I wanted to know the names, the timings and the significances of the other prayers(eg chast, ishraaq etc). 2. Could you please tell me the niyaah one should have while performing these prayers. I mean should it be that i am offering 2 rakhas nafil namaaz for salatul chast facing kabaah for Allah.(or should it be 2 rakhas sunnah namaaz for salatul chast). In short, for these prayers should we have the intention of nafil or sunnah(like say we offer 2sunnah in isha and we also offer 2 nafil in isha, so whats the case here). 3. Also can we offer 4 rakhas nafil prayer at a time? If yes will its procedure be like 4 fard rakhas or 4 sunnah rakhas. 4.Whats the limit of offering nafil rakhas at a time? can i offer say 8, 12, 10 rakhas at a time or the maximum permissible in one time is 4? 4.I have heard that one can read upto 12rakhas for chast prayer, so how should we offer it in sets of 2 rakhas or in sets of 4 rakhas. 5. Please tell me the benifits of all the above prayers(chast, ishraq etc.) 6.Finally, could you tell me are the names of these prayers(chast ,ishraq etc) kept on the time of the day when we offer them or are they named just simply without any reason. Jazakallah for your time and replies.
1. Refer to ?Bahishti Zewar? vol.1 pg.217 under section, ?Sunnah and Nafl Salaat?.
2. It is not necessary to make a verbal intention. If a person thinks in his heart that I am reading the Fardh Dhuhr for today or I am reading the Sunnah of Dhuhr then this will be sufficient. (Bahishti Zewar vol.1 pg.149). In the question posed, one may say, ?I am reading 2 Rakats Nafl chast or Ishraaq, etc.?
3. When one is offering Nafl Salaat during the day, then he should make intention of offering two Rakaats at a time or if he wishes, four Rakaats at a time. It is Makrooh to offer more than four Rakaats at a time (with one salam) during the day. As for Nafl Salat at night, it is permissible to make intention for six or even eight Rakaats at a time. To make intention for more than this at night is also Makrooh.
The procedure for 4 Rakaats Nafl Salat will be the same as the 4 Rakaats of Fardh. With the exception that in Fardh Salaat, there is no Surahs (Qiraat) to be recited after Surah Faatiha in the third and fourth Rakaats. However, in Nafl Salaats there should be Surahs recited even in the third and fourth Rakaats after Surah al-Faatiha.
4. Refer No.3 above.
5. Refer No.1 above.
6. The names of these Salaat are related to its meaning and the times at which they are performed, e.g. Ishraaq is an Arabic word which literally means radiance, illumination. Hence, the Salaat of Ishraaq is performed when the sun starts to become radiant and illuminated. Tahajjud literally means to stay awake at night, to spend the night in prayer.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai