How many rak'ahs does the awwabin prayer consist of? How is "the awwabin prayer" between the evening (maghrib) prayer and night (isha) prayer performed?
How many rak'ahs does the awwabin prayer consist of? How is "the awwabin prayer" between the evening (maghrib) prayer and night (isha) prayer performed?
Dear Brother / Sister,
"The awwabin prayer" is a sunnah-mustahab six-rak'ah prayer performed after the evening prayer.
The awwabin prayer consists of six rak'ahs. A person who cannot perform it as six-rak'ahs can perform it as two rak'ahs. However, it is necessary to perform it as six rak'ahs in order to attain its real merit.
The word "awwabin" is the plural form of the word "awwab". Awwab means a person who has repented from his sin immediately. The awwabin prayer, which means "the prayer of those who repent", is a six-rak'ah prayer performed after the evening prayer; it is encouraged by several hadiths and is stated that it makes a person gains a lot of rewards
In a hadith reported by Abu Hurayra (ra), the Prophet (pbuh) stated the following:
"If a person performs six rak'ahs after the evening prayer without uttering any bad words between them, the six rak'ahs will be regarded equal to worshipping twelve years." (Tirmidhi-Salat, 431)
Besides, it is reported that the Prophet (pbuh) performed six rak'ahs supererogatory prayers after the evening prayer and said,
"If a person performs six rak'ahs after the evening prayer, his sins will be forgiven even if they are as many as the foams on the sea." (Haythami, Majmauz Zawaid, II/230; Shawkani, III/64. Both of them report it from Tabarani.)
In some of the hadith books and narrations regarding the issue, it is stated that the Prophet (pbuh) performed four rak'ahs after the evening prayer and encouraged his Companions to do so. (Haythami, Majmauz Zawaid, II/230; Shawkani, III/63. Both of them report it from Tabarani.)
Hanafi scholars who say that the awwabin prayer (the prayer performed after the evening prayer) consists of six rak'ahs including the two-rak'ah sunnah al muakkadah of the evening prayer base their view on this narration.
According to the view that is preferred by Hanafis, this prayer consists of six rak'ahs without thetwo-rak'ah sunnah al muakkadah of the evening prayer; Hanafi scholars disagree among themselves about how to perform these six rak'ahs: Some say it is more virtuous to perform it as a whole, giving salutations only once, after the sixth rak'ah while others say it is more virtuous to perform it giving salutations twice; some others say it is more virtuous to perform it giving salutations three times (by performing two-rakah prayers three times).
The following intention can be made; "I intend to perform awwabin prayer for Allah."
(see Prof. Dr. Wahba Zuhayli, al-Fiqhul Islam)
Questions on Islam
- Does awwabin prayer replace missed fard prayers? How is awwabin prayer performed?
- Are the last sunnahs of the noon, evening and night prayers, which are sunnah muakkadah, be performed as four rak’ahs? Is there a hadith about it?
- Are there any prayers that the Prophet (pbuh) performed after the morning prayer (fajr)? Is it permissible for a person who starts to perform awwabin prayer as four rak’ahs to perform it as two rak’ahs?
- Why do we need to read Subhanaka supplication when we stand up for the third rak’ah after the first sitting when we perform the sunnah prayers of the afternoon (asr) and night (isha) prayers?
- Is it permissible to perform only the fards of the daily prayers and to abandon the sunnahs?
- What are the hadiths related to sunnah/nafilah prayers and their virtues?
- What are the situations that necessitate sajdah as-sahw? Is it necessary to perform sajdah as-sahw in sunnah prayers?
- How is Prayer (salah) performed?
- How is Prayer (salah) performed?
- What is the number of rak'ahs of Tarawih prayer; how many rak'ahs can be offered with one salutation?
