Rawatib (Regular Sunnah Prayers)
The voluntary prayers regularly prayed before and after the obligatory prayers.
Rawatib (plural of ratibah) are the voluntary prayers regularly prayed before and/or after the five obligatory prayers. They are considered sunnah mu'akkadah (strongly recommended) and hold a special status in Sunni Islam.
The twelve rawatib according to the most well-known narration are: 2 rak'ah before Fajr, 4 rak'ah before Dhuhr and 2 rak'ah 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, narrated by Umm Habibah).
The Fajr rawatib's two rak'ah have a special status. The Prophet said: "The two rak'ah of Fajr are better than this world and everything in it" (Sahih Muslim). Aisha narrated that the Prophet was never more careful with any voluntary prayer than the two rak'ah before Fajr. In the Hanafi school, the four rak'ah before Asr are also considered rawatib, bringing the total number to 20.
Related terms
Sujud al-Sahw (Prostration of Forgetfulness)
Two extra prostrations performed to compensate for errors in prayer.
Surah Al-Ikhlas (Chapter of Sincerity)
The 112th chapter of the Quran, declaring Allah's absolute oneness.
Tahajjud (Night Prayer)
The voluntary night prayer performed in the last third of the night.
Ihsan (Excellence)
The highest level of worship: to worship Allah as if one can see Him.
Raf' al-Yadayn (Raising the Hands)
The practice of raising the hands to the shoulders or ears at specific points in the prayer.
Ramadan (The Month of Fasting)
The holy month of fasting, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.