Reciting Wazaaif after the Fardh Salaah

QUESTION:

Is it better for a person to perform his Sunnah /Nafl Salaah first after the Fardh of Maghrib, or should he recite his Wazaaif? Are the Masnoon Surahs also included in the Wazaaif if it is to be recited before the completion of the Sunnats?

ANSWER:

If a Sunnat-e-Muakkadah Salaah follows the Fardh Salaah, such as after Zuhr, Maghrib and Esha, then the Sunnah should be performed immediately after the Fardh Salaah without any delay. The Sunnah Salaah is actually a completion and perfection of the Fardh Salaah, hence it should not be delayed. After completion of the Sunnah, one may recite the various Wazaaif that one intends reading. After the Sunnah of the Maghrib Salaah, one may recite Surah Alif Laam Meem Sajda, Surah Waaqi’ah and Surah Mulk as part of one’s daily Wazaa’if.

In fact, the Dua after the above-mentioned Fardh, should be kept short so that the Sunnah Salaah is not delayed. We will hereunder produce one of our previous Fatwas which we had issued which will clarify the matter.

The Sunnat-e-Muakkadah Salaah after the Fardh Salaah is regarded as a completion of the Fardh, in the sense that if there was any deficiency in the Fardh Salaah, then such deficiencies are resolved and concealed by the Sunnat-e-Muakkada.  These Sunnats should be performed after the Fardh Salaah with the least delay possible as the following text indicates:-

القيام إلى ) أداء ( السنة ) التي تلي الفرض متصلا بالفرض مسنون ) أي أنه يستحب الفصل بينهما كما كان عليه السلام إذا سلم يمكث قدر ما يقول : اللهم أنت السلام ومنك السلام تباركت يا ذا الجلال والإكرام ثم يقوم إلى السنة قال الكمال وهذا هو الذي ثبت عنه صلى الله عليه و سلم من الأذكار التي تؤخر عنه السنة ويفصل بينها وبين الفرض انتهى —. ويخالفه ما قاله في الاختيار كل صلاة بعدها سنة يكره القعود بعدها والدعاء بل يشتغل بالسنة كيلا يفصل بين السنة والمكتوبة وعن عائشة أن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم كان يقعد مقدار ما يقول اللهم أنت السلام الخ كما تقدم فلا يزيد عليه أو على قدره (مراقى الفلاح)

The Ittisaal that is being referred to in the above text, refers to the joining of the Fardh Salaah and the Sunnat-e-Muakkadah that follows thereafter with as less delay as possible. After the Fardh of Zuhr, Maghrib and Esha (as these Salaahs have Sunnat-e-Muakkadah afterwards), one should recite only a short Dua such as:

اللهم أنت السلام ومنك السلام تباركت يا ذا الجلال والإكرام

and thereafter, one should commence the Sunnat Salaah. This was the habit of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, and he would not delay any longer than the time that it took to recite the above Dua.

This Ittisaal between the Fardh and the Sunnat-e-Muakkada is Masnoon as understood from the above Ibaarat (text). The Sunnat-e-Muakkada are Tawaabie of the Fardh (follow the Fardh) thus Ittisaal is required.

Now, if Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam only sat after the Fardh Salaah for the duration that it takes one to recite the above Dua, and thereafter performed the Sunnat-e-Muakkadah, it proves that this Dua should be recited immediately after the Fardh Salaah without any delay. In some narrations it is mentioned that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam would say ‘Astaghfirullah’ thrice, read the fourth Kalimah followed by the following Dua (this too would take up a minimum amount of time):-

أنَّ النَّبِيَّ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – كَانَ يَقُولُ فِي دُبُرِ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ مَكْتُوبَةٍ : (( لاَ إلهَ إلاَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لهُ ، لَهُ المُلْكُ وَلَهُ الحَمْدُ ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ، اللَّهُمَّ لاَ مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ ، وَلاَ مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ ، وَلاَ يَنْفَعُ ذَا الجَدِّ مِنْكَ الجَدُّ ))

In conclusion, the Dua should be made immediately after the Fardh Salaah without delay and then followed with the Sunnat-e-Muakkada Salaah, except if a person is performing the Sunnat Salaah at home (as this will mean that a person has to travel from the Masjid to his home).

Certain Ulama such as Mufti Abdur Rahim Laajpuri Rahimahullah, are of the opinion that if a person adds a few more short Duas to the above, then too it will be acceptable as it would not take up too much time and there would still remain a relative degree of Ittisal. Yes, a person can make lengthy Duas after the Fajr and Asr Salaah as there aren’t any Sunnat-e-Muakkada that follow. As for the remaining three Salaahs, a lengthy Dua (on an individual basis) can be made after the Sunnat Salaah. This is not merely a suggestion, but the ruling of the Fuqaha deduced from the practice of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, as understood from the text of Maraaqil-Falaah above.

The duration of a short Dua has already been explained in the Ahadith quoted above, as it clearly explains the duration of the Dua of Rasulullah after the Fardh which were followed by Sunnat-e-Muakkadah.

Moulana Zafar Ahmad Rahmatullahi Alaih has also discussed the issue of Ittisaal between the Fardh Salaah and Sunnat-e-Muakkadah in I’laaus Sunan on page 187 vol.3., and this is also mentioned in Fataawa Mahmoodiyya on pg.684 vol.5 (Farooqiyyah print).

ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai

Date:- 19 Muharram 1445 / 07 August 2023