58. SUPEREROGATORY PRAYERS (NAFL)

Dear devout Muslim snd devoting himself to the worship of God, Islam has provided many opportunities for you to be so close to the Losrd in addition to the numerous chances made available for you to do good, in order to be rewarded for all your deeds like other venerable pious and virtuous worshippers. you do small good deeds and reveive great rewards from God in return.
In addition to the obligatory worship, Islam has prescribed some supererogatory (Nafl) worship attached to each of the main obligations of the members of the faith unto their Lord to redress any shortcomings and to cover any failure in carrying out the cbigatory duties by the servants of God seeking His rewards and peasure.
Bedides the decreed prayers for example Nafl Prayers are also required as defined and explained by The Syari'a Code which urged Muslims to observe steadfastly to the extend that if one fails to perform them on time is obliged to do them again some other time. The number of bows of these Prayers are fully prescribed. They are known are Definite Sunna. (Definite Sunna: an act habitually carried out by Prophet).
The wife of Prophet, (Um al-Mukminiin: Mother of Believers, a title given to the wives of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) Um Habiba, (God belssed her) reported that the Apostle (pace be upon him) said :"He who performs 12 bows of Prayers in one day and night, (4 at noon, 2 later, 2 after sun-set, 2 in the evening, and 2 before dawn), a home will be build for him in paradise".
These are the confirned Sunna acts carried out by the Apostlle Muhammad (peace b upon him) as realated by Abi Huraira (God blessed him) said: "He who failed to perform the two- Sunnah bow of of dawn prayer before sun rise, has to do it some other time". (Recorded by Baihaqi).
Um El Mukminiin Aisha (God blessed her) reported that thae Messenger of God (peace be upon him) had been very keen and more perservant on the two bow prayer before dawn than any other supererogatory prayers -the Nafls. (Related by Bukhari and Muslim).
Concerning the Sunna or Nafl of Fiday, Muslim reported that the Prophet said:" He already performed the Fiday Prayers should observe a four-bow prayer after wards".
It was also reported that the Apostle (peace be upon him) perforned a two bow prayer at home after the Friday prayers.
Binding between the two Hadithes, well versed jurists ruled that if carried out at a mosque four bow prayer is required, and if at home two only.

To be continued............