Is there a drawback to doing worldly things such as talking, eating, drinking water, etc. between the sunnah and the fard prayers?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Prayers that are performed in addition to the fard and wajib prayers are called nafilah (supererogatory). Nafilah prayers are divided into two categories: rawatib and raghaib. The sunnah prayers that are performed before and after the fard prayers are called rawatib; the nafilah prayers such as duha and tahajjud prayers are called raghaib.

The sunnah prayers that are performed before and after the fard prayers (rawatib sunnahs) are the protectors and perfectors of the fard prayers. Therefore, eating, drinking, or talking about worldly things between the fard and the sunnah prayer means separating the sunnah from the fard.

Talking between the sunnah and the fard prayer or between the fard and the sunnah prayer, whether it is the first sunnah or the last sunnah, does not eliminate the sunnah prayer but diminishes its thawab. There are also some scholars who say that doing something worldly between the sunnah prayer and the fard prayer will eliminate the sunnah performed in connection with the fard prayer and that it should be performed again. (see Ibn Abidin, Raddul-Muhtar, 2/19)

This issue is also touched upon in Fathul-Qadir and is summarized as follows:

The following is stated in a hadith narrated by Aisha (ra):

“After the salutation, the Prophet (pbuh) would sit long enough to say, ‘Allahumma antassalaam wa minkassalaam tabarakta ya dhaljalali wal-ikram’, and would get up.”...

According to some scholars, such as Hilwani, “It is better not to say awrad / tasbihat and prayers until one has performed the (last) sunnahs. Even if he does, there is nothing wrong with it.” In such a case, if one says awrad and adhkar, some say that it does not cancel the sunnahs, while others say that it does, but the former view is more correct. As a matter of fact, in Bukhari, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi’s narrations, Aisha (ra) said:

“After the Prophet (pbuh) performed the sunnah in the morning, he would chat with me if I was awake; otherwise, he would lie on his side until the muezzin recited adhan.” (ibid, 2/389-390)

Its boundaries are drawn in some sources and the following explanation is made:

If you shop, eat or drink after performing the sunnah prayer without performing the fard, it is appropriate to perform the sunnah again because the sunnah is dependent on the fard. Interrupting it because of some worldly affair means separating the two. However, a morsel of food or a sip of water does not harm, i.e. does not reduce, the virtue of the sunnah. It is also permissible to pray between the sunnah and the fard. In addition, it is permissible to worship between the sunnah and the fard. (al-Khulasa; Fatawa al-Hindiyya)

Accordingly, first of all, it is necessary to be careful not to do anything worldly between the sunnah and the fard. If it is necessary to do something short, it is appropriate to consider that it will not destroy the thawab of the sunnah.

There is nothing wrong with performing missed (qada) prayers, doing tasbihat, praying, reading the Quran, hadith, or a religious book between the sunnah and the fard prayers.

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