upon hearing its virtue.
The Prophet ﷺ said to his uncle Sayyidunā ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with him): “Shall I not gift you, forgive you, grant you, bestow mercy upon you? If you pray this, Allah will forgive your sins — past and future, intentional and unintentional, minor and major, hidden and open.”
He then taught the method of Ṣalāt al-Tasbīḥ and added: “If possible, pray it daily; if not, then every Friday; if not, then once a month; if not, then once a year; and if not, then at least once in a lifetime.”
Method: According to Sunan al-Tirmidhī as narrated from Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Mubārak:
Begin with Allāhu Akbar, then Subḥānaka Allāhumma wa biḥamdik… and then recite:
Subḥānallāh, wal-ḥamdu lillāh, wa lā ilāha illa Allāh, wallāhu akbar — fifteen times
Then after reciting ta‘awwudh, tasmiyah, Fātiḥah, and a sūrah, recite it ten more times.
Continue this tasbīḥ sequence in each position (bowing, standing after bowing, both prostrations, and sitting between them).
Each rak‘ah includes 75 repetitions, totaling 300 in four rak‘ahs.
In rukū‘ and sujūd, say Subḥāna rabbiyal-ʿaẓīm and Subḥāna rabbiyal-aʿlā before the tasbīḥ.
Legal Notes:
Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with them) was asked which sūrahs are preferable in Istikhārah. He mentioned: Sūrat al-Takāthur, al-ʿAṣr, Qul yā ayyuhal-kāfirūn, Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad. Some scholars also prefer al-Ḥadīd, al-Ḥashr, aṣ-Ṣaff, at-Taghābun. (Radd al-Muḥtār)
If sujūd al-sahw becomes necessary in a nafl prayer like this, the usual tasbīḥs should be avoided.
If one misses tasbīḥs in one posture, it’s recommended to make up the count in a subsequent posture (except standing or sitting between sujūd).
Counting tasbīḥs should be done in the heart or by subtle finger pressure, not by counting on fingers.
The best time to offer this prayer is before Ẓuhr.
Prayer of Need (Ṣalāt al-Ḥājah)
Narrated by Abū Dāwūd from Sayyidunā Ḥudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him): When the Prophet ﷺ faced any difficulty, he would offer two or four rak‘ahs.
One narration mentions reciting Sūrat al-Fātiḥah and Āyat al-Kursī thrice in the first rak‘ah, and in the next three rak‘ahs, recite Fātiḥah along with: Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad, Qul aʿūdhu bi-Rabbil-falaq, and Qul aʿūdhu bi-Rabbin-nās — once each.
According to Tirmidhī and Ibn Mājah, narrated by ʿAbdullāh ibn Abī Awfā: “Whoever has a need from Allah or any person, let him perform ablution, pray two rak‘ahs, praise Allah and send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, then say:”
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْحَلِيمُ الْكَرِيمُ
(Mishkāt, Page 117)
Another narration from Ṭabarānī, Tirmidhī, and Ibn Mājah: A blind man came to the Prophet ﷺ asking for healing. The Prophet ﷺ told him:
“If you wish, I will pray for you; if you prefer, be patient, and that is better.”
He chose the former, and the Prophet instructed him to perform ablution, pray two rak‘ahs, and say:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ وَأَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّكَ
(Ḥiṣn al-Ḥaṣīn, Page 327 | Bahār-e-Sharīʿat, Volume 4, Page 30)
A Tried and Trusted Practice: Scholars frequently recommend offering two rak‘ahs at the grave of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah and seeking Allah’s help through his intercession. Imām al-Shāfiʿī said: “Whenever I do so, my need is swiftly fulfilled.”
(Khayrāt al-Ḥisān)
Prayer of Repentance (Ṣalāt at-Tawbah)
Narrated by Tirmidhī and Ibn Mājah from Sayyidunā Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet ﷺ said: “When a person commits a sin, then makes ablution, offers prayer, and seeks forgiveness, Allah forgives him.”
He then recited the verse:
“And those who, when they commit an indecency or wrong themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins…”
Prayer for Rain (Ṣalāt al-Istisqā’)
Istisqā’ refers to supplicating and seeking forgiveness for rain. Though it is permissible in congregation, it is not a Sunnah that it must be offered so.
Etiquette and Rulings:
Go with humility, brokenness, and modesty — wearing old or patched clothes, uncovered heads, preferably barefoot.
Before heading out, give charity, fast for three days, and seek forgiveness.
Clear any debts or rights owed to others, and refrain from taking disbelievers along.
Seek Allah’s mercy through the elderly, weak, women, and children — all should say “Āmīn” in unison.
According to Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī: “You are granted victory and sustenance because of your weak ones.”
Animals should be taken along. Children should be temporarily separated from their mothers.
For three days, supplications should be made in the wilderness.
The imam should lead two rak‘ahs aloud — reciting Sabbih isma Rabbika al-Aʿlā in the first and Hal atāka ḥadīthu al-ghāshiyah in the second.
After prayer, he should give a sermon while standing on the ground, possibly delivering two sermons with a pause in between.
During the sermon, du‘ā, tasbīḥ, and istighfār should be made.
The cloak or shawl should be turned inside out to symbolize changing conditions.
Du‘ā should be made with raised hands, palms facing upward, and the backs of hands toward the sky.
If rain comes before prayer, it is still praiseworthy to go and offer thanks.
Supplication for beneficial rain:
اللَّهُمَّ صَيِّبًا نَافِعًا or اللَّهُمَّ سَيِّبًا نَافِعًا
If thunder or lightning occurs:
اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَقْتُلْنَا بِغَضَبِكَ
سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي يُسَبِّحُ الرَّعْدُ
If excessive rain causes harm, recite the prayer to redirect it:
اللَّهُمَّ حَوَالَيْنَا وَلَا عَلَيْنَا
(Sources: Fatāwā ʿĀlamgīrī, Durr al-Mukhtār, Radd al-Muḥtār, Ḥiṣn al-Ḥaṣīn)
