Fatwa ID: 05404
Answered by: Mufti Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia
Question
Hazrat, what is the maximum number of rakats, that can be performed for this salah, and the ideal time to read it for a maximum reward? If you can specify time instead of fiqh details i.e. how the sky must look etc – that will be better for me.
In the name of Allah the most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Answer
- The supererogatory morning prayer has many names. Among them:
- Salat al-Duha or Sibhat al-Duha, Sibha meaning a supererogatory prayer in general, and Duha meaning morning, mid-morning, or late morning. This is the name that reoccurs the most in the narrations.
- Salat al-Ishraq (“Sunrise Prayer”) i.e. very shortly after sunrise, and this is its Qur’anic name as per the narration of Ibn `Abbas in the Sunan of Sa`id Ibn Mansur: “I searched for Salat al-Duha in the Qur’an and found it in the verse:
Lo! We subdued the hills to hymn the praises (of their Lord) with him [Dawud] at nightfall and sunrise” (38:18).
- In regards to its time, it’s mentioned:
Al-Fiqh `ala al-Madhahib al-Arba`a: Kitab al-Salat: Salat al-Tatawwu`: Salat al-Duha:
“Salat al-Duha is a Sunna according to three of the Imams while the Malikis differed and said it is a stressed mandub prayer but not a Sunna.
“Its time is from the rising of the sun about a spear-length from the horizon until it passes its zenith, but the preferred time is that one begins it after one-quarter of the day has passed.”
It has been written on the footnotes of Mishkaat-ul-Masaabeeh (Page 116): “ The beginning time it’s a little after sunrise.
We also come to know that the time is, a little after sunrise from the Hadith:
Jubair narrated from Abu Ad-Darda, or Abu Dharr, that:
Allah’s Messenger narrated that Allah, Blessed and Most High said: “Son of Adam: Perform four Rak’ah for me in the beginning of the day it will suffice you for the latter part of it.” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Mishkaat Page 116)
- Number of Rakaats
The minimum is 2 rakaats. There is also narration that The Prophet ﷺ performed 4, 8 and a maximum of 12. Below are all the Hadith with evidence of the number of Rakaats.
Abu Dhar (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet ﷺ said: “In the morning every single joint of yours must pay a sadaqah. Every tasbih is a sadaqah, every tahmid is a sadaqa, every tahlil is a sadaqa, every takbir is a sadaqah, every commanding good is a sadaqah, and every forbidding evil is a sadaqah, and all this is accomplished through two rakaats one can pray in Duha.”(Muslim)
‘Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to perform four Rakaat of Duha prayer (at the forenoon) and would add to them whatever Allah wished. (Muslim).
‘Abdur Rahmaan bin Abi Layla RA. (a Taabi’ee) reports:
“None had given me the news that they had observed The Prophet (ﷺ) perform the salaatut duhah besides Ummi Haani. She said: The Prophet (ﷺ) came to her house, the day Makkah was conquered. He performed ghusl (bath), and then performed eight rak’ahs. I did not observe The Prophet (ﷺ) perform any salaah shorter than these, despite him performing every ruku’ and sajdah properly”‘. (He did not perform the ruku’ and sajdah haphazardly because the salaah was short). (Bukhari)
Anas bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Whoever prays twelve Rakaat of Ad-Duha, Allah will build a castle made of gold for him in Paradise.”(Sunnan Tirmidhi)
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Mufti Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
