MINARA
Voluntary Prayers
The time, the number of rak'ahs and the manner of eight voluntary prayers — together with the disliked times in which no voluntary prayer is performed, following the Diyanet Ilmihal.
What is a voluntary prayer?
Prayers that are neither fard nor wajib, performed by a person of their own will. Whoever does not pray them is not held accountable; whoever does makes up what was lacking in the obligatory prayers. (According to the Hanafi school.)
- 1The rawatib sunnahsSunnahs tied to the five daily prayers — 12 rak'ahs a day
- 2Independent voluntary prayersThose tied to a reason rather than a time
- 3The basic structureIn pairs of two rak'ahs, with a salam after each pair
- 4When they are not prayedThe three disliked times — set out separately below
How to pray two rak'ahs of a voluntary prayer
All eight prayers below are built on this skeleton; only the intention, the time and the number of rak'ahs change. The steps that are fard in a voluntary prayer are marked in gold.
Intention
One intends whichever prayer is being performed: “I intend to pray the duha prayer for the sake of God”, for example. Intending in the heart is sufficient. The intention is among the conditions of the prayer.
The opening takbir
The hands are raised to ear level, “Allahu akbar” is said and the hands are folded.
Subhanaka
Subhanaka is recited, followed by the ta'awwudh and the basmala.
The Fatihah and a surah
The Fatihah is recited and a surah or several verses are added after it. In a voluntary prayer a surah is recited in every rak'ah — in the obligatory prayers it is not recited in the last two rak'ahs, but in a voluntary prayer it is.
The degree of the recitationRecitation is fard in every rak'ah of a voluntary prayer; in the Hanafi school the fard measure is one verse. Reciting the Fatihah and adding a surah after it is wajib.
The ruku' and the prostrations
One goes into ruku', straightens up and performs two prostrations. The first rak'ah ends here.
The second rak'ah
One rises; the basmala, the Fatihah and a surah are recited, then the ruku' and the prostrations.
The sitting and the salam
One sits; the Tahiyyat, the Allahumma salli–barik and the Rabbana supplications are recited. The prayer is completed by giving the salam first to the right and then to the left.
If four rak'ahs are to be prayed
After the salam one intends again and prays two more rak'ahs. In the Hanafi school daytime voluntary prayers may also be prayed up to four rak'ahs with a single salam.
Eight voluntary prayers
With their times and rak'ah counts. These eight are also recorded in Minara; the app lists their time windows and lets you mark what you have prayed.
Tahajjud — 2 to 12 rak'ahs
Prayed after sleeping for a while following Isha, up to the time of imsak. It has been reported as the most virtuous prayer after the obligatory ones.
Ishraq — 2 rak'ahs
Prayed after the Fajr prayer once the sun has risen and the disliked period has passed, roughly 45–50 minutes later.
Duha — 2 to 12 rak'ahs
May be prayed from the time of ishraq until the disliked period around midday. Its most virtuous time is when the sun has risen well up.
Awwabin — 6 rak'ahs
Prayed after the sunnah of Maghrib, up to the time of Isha. Its name means “those who repent and take refuge in God”.
Tasbih prayer — 4 rak'ahs
Seventy-five tasbihs are recited in each rak'ah, three hundred in total. It may be prayed at any time outside the disliked periods; praying it at least once in a lifetime has been recommended.
Hajah prayer — 2 or 4 rak'ahs
Someone with a worldly or otherworldly need performs wudu and prays it; the supplication of need is then recited. Praying it after Isha is recommended.
Shukr prayer — 2 rak'ahs
Prayed on receiving a blessing or on being delivered from a hardship.
Tawbah prayer — 2 rak'ahs
Prayed on feeling remorse for a sin; forgiveness is then sought.
How the 75 tasbihs are distributed in the tasbih prayer
The tasbih recited is: “Subhanallahi wa'l-hamdu lillahi wa la ilaha illallahu wallahu akbar.” It is recited at seven points in each rak'ah.
15 after Subhanaka, 10 after the surah, 10 in the ruku', 10 on straightening from the ruku', 10 in the first prostration, 10 between the two prostrations, 10 in the second prostration — 75 in total. Over four rak'ahs this makes 300.
These tasbihs do not take the place of the tasbihs of the ruku' and the prostration; they are recited after them.
Times in which voluntary prayers are not performed
In three times no prayer is performed; in two further times no voluntary prayer is performed but a make-up prayer may be. Even in the Hanafi school that day's Asr and a funeral prayer present at that moment are excepted from the three times; the exceptions in the other schools are stated separately below.
While the sun is rising
Until roughly 45–50 minutes after sunrise. Ishraq begins once this time has passed.
While the sun is at its zenith
The time of zawal — until the time of Zuhr enters.
While the sun is setting
Until the time of Maghrib enters. That day's Asr is excepted.
After the Fajr prayer
No voluntary prayer until sunrise; a make-up prayer may be performed.
After the Asr prayer
No voluntary prayer until sunset; a make-up prayer may be performed.
Differences between the schools
The existence of the voluntary prayers and their times are common to all four schools. The differences appear in matters such as how many rak'ahs may be prayed with a single salam and the scope of the disliked times.
How many rak'ahs with a single salam?
- Hanafi
- Daytime voluntary prayers may be prayed up to four rak'ahs with a single salam; for night-time voluntary prayers praying in pairs of two is more virtuous.
- Shafi'i · Maliki · Hanbali
- Voluntary prayers are prayed in pairs of two rak'ahs, with a salam after each pair.
Is a surah recited in every rak'ah of a voluntary prayer?
- Hanafi
- It is; adding a surah after the Fatihah in every rak'ah of a voluntary prayer is wajib, and if it is omitted the prostration of forgetfulness is required.
- Shafi'i · Maliki · Hanbali
- It is; adding a surah after the Fatihah is sunnah. In the last two rak'ahs of the obligatory prayers the Fatihah alone suffices.
May a voluntary prayer be performed sitting?
- All four schools
- It may be performed sitting even without an excuse. It has been reported that the reward of one who prays sitting is half that of one who prays standing (Bukhari, Taqsir as-salah 20, no. 1115 — sahih). The same concession does not apply to the obligatory prayers.
What if a voluntary prayer that has been begun is broken off?
- Hanafi · Maliki
- A voluntary prayer once begun becomes binding; if it is broken it must be made up.
- Shafi'i · Hanbali
- It does not become binding; whoever breaks it need not make it up.
Is no prayer at all performed in the disliked times?
- Hanafi
- No prayer is performed while the sun is rising, at its zenith or while it is setting; that day's Asr and a funeral prayer present at that moment are excepted.
- Shafi'i
- Prayers tied to a reason — such as tahiyyat al-masjid, the prayer after wudu and a make-up prayer — may be performed in these times as well.
- Maliki
- Making up obligatory prayers and the funeral prayer may be performed in these times as well.
- Hanbali
- Certain prayers tied to a reason are excepted; apart from those, no voluntary prayer is begun in these times.
Frequently asked questions
How many rak'ahs is a voluntary prayer?
The basic structure is two rak'ahs. Some, such as duha and tahajjud, may be extended up to twelve rak'ahs; awwabin is six and the tasbih prayer is four.
Is a surah recited in every rak'ah of a voluntary prayer?
It is. While the Fatihah alone suffices in the last two rak'ahs of the obligatory prayers, in a voluntary prayer a surah is added after the Fatihah in every rak'ah. In the Hanafi school this is wajib; in the other three schools it is sunnah.
In which times is no voluntary prayer performed?
No prayer is performed while the sun is rising, at its zenith or while it is setting; even in the Hanafi school that day's Asr and a funeral prayer present at that moment are excepted. In addition, no voluntary prayer is performed after the Fajr prayer until sunrise or after Asr until sunset; a make-up prayer may be performed in these two times.
Is sleeping required for the tahajjud prayer?
Tahajjud is the prayer performed after sleeping for a while following Isha. A night prayer performed without sleeping is also voluntary, but it does not take the name tahajjud.
How many tasbihs are recited in the tasbih prayer?
Seventy-five in each rak'ah, three hundred over four rak'ahs. They do not take the place of the tasbihs of the ruku' and the prostration; they are recited after them.
May a voluntary prayer be performed sitting?
It may, even without an excuse. It has been reported that the reward of one who prays sitting is half that of one who prays standing. This concession does not apply to the obligatory prayers.
Related pages
Keep track of your voluntary prayers
Minara lists these eight voluntary prayers with their time windows, lets you mark what you have prayed and shows your weekly rhythm. Ad-free, privacy-first, free.
Note
Source: Presidency of Religious Affairs of Türkiye (Diyanet), Ilmihal I — Faith and Worship, chapters “Voluntary Prayers” and “Disliked Times”.
This page is not a fatwa. It is a reminder of the times and the manner of the voluntary prayers. For a question about your own situation, consult a mosque community or a qualified person.