Duha prayer is one of the most important prayers in the day. Our beloved prophet instructed us to pray it for its many benefits and virtues for us. In one of the hadiths about salatul duha the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said it will suffice for us.
Abu Dharr narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
“In the morning a charity is due from every joint of one of you. Every tasbeehah is a charity, every tahmeedah is a charity, every tahleelah is a charity, every takbeerah is a charity, enjoining what is good is a charity, forbidding what is evil is a charity, and two rak‘ahs offered in the forenoon (Duha) will suffice for that.” [Narrated by Muslim (1181).]
In this article we will discover the importance of praying Duha, its number of Rakat, and more. Let’s get started.
What is the importance of praying Duha prayer?
The importance of the Duha prayer includes the following:
1. Duha prayer is a form of Sadqah.
Abu Dharr narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
“In the morning a charity is due from every joint of one of you. Every tasbeehah is a charity, every tahmeedah is a charity, every tahleelah is a charity, every takbeerah is a charity, enjoining what is good is a charity, forbidding what is evil is a charity, and two rak‘ahs offered in the forenoon (Duha) will suffice for that.” [Narrated by Muslim (1181).]
Praying duha is important for us and it brings us many benefits. An-Nawawi interpreted this hadith and said: “The words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) “and two rak‘ahs offered in the forenoon (Duha) will suffice for that” is indicative of the great virtue of Duha and how important it is, and that it may be offered with two rak‘ahs.” [Sharh Muslim by an-Nawawi].
3. One of the best three things to do.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “My close friend (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) advised me to do three things which I will never give up until I die: to fast three days of every month, to pray Duha, and to pray Witr before going to sleep.” [Al-Bukhari (1178) and Muslim (721)]
One of the greatest things to do in life is praying the Duah prayer for its many benefits. Additionally, in this hadith our beloved prophet instructed us to pray it. This show how important it is for us to pray.
4. Grants us many rewards.
Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The Prophet’s advice to Abu’d-Darda’ and Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them) is indicative of the virtue of Duha, and that it will definitely be greatly rewarded. Hence, they persisted in doing it and never omitted it.” [Al-Mufhim lima ashkala min Talkhis Muslim].
5. Duha prayer suffices for us.
Abu’d-Darda’ and Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that the prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O son of Adam, pray four rak‘ahs to Me at the beginning of the day, and I shall suffice you at the end of the day.” [Narrated by at-Tirmidhi (437); classed as sahih by Shaykh al-Albani.]
In the interpretation of this hadith, Al-Mubarakfuri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “At the beginning of the day”– it was said that what is meant is Duha prayer, or salat al-ishraq [when the sun has risen to the height of a spear], or the Sunnah and obligatory prayer of Fajr because it is the first obligatory prayer of the day.
I say: that the author and also Abu Dawud interpreted these rak‘ahs as referring to the Duha prayer. Hence they included this hadith in the Chapter on Duha Prayer. “I shall suffice you” with regard to your concerns “at the end of the day,” At-Tibi said: That is, I shall suffice you with regard to your needs, and I shall ward off from you what you dislike, after your prayer and until the end of the day. What is meant is: focus on worshipping Me at the beginning of the day and I will grant you peace of mind at the end of the day, by helping you to meet your needs.”(Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi 2/478).
6. It is the prayer of the good.
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “No one persists in offering Duha prayer except one who often turns to Allah, for it is the prayer of those who often turn to Allah (salat al-awwabin).” [Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah; classed as hasan by al-Albani in Sahih at-Targhib wa’t-Tarhib (1/164).]
7. Praying Duha is like going to Hajj or Umra.
Praying Fajr prayer in a congregation and remembering Allah until the Duha time then offering it is like going to Hajj.
Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays Fajr in a congregation, then sits and remembers Allah until the sun rises, then prays two rak‘ahs, he will have a reward like that of Hajj and ‘umrah, complete, complete, complete.” [Narrated by at-Tirmidhi (586); classed as hasan by Shaykh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) in Sahih Sunan at-Tirmidhi.]
What is the Duha prayer time?
Duha prayer time is 15 minutes after sunrise, until 10 to 20 minutes before the Duhr prayer.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin said regarding its time: ”a quarter of an hour after the sun has risen until ten minutes before Duhr prayer.” (Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/122)
How many rakats in Duha?
There is no exact number, but the minimum is two Rakat, and you can pray as many as you can. Shaykh Ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“The minimum – for Duha – is two rak‘ahs, and there is no maximum number. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed two and four rak‘ahs, and on the day of the conquest of Makkah, he prayed Duha with eight rak‘ahs, on the day on which Allah granted him the conquest of Makkah. So this matter is broad in scope. Whether a person prays eight or ten or twelve rak‘ahs, or more than that, or less, there is nothing wrong with it, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The (Sunnah) prayers of the night and day are two (rak‘ahs) by two.” The Sunnah is to pray two by two, saying the salam after every two rak‘ahs.” [Majmu‘ Fatawa Ibn Baz, 11/389]
Hadiths about Duha prayer.
An-Nawawi interpreted this hadith and said: “The words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) “and two rak‘ahs offered in the forenoon (Duha) will suffice for that” is indicative of the great virtue of Duha and how important it is, and that it may be offered with two rak‘ahs.” [Sharh Muslim by an-Nawawi].
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “My close friend (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) advised me to do three things which I will never give up until I die: to fast three days of every month, to pray Duha, and to pray Witr before going to sleep.” [Al-Bukhari (1178) and Muslim (721)]
Abu Dharr narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
“In the morning a charity is due from every joint of one of you. Every tasbeehah is a charity, every tahmeedah is a charity, every tahleelah is a charity, every takbeerah is a charity, enjoining what is good is a charity, forbidding what is evil is a charity, and two rak‘ahs offered in the forenoon (Duha) will suffice for that.” [Narrated by Muslim (1181).]
Al-Mubarakfuri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “At the beginning of the day”– it was said that what is meant is Duha prayer, or salat al-ishraq [when the sun has risen to the height of a spear], or the Sunnah and obligatory prayer of Fajr because it is the first obligatory prayer of the day.
I say: that the author and also Abu Dawud interpreted these rak‘ahs as referring to the Duha prayer. Hence they included this hadith in the Chapter on Duha Prayer. “I shall suffice you” with regard to your concerns “at the end of the day,” At-Tibi said: That is, I shall suffice you with regard to your needs, and I shall ward off from you what you dislike, after your prayer and until the end of the day. What is meant is: focus on worshipping Me at the beginning of the day and I will grant you peace of mind at the end of the day, by helping you to meet your needs.”(Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi 2/478).
Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The Prophet’s advice to Abu’d-Darda’ and Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them) is indicative of the virtue of Duha, and that it will definitely be greatly rewarded. Hence, they persisted in doing it and never omitted it.” [Al-Mufhim lima ashkala min Talkhis Muslim].
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “No one persists in offering Duha prayer except one who often turns to Allah, for it is the prayer of those who often turn to Allah (salat al-awwabin).” [Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah; classed as hasan by al-Albani in Sahih at-Targhib wa’t-Tarhib (1/164).]
Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays Fajr in a congregation, then sits and remembers Allah until the sun rises, then prays two rak‘ahs, he will have a reward like that of Hajj and ‘umrah, complete, complete, complete.” [Narrated by at-Tirmidhi (586); classed as hasan by Shaykh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) in Sahih Sunan at-Tirmidhi.]
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin said regarding its time: ”a quarter of an hour after the sun has risen until ten minutes before Duhr prayer.” (Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/122)
“The minimum – for Duha – is two rak‘ahs, and there is no maximum number. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed two and four rak‘ahs, and on the day of the conquest of Makkah, he prayed Duha with eight rak‘ahs, on the day on which Allah granted him the conquest of Makkah. So this matter is broad in scope. Whether a person prays eight or ten or twelve rak‘ahs, or more than that, or less, there is nothing wrong with it, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The (Sunnah) prayers of the night and day are two (rak‘ahs) by two.” The Sunnah is to pray two by two, saying the salam after every two rak‘ahs.” [Majmu‘ Fatawa Ibn Baz, 11/389]
Conclusion.
It is important to pray Dthe uha prayer because it has many benefits and virtues to the one who pray it. furthermore, our beloved prophet instructed and advised us to pray it as long as we live. So, be sure to pray Duha even if you can only offer two Rakat, with time you can increase the number, don’t worry about that part yet.
