Sunnah Muakkadah

These are the practices that our Prophet performed continuously and rarely left. (They are not fard and wajib) These are also called Sunnah Huda. (Sayyid Sharif al-Jurjani, at-Ta`rifat, Beirut 1403/1983, p. 122; Damad, Majma`ul-Anhur, Istanbul 1328, I, 12; Ibn Abidin, Raddu`l Mukhtar Cairo 1272-1324, I, 70) Some scholars think Sunnah muakkadah were performed continuously by our Prophet . (Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahru`r-Raiq, Cairo 1311, I, 17-18)

Performing sunnah muakkadah means reaching perfection in religion. (Sayyid Sharif al-Jurjani, ibid, p. 122). These sunnahs were rendered legitimate in order to compensate for our shortcomings in fard practices. Ibn Abidin, ibid, I,191) Because of this, leaving these sunnahs are considered as ridiculing our religion. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, ‘’I will not intercede for  the person who leaves my sunnahs.“ Leaving sunnah muakkadah is close to haram. The person who leaves sunnah cannot get the intercession of Prophet. Leaving sunnah mentioned above means not performing sunnah consistently without any excuse. For example, washing ablution (wudu) organs once and making this behavior a habit. This person becomes sinful (Ibn Abidin, ibid, I, 70-71).

A person who performs sunnah muakkadahs gains thawab (rewards of good deeds) (Jurjani, ibid, p. 122). Two rakahs before Fajr (morning prayer), four rakahs before Zuhr (afternoon prayer) and two rakahs after it, two rakahs after maghrib (sunset prayer), two rakahs after Isha (night prayer) are examples of sunnah muakkadah. (al-Mawsili, al-Ikhtiyar, Istanbul 1987, 465; Alauddin al-Haskafi, ad-Durrul-Muntaqa (in the margins ofMajma`ul-Anhur) I,130) Our prophet states that if a person performs these 12 rakats continuously, he will get a mansion in Jannah (heaven)  (Tirmidhi, Salat, 189; Nasai, Qiyamul-Layl, 66; Ibn Majah, Iqamah, 100).

Praying in congregation is also sunnah muakkadah. It is reported that our Prophet does not approve leaving this sunnah without an excuse. (al-Mawsili, ibid, I, 57; Damad ibid, I,107).

Also washing hands that are thought to be dirty (Ibn Abidin, ibid, I, 75), using miswak while performing wudu (ibid, I, 77), washing mouth and nose thoroughly (ibid, I, 79), washing hands and in between fingers properly (ibid, I, 80), washing ablution organs three times (ibid, I, 80), reciting adhan from a high place (ibid, I, 257) are examples of sunnah muakkadah.