Nafl prayer

Nafilah salah (Arabic: صلاة نفل) is a type of optional salah in Islam. Like Sunnah salat, they are not considered obligatory but are thought to confer extra benefit on the person performing them.

Ishraq

The time for the Ishraq prayer beings ten to fifteen minutes after sunrise and consists of two Raka'ahs. Praying ishraq is considered to yield greater rewards than performing the lesser Jihad according to some traditions.

Duha

Duha prayer begins after sunrise and ends at meridian, and is generally thought to include at least two Raka'ahs, though in some traditions the number is four or even twelve. It is generally prayed when one-fourth of the day has passed. Performing this prayer is believed to be effective in seeking forgiveness for one's sins.

Tahiyatul Masjid

Tahiyatul Masjid, also called Masjidus Salaam, is a highly recommended salat consisting of two rakaat and performed when first entering a mosque, as a way of greeting the place of worship.

On the authority of Abu Qatada (Allah be pleased with him) he said, "The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: 'If any of you enters the Mosque, let him not sit until he prays two rakats.'" [Bukhari & Muslim]

And on the authority of Abu Dhar (Allah be pleased with him) he said, "I entered the mosque, and there was the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) sitting alone, so he said: 'Oh Abu Dhar, Truly the mosque has a greeting, and indeed its greeting is two rakats, so stand up and pray them.'"[Reported by Ibn Hiban in his Sahih]

Ibn Abidin explains in his commentary Radd al-Muhtar on al-Durr al-Mukhtar that, "What's intended by it (i.e. greeting the mosque) is drawing nearer to Allah not to the mosque, because a man if he enters the house of a king greets the king not his house." [Radd al-Muhtar 'ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar, 1:456]

Tahiyatul wudu

Tahiyatul wudu is a highly recommended prayer that is performed after making wudu. It is commendable to offer two rakaat of Tahiyatul Wudu before the washed parts of the body dry up after performance of ablution. The excellence of this prayer is proved by ahadith. However, offering obligatory prayer soon after ablution or bath will serve as its substitute. Offering two rakaat prayer after ghusl (bath) is also a commendable act.

Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) related that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said to Bilal, "Oh Bilal, tell me about a work that you are most hopeful about (being rewarded for) from the works you have done in Islam, for I heard the thumping of your sandals in front of me in Jannah." He said, "I did not do a work more hopeful to me, except that I never performed ablution in an hour of night or day without praying with that ablution what was written for me to pray." [Bukhari & Muslim]

Muslim reports that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless and give him peace) said, "There is no Muslim who performs ablution properly, than gets up and offers two rakats turning to them wholeheartedly, except that Paradise becomes necessary for him."

Tasbih

Salat ul-Tasbih can be offered any time except for odious times. It is better to offer this prayer before Zuhr prayer. This prayer is highly rewarding. A hadith stresses the importance of this prayer saying "offer Salaatut Tasbih daily if you could do, if not then once a week, if not then once a month, if not then once a year if it is not possible even, then at least once in lifetime.

The followers of Hanafi madhab offer Salaatul Tasbih as has been reported in "Tirmizi Shareef i.e. one should stand up for four Rakahs prayer as per the rules; say Allah-o-Akbar and fold the hands below his navel; recite "Sana" followed by this Tasbih i.e. "Subhaanal Laahi wal-Hamdu Lillaahi walaa Ilaaha Illal-Laahu wal-Laahu Akbar" (Glory be to Allah, Praise be to Allah. There is no deity but Allah. Allah is the Most Great) fifteen times and then recite "Ta'awuz", "Tasmiyah", "Surah Faateha" and any other Surah and then recite the same Tasbih ten times; perform "Rukoo" and recite the same Tasbih ten times after "Subhaana Rabbiyal Azeem"; rise from Rukoo reciting "Sami Allaahu Liman Hamedah" and "Allaa Humma Rabbanaa wa Lakal Hamd" and then recite the same Tasbih ten times; observe "Sajdah" and recite the same Tasbih after "Subhaana Rabbiyal A'laa"; rise from Sajdah and sit in "Jalsah" and recite the same Tasbih ten times; perform second Sajdah and recite the same Tasbih ten times after "Subhaana Rabbiyal A'laa" and then complete the remaining three Rakahs in the similar way. Thus, this Tasbih is recited 75 times in one Rakah and 300 times in all four Rakahs. It is better to recite Surah "Al-Takaasur" in the first Rakah after Surah Faateha, Surah "Al-Asr" in second, Surah "Al-Kaafiroon" in third and Surah "Al-Ikhlaas" in fourth Rakah.

Khawf

The word "Khawf" means fear. Khawf is a type of prayer that is prayed during time of fear. This prayer was performed by the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in the battle of Uhud. Salat al Khawf is performed in place of normal prayer in the battlefield usually. When fear is severe, the imam divides the people into two groups : one group [who remain] facing the enemy, and one group [who stand] behind him. Then, he prays with this [latter] group one rak`ah with two sajdah. Then, when he raises his head from the second sajdah, this group goes back to face the enemy, and the [other] group comes [to take their place]. The imam leads them in one rak`ah with two sajdah, and then performs tashahud and taslim. [The followers] do not perform taslim, but [rather] go to face the enemy. The first group [now] comes [back], and pray one rak`ah on their own, with two sajdah, without recitation, and then perform tashahhud and taslim, and then go back to face the enemy. The other group [now] comes [back] and pray one rak'ah with two sajdah, with recitation, and [then] perform tashahhud and taslim.

[the explanation, taken from the "Mukhtasar al-Quduri" by Abu’l-Hasan Ahmad al-Quduri, a major classical book on Hanafi fiqh]

Haajat

Salat al-Haajat is a prayer offered if one wants Allah Almighty to fulfill his need or to meet his want he should offer two or four Rakahs "Nafilah" prayer after 'Ishaa prayer. He should, according to Hadees, recite "Ayatul Kursi" (throne verse) thrice after Surah Faateha in the first Rakah, Surah Al-Ikhlaas in second, Surah Al-Falaq in third and Surah Al-Naas in fourth Rakah, which is tantamount to offering four Rakahs in "Qadr" night and then "Du'aa" (supplication) for the fulfillment of his need. By the grace of Allah Almighty his Du'aa will be answered. "Mashaa-ikh" (religious leaders) say that they offered Salaatul Haajat and their needs were fulfilled.

Journey prayer

On the authority of Maqtam ibn al-Miqdam? That he said, "The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless and give him peace) said, 'No one has left behind with their family anything better than two rakats offered at home when wanting travel.'" [Reported by al-Tabarani]

Kaab ibn Malik relates, "The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) would not arrive from a journey except daytime in the forenoon, so if he arrived he started with the mosque and prayed two rakats in it then sat." [Muslim]

Whoever desires to travel should offer two rakats of prayer in his home prior to traveling, and when he returns from his journey he should seek the mosque and offer two rakats therein. [Radd al-Muhtar, 1:459]

Istikhara

On the authority of Jabir ibn 'Abdi l-Lah (may Allah be well pleased with him and with his father) who said, "Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to teach us how to seek guidance in choosing the best option available in a practical enterprise [al-istikhara fi 'l-amr], just as he would teach us a Chapter [Sura] from the Qur'an. He would say:

"'If one of you is concerned about some practical undertaking, or about making plans for a journey, he should perform two cycles of ritual prayer [rak'attain], not as an obligatory observance [farida], but voluntarily. Then he should say:

             File:Http://makkah.files.wordpress.com/2006/12/istikhara3.gif   

Allâhumma inni astakhiruka bi ilmika wa astaqdiruka biqudratika wa as’aluka min fadlikal-azimi, fa innaka taqdiru walâ aqdiru wa ta'lamu walâ a'lamu wa anta allamul ghuyâbi. Allâhumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hâdhal amra khayrun li fi dini wa ma-ashi wa aqibati amri faqdir-hu li wa yassir-hu li thumma barik li fihi wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hâdhal amra shari-un li fi dini wa maâshi wa aqibati amri fasrifhu anni wasrifni anhu waqdir liyal-khayra haythu kâna thumma ardini bihi.

O Allah, I ask You to show me what is best, through Your knowledge, and I ask You to empower me, through Your power, and I beg You to grant me Your tremendous favor, for You have power, while I am without power, and You have knowledge, while I am without knowledge, and You are the One who knows all things invisible. O Allah, if You know that this undertaking is in the best interests of my religion, my life in this world, and my life in the Hereafter, and can yield successful results in both the short term and the long term, then make it possible for me and make it easy for me, and then bless me in it. If not, then turn it away from me, and make it easy for me to do well, wherever I may happen to be, and make me content with Your verdict, O Most Merciful of the merciful.

Note: It is a common misconception that Istikhara is done first and then you wait for your decision. This is not from the Sunnah (way) of the Messenger (Sallalaahu alaihi wa sallam). Rather it is Sunnah to make your decision first and to do Istikhara second. After this, the inividual should work towards the decision made and if it is good for that person then Allaah will make it easier for them. The concept of "waiting for a dream" is not actually documented in Islam. Although it is not documented, people will always report of having such dreams of guidance. This is not doubted and we must accept that dreams can and will occur. It is important that one remembers where dreams come from. Dreams come from either Allaah, the shaytaan or from oneselves thoughts. One should bare in mind that it is possible for the shaytaan to influence your decision also. This could be seen as one of the reasons why your decision should made before the Istikhara dua. Another thing to note is that the "decision made" is supposed to be mentioned in the dua itself. And Allaah knows best.

See also

• Sunnah salat