by Asma bint Shameem
I remember as a child, when my mother would remind me to read Ishaa prayer, my heart would sink…
Seventeen rak’aat!
Four rak’aat Sunnah!
Four rak’aat Fardh!
Two rak’aat Sunnah!
Two rak’aat Nafl!
Three rak’aat Witr!
Two rak’aat Nafl!
Yaa Allaah!
That’s a LOT of rak’aat!
And I’m soooo tired!
That’s what my young mind would say.
Then I would draaagg myself out of bed and force myself to read “seventeen” rak’aat quickly and without any khushoo, half asleep.
But Subhaan Allaah, when I grew older I learnt that Ishaa prayer is NOT “17” rak’aat like we hear from our elders.
That’s NOT PROVEN from the authentic practice or teachings of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam.
Rather that’s a very common MISCONCEPTION among the people of the Subcontinent.
Let’s break it down and look at each of these rak’aat with proofs from the authentic Ahaadeeth.
🔺Four Sunnah?
There is NO proof of FOUR Sunnah before Ishaa.
The authentic ahaadeeth show that there’s only proof of reading TWO rak’aat Sunnah before the fardh of Ishaa.
And these two Sunnah are Sunnah NON Mu’akkadah.
This means they are NOT highly stressed Sunnah.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam only read them SOME times.
🍃 The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“Between each two calls (the adhaan and iqaamah) there should be a prayer, between each two calls there should be a prayer, between each two calls there should be a prayer” – and the third time he said, “for whoever wishes.” (al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
🔺The four Fardh
The Ishaa prayer actually comprises ONLY of Four Fardh of Ishaa.
That’s the bare minimum.
And if you pray only these four rak’aat all your life, you’ve done your duty.
You would NOT be held accountable for missing Salaah.
🍃 Talhah ibn ‘Ubayd-Allaah Radhi Allaahu anhu said
“A man came to the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam and when he drew close to him he asked him about Islaam.
The Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam said: “Five prayers each day and night.”
He said: “Do I have to do anything else?”
He said: “No, not unless you do it voluntarily.”
And the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam said:
“And fasting Ramadhaan.”
He said: “Do I have to do anything else?”
He said: “No, not unless you do it voluntarily.”
And the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam told him about zakaah.
He said: “Do I have to do anything else?”
He said: “No, not unless you do it voluntarily.”
The man left, saying, “By Allaah, I will not do any more than this or any less.”
The Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam said: “He will succeed, if he is speaking the truth.”
(al-Bukhaari 46 and Muslim 110)
🍃 Imaam al-Nawawi said:
“This is to be understood as meaning that he did not offer naafil prayers and he did not omit any of the obligatory prayers.
Such a person will undoubtedly be successful, even though his persisting in not offering Sunnah prayers is something blameworthy for which his testimony is to be rejected.
But he is not sinning thereby, rather he will be successful and will attain salvation. And Allaah knows best.”
(Sharh Muslim, 1/121)
🔺The two Sunnah after fardh of ishaa
It’s highly recommended to pray two rak’aat after the four fardh of ishaa.
These are SUNNAH Mu’akkadah.
🍃 The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever prays twelve rak‘ahs in a day and night, a house will be built for him in Paradise:
four before Zuhr and two after it, two rak‘ahs after Maghrib,
two rak‘ahs after ‘Ishaa’, and two rak‘ahs before Fajr prayer.”
(at-Tirmidhi 415; saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmidhi)
🔺The two Nafl?
The two Nafl that were taught to read back home after the two Sunnah are NOT part of Ishaa prayer itself.
We DON’T have to read them with Ishaa.
Actually the two rak’aat after the two Sunnah are kind of a “Qiyaam al-Layl”.
It’s just something you “may” read for extra rewards.
But it’s NOT part of ishaa prayer.
But to offer these two Nafl, EVERY SINGLE time after the Sunnah of Ishaa, thinking they’re part of Ishaa prayer itself or to think that they are mandatory is BID’AH.
🔺Witr
The witr prayer is NOT part of the Ishaa prayer either.
Rather it is part of the NIGHT prayer.
🍃 The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“Allaah has prescribed for you a prayer (by which He may increase your reward), which is Witr; Allaah has enjoined it for you during the time between ‘Ishaa prayer until dawn begins.” (al-Tirmidhi- saheeh by al-Albaani)
But if you can’t wake up early for tahajjud before Fajr, it’s recommended to pray Witr with Ishaa.
Otherwise it’s better to not pray witr at the time of Ishaa and instead, delay the witr until just before fajr.
🍃 The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
"Make the last of your prayer at night, Witr." (Bukhaari, Muslim)
🍃 And the Prophet ﷺ said:
“The night prayers are two (rak’ahs) by two, but if one of you fears that dawn is about to break, let him pray ONE rak’ah to make what he has prayed WITR (odd-numbered).” (al-Bukhaari, Muslim)
So you can delay the Witr until later, after you’ve prayed tahajjud.
🔺Two Nafl after Witr?
Again the two Nafl that we are taught to read after Witr are actually part of the night prayer.
They are NOT part of Ishaa prayer.
🍃 Aaishah radhi Allaahu anhaa said describing the Qiyaam al-Layl of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam:
“Then he would say a salaam that we could hear, then he would pray two rak’ahs after that, whilst sitting down (meaning after praying witr).” (Muslim 738)
🔺Bottom Line
Ishaa prayer is
-four rak’aat fardh. (Bare minimum)
-two rak’aat Sunnah after ishaa (highly recommended)
-you can pray Witr now but it’s better to delay Witr until after you’ve prayed tahajjud.
And Allaah knows best.
Comments