Sunnah salat are optional prayers that can be performed by Muslims at almost any time of the day. These prayers are performed in addition to the five daily prayers, which are compulsory for all Muslims. There are a range of prayers available: some are done at the same time as the compulsory prayers, some are done only at certain times, e.g. late at night, and some are only done for specific occasions such as during a drought. All of these optional prayers were originally performed by Muhammad. A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Tahajjud

Main article: Tahajjud

Tahajjud prayer is performed at night time, and it is recommended that it be performed after first going to sleep for some part of the evening. Scholars have different opinions about whether sleeping first is absolutely required or not. In Saudi Arabia during the fasting month of Ramadan, there are many people who leave the Tarawih prayers in the main mosque in a hurry so that they can go home, go to sleep, and then wake up to perform their Tahajjud prayers in the early morning. Others simply stay in the mosque and perform these optional prayers before going home. Tahajjud Prayer And during part of the night, pray Tahajjud, beyond what is incumbent upon you; maybe your Lord will raise you to a position of great glory. ... Tahajjud Prayer And during part of the night, pray Tahajjud, beyond what is incumbent upon you; maybe your Lord will raise you to a position of great glory. ... Ramadan or Ramadhan (Arabic: رمضان) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the holiest month in Islam. ... Tarawih (تراويح) is an Arabic phrase referring to extra prayers given at night in the Islamic month of Ramadan. ... The Badshahi Masjid in Lahore, Pakistan with an iwan at center, three domes, and five visible minarets A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ...

The time for the Tahajjud prayers falls between the prayer times of the isha'a prayers (around 7pm) and the fajr prayers (around 4.30am). Actual prayer times will vary, depending on geographical location. It is also recommended that the prayers be done in the last third of the night, i.e. between approximately 1am and 4.30am. Muslims believe that the reward is greater for those who do this prayer at a later time. (It is harder to wake up and pray early in the morning, making the person’s effort greater, resulting in a greater reward from God.) The Isha prayer is the night-time daily prayer recited by practising Muslims. ... The Fajr prayer is the dawn daily prayer recited by practicing Muslims. ... God denotes the deity believed by monotheists to be the sole creator and ruler of the universe. ...

Each prayer for a Muslim is made up with repeated actions: from standing, to bowing on the floor, to standing again is called one raka'ah. The Tahajjud prayer consists of a mimimum of two raka'ah and the maximum number is unlimited. A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Turkish: Müslüman, Persian and Urdu: مسلمان) is an adherent of Islam. ... The Arabic word rakaah (pl. ...

It's reported about the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) that he said: "Adhere to night prayer, for it is the habit of the righteous before you, and a means of drawing nearer to your Lord; it is an expiation for sins, and a deterrent from wrongdoing." [Tirmidhi & al-Hakim]

Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As (Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah be pleased with him) said to him, "Oh Abdullah, do not be like so-and-so, he used to pray in the night then he abandoned night prayer." [Bukhari & Muslim]

And it is reported by Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) that, "The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to perform eleven rakats of prayer (at night), prostrating in it a prostration the length it takes any of you to read fifty verses (ayats) before raising his head." [Bukhari]

It is recommended that tahajjud be prayed during the last third of the night, but performing it at any other time is better than not performing it at all.

Tarawih

Main article: Tarawih

Tarawih is an optional prayer that can be done only during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. This prayer can be done alone, in a group, at home, or in a mosque or other public meeting area. Typically, Muslims gather together and perform tarawih as a group, often amongst extended family members in one large house. Others may meet in their local mosque, a meeting hall, or even in an outdoor field. Depending on the country, the tarawih prayers might be done in mosque by men only, or by a mixture of men and women (although physically separated from each other). The total number of raka'ah varies, but with a minimum of eight. This is in accordance with the example of Muhammad who originally performed eight raka'ah in the mosque with his followers, but then after three days, decided to stay at home and perform the prayers with his family. He said he was afraid that if he continued to perform the prayers in the mosque, then his followers might come to think that they were compulsory and not optional. Tarawih (تراويح) is an Arabic phrase referring to extra prayers given at night in the Islamic month of Ramadan. ... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Turkish: Müslüman, Persian and Urdu: مسلمان) is an adherent of Islam. ... Ramadan or Ramadhan (Arabic: رمضان) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the holiest month in Islam. ... The Badshahi Masjid in Lahore, Pakistan with an iwan at center, three domes, and five visible minarets A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Arabic word rakaah (pl. ...

After the death of Muhammad, the number of raka'ah was increased to twenty instead of eight by the second Caliph, Umar. Muslims now choose for themselves how many raka'ah to perform. In the main mosque in Mecca, the Imam (prayer leader) performs twenty raka'ah followed by a futher three raka'ah known as witr prayers. The total number of people joining the tarawih prayers in the main mosque in Mecca may reach 3-4 million. They fill up all levels inside the mosque, the flat roof, outside in the courtyard, some nearby streets (which are closed off), and on occasions even using up space in the lobbies of some nearby hotels. Caliph is the term or title for the Islamic leader of the Ummah, or community of Islam. ... For other uses of the name, see Umar (disambiguation). ... A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ... Imam (Arabic: إمام ,Persian: امام ) is an Arabic word meaning Leader. The ruler of a country might be called the Imam, for example. ... The Arabic word rakaah (pl. ... Witr is an optional Muslim prayer yet that can be said at night between Ishaa (night) and Fajr (morning) prayers. ... Tarawih (تراويح) is an Arabic phrase referring to extra prayers given at night in the Islamic month of Ramadan. ... The Badshahi Masjid in Lahore, Pakistan with an iwan at center, three domes, and five visible minarets A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ...

It is also customary for the Imam in Mecca’s main mosque to recite the entire contents or the Qur'an during the fasting month by reading approximately one section per day. This practice of reading the Qur'an completely is known as khatm (complete recitation). However, doing this is considered bidah, or an innovation, by Shi'as. Mecca or Makkah (in full: Makkah al-Mukarramah; Arabic: ‎) is the capital city of Saudi Arabias Makkah province, in the historic Hijaz region. ... The Quran [1] (Arabic: , literally the recitation; also called The Noble Quran; also transliterated as Quran, Koran, and Al-Quran, Turkish Kuran), is the central religious text of Islam. ... In the Arabic language, Bidah means innovation. ... Shia Islam ( Arabic شيعى follower; English has traditionally used Shiite or Shiite) is the second largest Islamic denomination; some 20-25% of all Muslims are said to follow a Shia tradition. ...

Istisqa

Salat ul istasqa is a prayer consisting of two rakaah performed during the times of drought to ask Allah for rain.

Qusuf and Khusuf

Salat ul-Qusuf is a prayer consisting of two rakaah performed during a solar eclipse. Salat ul-Khusuf is a two rakaah prayer performed during a lunar eclipse. Photo taken during the 1999 eclipse. ... An eclipse refers to the phenomenon of one body passing into the shadow cast by another body. ...

See also

• Nafl salat