I head the Prophet(saws) uttering (all these supplications) in a supererogatory prayer; he narrated the tradition in a similar manner.

I had been asking about, as I was desirous to find one among people who should inform me, whether the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed the forenoon prayer, but I found none to narrate that to me except Umm Hani, daughter of Abu Talib (the real sister of Hadrat 'Ali), who told me that on the day of the Conquest the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) came (to our house) after the dawn had (sufficiently) arisen. A cloth was brought and privacy was provided for him (the Holy Prophet). He took a bath and then stood up and observed eight rak'ahs. I do not know whether his Qiyam (standing posture) was longer, or bending or prostration or all of them were of equal duration. She (Umm Hani) further said: I never saw him saying this Nafl prayer prior to it or subsequently. (Al-Muradi narrated on the authority of Yunus that he made no mention of the words:" He informed me." )

When the Messenger of Allah (saws) was on a journey and wished to say voluntary prayer, he made his she-camel face the qiblah and uttered the takbir (Allah is most great), then prayed in whatever direction his mount made his face.

Ka‘b b. ‘Ujra said that the Prophet came to the mosque of the B. ‘Abd al-Ashhal and prayed the sunset prayer in it. When the people finished their prayer he saw them performing tasbih after it and said, “This is the prayer to be observed at home.”* * This refers to supererogatory prayers. Tasbih is the utterance of 'Glory be to God!’ Abu Dawud transmitted it. In the version by Tirmidhi and Nasa’i it says that the people got up and offered supererogatory prayers, whereupon the Prophet said, “Observe this prayer at home.”

We have nothing except the Book of Allah, may He be exalted, and this document from the Prophet (ﷺ). Madinah is a sanctuary from `A`ir to Thawr; whoever commits an offence in it or gives refuge to an offender, may the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people be upon him and no obligatory or nafl act of worship will be accepted from him.` And he said: `Protection given by any Muslim is binding upon all of them. Whoever transgresses protection given by a Muslim, upon him be the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people, and Allah will not accept from him any nafl or obligatory act of worship. Whoever takes people as mawla without the permission of the ones who set him free, upon him be the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people, and Allah will not accept from him any nafl or obligatory act of worship.”

if a man becomes the client of any people without the permission of his patrons (i.e. those who have freed him), on him will be the curse of Allah, of angels and of all people; no obligatory or supererogatory worship will be accepted from him.

“The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: ‘Do not be like so-and-so, who used to pray voluntary night prayers then stopped praying voluntary night prayers.”

We asked ‘Ali (رضي الله عنه) about the voluntary prayers of the Prophet (ﷺ) during the day. `Ali said: That was sixteen voluntary rak`ahs that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did during the day, and it is very rare for anyone to persist in doing that. Wakee told us: And my father said: Habeeb bin Abi Thabit said: O Abu Ishaq, I would not like to have gold as much as would fill this mosque in return for this hadeeth of yours.

The Prophet (PBUH) never omitted four Rak'ah supererogatory prayer before Zuhr prayers.

[Al-Bukhari].

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray eight rak`ahs of voluntary prayer and during the day twelve rak`ahs.

Nafi' said that ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar used to see his son ‘Ubaidallah saying supererogatory prayers while on a journey, and did not express disapproval. Malik transmitted it.

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Urwa ibn az-Zubayr and Said ibn al-Musayyab used to pray voluntary prayers sitting.

When we encamped, we would not offer (voluntary) prayers until we had unsaddled our beasts.

[Abu Dawud].

“Abu Hurairah said to me: ‘When you go to your country, tell them that I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say: “The first thing for which the Muslim will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be the prescribed prayers. If they are complete, all well and good, otherwise it will be said: ‘Look and see whether he has any voluntary prayers.’ If he has any voluntary prayers, his prescribed prayers will be completed from his voluntary prayers. Then the same will be done with regard to all his obligatory deeds.”

'Ali b. Abu Talib (Allah be pleased with him) addressed us and said: He who thinks that we (the members of the Prophet's family) read anything else besides the Book of Allah and this Sahifa (and he said that Sahifa was tied to the scabbard of the sword) tells a lie. (This Sahifa) contains (problems) pertaining to the ages of the camels and (the recompense) of the injuries, and it also records the words of the Prophet (may peace be upon him): Medina is a sacred territory from 'Ayr to Thaur (it is most probably Uhud). He who innovates (an act or practice) or gives protection to an innovator, there is a curse of Allah and that of His angels and that of the whole humanity upon him. Allah will not accdpt from him (as a recompense) any obligatory act or supererogatory act, and the responsibility of the Muslims is a joint responsibility; even the lowest in rank can undertake the responsibility (on behalf of others), and he who claims anyone else as his father besides his own father or makes one his ally other than the one (who freed him), there is a curse of Allah. that of His angels and that of the wholemankind upon him. Allah will not accept the obligatory act of the supererogatery act (as a recompense) from him.

I accompanied Ibn 'Umar on the way (on a journey). He led us in two rak'ah's of (the noon) prayer. Then he proceeded and saw some people standing. He asked: What are they doing ? I replied: They are glorifying Allah (i.e. offering supererogatory prayer). He said: If I had offered the supererogatory prayer (while travelling), I would have completed prayer, my cousin. I accompanied the Messenger of Allah (saws) during the journey, he did not pray more than two raka'at until his death. I also accompanied Abu Bakr, and he prayed two raka'at and nothing more until he died. I also accompanied 'Umar, and he prayed two raka'at and nothing more until he died. I also accompanied 'Uthman, and he prayed two raka'at and nothing more until he died. Indeed Allah, the Exalted, said: "Certainly you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent exemplar"

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not offer any prayer after which (nafl) prayer may be offered, but he prayed two rak`ahs after it.

The aforesaid tradition has also been transmitted to the same effect by by Al Zuhri with a different chain of narrators beginning with Ibn Hanbal on the authority of Hammad. This version adds “With an iqamah for every prayer, he did not call adhan for the first prayer and he did not offer supererogatory prayer after any of them. The narrator Makhlad said “He did not call adhan for any of them.”

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Observe part of the [Nawafil (voluntary)] Salat (prayers) in your homes. Do not turn your homes into graves."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Sonny, avoid turning to the side when you are engaged in prayer, for turning to the side produces destruction. If you must do it, do it in the voluntary, but not in the obligatory prayer.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Yahya related to me that Malik said, "I have heard from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar used to see his son, Ubaydullah ibn Abdullah, doing voluntary prayers on a journey,and he would not disapprove of it."

"The Messenger of Allah (saws) asked me: 'How will you act, Abu Dharr, when you are under rulers who kill prayer or delay it (beyond its proper time) ?' I said: 'Messenger of Allah, what do you command me ?' He replied: 'Offer the prayer at its proper time, and if you say it along with them, say it, for it will be a supererogatory prayer for you.'"

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "When anyone of you enters the mosque, he should perform two Rak'ah (of voluntary prayer) before sitting."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

"The Messenger of Allah said to me: 'O my son! Beware of looking around during the Salat, for indeed looking around during Salat is destruction. If you must do so, then in the voluntary (prayers), not in the obligatory (prayers).'" (Da'if)

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) recited in the two supererogatory Rak'ah of the Fajr prayer Surat Al-Kafirun (No. 109) [in the first Rak'ah], and Surat Al-Ikhlas (No. 112) [in the second Rak'ah].

[Muslim].

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Abdullah ibn Umar used to say, "(Voluntary) prayer in both the day and night is two at a time with a taslim after every 2 raka'ahs."

Malik said, "That is the custom among us."

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to me, "Beware of looking around in Salat (prayer), because random looks in Salat are a cause of destruction. If there should be no help from it, it is permissible in the voluntary and not in obligatory Salat."

[At-Tirmidhi].

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar said, "If someone dedicates an animal and then it goes astray or dies, he should provide a substitute, if it was for a vow. If, however, it was voluntary, then he can either provide a substitute for it or not, as he wishes."

I heard `Ali bin Abi Talib (رضي الله عنه) say: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to offer nafl prayers at night when `A`ishah (رضي الله عنها) was lying between him and the qiblah.

The Prophet (PBUH) used to perform two Rak'ah short prayer between the Adhan (call to prayer) and the Iqamah of the dawn (Fajr) prayers.

[Al- Bukhari and Muslim]

In another narration, 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to perform two supererogatory Rak'ah prayer of Fajr and make them so short in duration that I used to think whether he (PBUH) had recited Surat Al-Fatihah (in it) or not.

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

In the narration of Muslim, 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: When the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to hear the Adhan (of Fajr prayer) he would perform two supererogatory Rak'ah prayer and would make them short.

I observed the Prophet (PBUH) for one month reciting in the two supererogatory Rak'ah of the Fajr prayer Surat Al-Kafirun (No. 109) [in the first Rak'ah], and Surat Al-Ikhlas (No. 112) [in the second Rak'ah].

[At-Tirmidhi].

Anas said that when God’s Messenger was on a journey and wished to say voluntary prayers he made his she-camel face the qibla and said, “God is most great,” then prayed in whatever direction his mount made him face. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

We fasted along with God’s Messenger, but he did not make us get up at night for prayer at any time during the month till seven nights remained; then he made us get up for prayer till a third of the night had passed. Next night he did not make us get up, but when the fifth remaining night came he made us get up for prayer till a half of the night had gone, so I said, “Messenger of God, I wish you had led us in supererogatory prayers during the whole of this night." He replied, “When a man prays with an imam till he goes away he is reckoned as having spent a night in prayer." On the fourth remaining night he did not make us get up till two-thirds of the night had passed. On the third remaining night he gathered his family, his wives and the people and prayed with us till we were afraid we would miss the falah (explaining, when asked, that the falah was the meal before daybreak). Then he did not make us get up for prayer during the remainder of the month. Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted something similar, but Tirmidhi did not mention, “then he did not make us get up for prayer during the remainder of the month."

"I asked whether the Messenger of Allah prayed voluntary prayer when traveling, but I could not find anyone to tell me until Umm Hani' bint Abu Talib told me that he had come during the year of the Conquest (of Makkah). He ordered that a screen be held up, and that was done, and he took a bath; then he prayed eight Rak'ah (units) of voluntary prayer."

“The first thing for which a person will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be his prayer. If it is complete, then the voluntary (prayers) will also be recorded for him (as an increase). If it is not complete then Allah will say to His angels: ‘Look and see whether you find any voluntary prayers for My slave, and take them to make up what is lacking from his obligatory prayers.’ Then all his deeds will be reckoned in like manner.”

It was said to ‘Ali (رضي الله عنه): “Did your Messenger say anything to you only that was not for the people in general?” He said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not say anything to us only that he did not say to the people, except something in the sheath of this sword of mine. He took out a document on which there was something about the ages of camels [for zakah] and in it was said: `Madinah is sacred, the area between Thawr and ‘A’ir. Whoever commits an offence or gives refuge to an offender, upon him will be the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people, and on the Day of Resurrection Allah will not accept any nafl or obligatory act of worship from him. Protection given by any Muslim is binding upon all of them. Whoever transgresses protection given by a Muslim, upon him be the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people, and on the Day of Resurrection Allah will not accept any nafl or obligatory act of worship from him. Whoever takes people as mawla without the permission of the ones who set him free, upon him be the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people, and on the Day of Resurrection Allah will not accept any nafl or obligatory act of worship from him.` The word mawla refers to the one who manumits a slave, who has a right to inherit ex-slave. Changing one’s mawla means giving the right of inheritance to the new mawla.

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "O people! perform your (voluntary) Salat (prayers) in your homes because the best Salat of a man is the one he performs at home, except the obligatory Salat."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

“Hajj is Jihad and ‘Umrah is voluntary.”

the Prophet said: "O Abu Dharr! There will be leaders after me who cause the Salat to die; so perform the Salat during its time. If you pray (with them) during its time, then that will be voluntary Salat for you, if not, then you will have attained your Salat."

The Prophet (PBUH) used to perform his voluntary prayer at night (i.e., Tahajjud prayer) while she was sleeping in front of him; and when the Witr prayer was yet to be observed, he would awaken her to perform her Witr prayer.

[Muslim].

“We fasted Ramadan with the Messenger of Allah (saw) and he did not lead us in praying Qiyam (prayers at night) during any part of it, until there were seven nights left. He led us in praying Qiyam on the seventh night until approximately one third of the night had passed. Then on the sixth night which followed it he did not lead us in prayer. Then he led us in praying Qiyam on the fifth night which followed it until almost half the night had passed. I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, would that we had offered voluntary prayers throughout the whole night.’ He said: ‘Whoever stands with the Imam until he finishes, it is equivalent to spending the whole night in prayer.’ Then on the fourth night which followed it, he did not lead us in prayer, until the third night that followed it, when he gathered his wives and family, and the people gathered, and he led us in prayer until we feared that we would miss the Falah.” It was asked: “What is the Falah?” He said: “Suhur.” He said: “Then he did not lead us in prayer at night for the rest of the month.”

"The Prophet prayed Maghrib in the Masjid of Banu Abdul-Ashbal, and some people stood to offer voluntary prayers, so the Prophet said: 'This Salat is to be performed by you in your homes.'"

When the Messenger of Allah (SAW) stood to offer a voluntary prayer, he would say when he bowed: "Allahumma laka rak'atu wa bika amantu wa laka aslamtu wa alayka tawwakaltu, anta Rabbi, khasha'a sam'i wa basri wa lahmi wa dammi wa mukhi wa 'asabi Lillahi Rabbil-'Alamin ( O Allah, to You I have bowed, in You I believe, to You I have submitted and in You I put my trust. You are my Lord. My hearing, my sight, my flesh, my blood, my brain and my sinews are humbled before Allah, the Lord of the Worlds)."

When the Messenger of Allah (SAW) got up to offer voluntary prayers at night, he would say when he prostrated: "Allahumma laka sajadtu wa bika amantu wa laka aslamtu, Allahumma anta Rabbi, sajada wajhi lilladhi khalaqahu wa sawwarahu wa shaqqa sam'ahu wa basarahu, tabarak Allahu ahsanul-khaliqin ( O Allah, to You I have prostrated and in You I have believed and to You I have submitted. O Allah, You are my Lord. My face has prostrated to the One Who created it and formed it, and brought forth its hearing and sight. Blessed be Allah the best of Creators.)"

"I attended Fajr prayer with the Messenger of Allah (saws)in Masjid Al Khaif. When he finished praying, he saw two men at the back of the people who had not prayed with him. He said: 'Bring them here.' So they were brought to him, trembling. He said: 'What kept you from praying with us? They said: '0 Messenger of Allah (saws) we has already prayed in our lodgings.' He said: 'Do not do that. If you have already prayed in your lodgings, then you come to a Masjid in which there is a congregation, then pray with them, and it will be a voluntary prayer for you."'

Are you not surprised at AbuHurayrah? He came and sat beside my apartment, and began to narrate traditions from the Messenger of Allah (saws) making me hear them. I was saying supererogatory prayer. He got up (and went away) before I finished my prayer. Had I found him, I would have replied to him. The Messenger of Allah (saws) did not narrate traditions quickly one after another as you narrate quickly.

I saw the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) performing Wudu' the way I have just done it and said, "He who performs Wudu' like this, his previous sins will be forgiven and his Salat and walking to the mosque will be considered as supererogatory act of worship."

[Muslim].

‘A’isha said, “When God’s Messenger was praying voluntary prayers with his door bolted I came and asked to have the door opened, and he went and opened it for me, then returned to his place of prayer.” She mentioned that the door faced the qibla. Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Nasa’i transmitted something similar.

“The Messenger of Allah (saw) used to pray (voluntary prayers) at night two by two, and he would pray one Rak’ah of Witr.”

Ibn Abbas said: Aqra' ibn Habis asked the Prophet (saws) saying: Messenger of Allah hajj is to be performed annually or only once? He replied: Only once, and if anyone performs it more often, he performs a supererogatory act.

Abu Dawud said: The narrator Abu Sinan is Abu Sinan al-Du'wail. The same has been reported by both 'Abd al-Jalil bin Humaid and Sulaiman bin Kathir from al-Zuhri. The narrator 'Uqail reported the name "Sinan".