Sunnah Mu'akkadah (Emphasized Sunnah)
Voluntary prayers that the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed regularly and rarely omitted.
Sunnah Mu'akkadah refers to the voluntary acts that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) performed regularly and consistently, and which he rarely omitted. These acts hold a special status in Sunni jurisprudence because they are considered strongly recommended, even though they are not obligatory (fard).
The most important Sunnah Mu'akkadah prayers (rawatib) are: 2 rak'ah before Fajr, 4 rak'ah before Dhuhr and 2 after, 2 rak'ah after Maghrib, and 2 rak'ah after Isha. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever prays twelve voluntary rak'ah during the day, Allah will build a house for him in Paradise" (Sahih Muslim). Imam al-Nawawi classified these prayers as Sunnah Mu'akkadah in his commentary on Sahih Muslim.
Regularly omitting Sunnah Mu'akkadah is considered blameworthy (makruh) by most Sunni scholars, although it is not sinful. Abu Hanifah, Malik, al-Shafi'i, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal all agreed on the importance of these prayers. Imam Ibn Qudamah mentions in al-Mughni that one who consistently omits them loses their credibility as a witness.
Related terms
Waqt (Prayer Time)
The specific time interval within which a prayer must be performed.
Raf' al-Yadayn (Raising the Hands)
The practice of raising the hands to the shoulders or ears at specific points in the prayer.
Witr (Odd-Numbered Prayer)
A strongly recommended prayer with an odd number of rak'ah, prayed after Isha.
Mustahab (Recommended)
Actions that are recommended but not obligatory, and that give extra reward.
Taslim (Concluding Greeting)
The concluding peace greeting that marks the end of the prayer.
Masjid (Mosque)
The Islamic house of worship, where Muslims gather for congregational prayer.