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Merit of the Duha (Forenoon) Prayer

Duha prayer is a sunnah prayer, it is from 2 to 8 rakah

1139. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: My Khalil (the

Messenger of Allah (PBUH)) directed me to fast three days of each month, and toobserve two Rak`ah Duha (optional prayer) at forenoon, and to perform the Witr prayer

before going to bed.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary: "Three days'' can be any three days of a month, but it is better if one opts

13th, 14th and 15th of every lunar month because the Prophet (PBUH) used to observefasting on these days.

This Hadith also highlights the importance of Duha and Witr prayer, and proves the merit

of giving counsel persuasion and inducement for virtuous deeds.

1140. Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him)reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said,"In the morning, charity is due on every joint bone of the body of everyone of you. Every

utterance of Allah's Glorification (i.e., saying Subhan Allah) is an act of charity, and

every utterance of His Praise (i.e., saying Al-hamdu lillah) is an act of charity and everyutterance of declaration of His Greatness (i.e., saying La ilaha illAllah) is an act of

charity; and enjoining M`aruf (good) is an act of charity, and forbidding Munkar (evil) is

an act of charity, and two Rak`ah Duha prayers which one performs in the forenoon is

equal to all this (in reward).''[Muslim].

Commentary: "Charity is due from every joint bone" means that when a person gets up

in the morning, it is obligatory for him to thank Allah for having every joint of his intact.

Therefore, one must praise and glorify Allah. Since a single invocation of the wordsmentioned in this Hadith is equivalent to one Sadaqah, one must say these words for 360

times - a number which equals the number of joints in man's body. Moreover, to enjoin

someone to do what is good and dissuade somebody from vice constitutes Sadaqah.

However, if one performs two Rak`ah of Duha prayer, it will serve for Sadaqah for all thejoints of the body. Thus, this Hadith highlights the merits and importance of Duha prayer.

We also learn from this Hadith that Sadaqah is not restricted to spending money alone but

also has a vast meaning and covers all forms of virtues mentioned here.

1141. `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah(PBUH) used to perform four Rak`ah of Duha prayer (at the forenoon) and would add to

them whatever Allah wished.[Muslim].

Commentary: We learn from this Hadith that the Prophet (PBUH) used to performusually four Rak`ah in Duha prayers but sometimes he also performed more. In some of

the Ahadith, their number varies from two to eight. One is therefore free to perform two,

four or eight Rak`ah according to his convenience.

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1142. Umm Hani, daughter of Abu Talib (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: I

went to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) on the day of the conquest of Makkah. He was

taking a bath at that time. When he finished the bath, he performed eight Rak`ah (ofoptional) prayers. This was during the Duha (forenoon).[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary: This Hadith holds that Duha prayer consists of eight Rak`ah. AnotherHadith elaborates that the Prophet (PBUH) performed these Rak`ah in four couplets.

What is the time of Duha prayer? Is Duha prayer and Ishraq prayer one and the same?There is a difference of opinion on these issues. Some people think that Duha and Ishraq

are two different names for one and the same prayer, and this is performed soon after

sunrise. While others think that the earliest time of Duha prayer is soon after sunrise andthe last is a little before the sun begins to decline. The one performed in the early hours is

called Ishraq prayer, while the one performed in the late hours is called Duha prayer.

Some people say that the two Rak`ah performed at the time when the sun is at a height ofa lance in the sky is Ishraq, and the one, comprising four Rak`ah, performed when the sun

covers one fourth of the sky is Duha. (For more details, see Miratul-Mafatih, a

commentary of Mishkat Al-Masabih, Chapter Duha prayer). The majority of Muslimscholars consider this prayer as Mustahabb (desirable).

Time for the Duha (Forenoon Optional) Prayer

1143. Zaid bin Arqam (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I saw some people

performing Duha (prayers) in the early forenoon and warned them (saying): These people

must know that performing Salat a little later is better. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH)said, "The Salat of the penitent is to be observed when the young ones of camels feel the

heat of the sun (i.e., when it becomes very hot).''[Muslim].

Commentary: The best time for Duha prayer is when the hoofs of the animals begin toburn and they feel troubled with the heat of the sun. It is authentic Hadith that Duhaprayer is interpreted as Salat-ul-Awwabin. Thus Salat-ul-Awwabin is in fact Duha prayer

not the six Rak`ah performed after Maghrib prayer what so called Salat-ul-Awwabin

(prayer of the penitent) which is founded on a weak Hadith