HADEES - ~ Their Significance, Supererogatory Prayers

At-tatawwu', or nawafil or supererogatory prayers, have been
legislated to make up for any deficiencies left in the performance of
fard salah (obligatory prayers). In salah, there are virtues that are
not found in any other form of worship. Abu Hurairah reports that the
Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam said: "The first thing that the
people will be called to account for on the Day of Resurrection will
be the prayers. Our Lord will say to the angels although He knows
better: 'Look into the salah of my servant to see if he observed it
perfectly or been negligent in it. So if he observed it perfectly it
will be recorded to his credit, but if he had been negligent in it in
any way, Allah would say: See if My servant has any supererogatory
prayers. Then if he has any supererogatory prayers, Allah would say:
Make up the deficiency in My servant's obligatory prayer with his
supererogatory prayers.' Thereafter all his actions will be examined
in like manner" (Abu Dawud).
Abu Umamah narrates that the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam said:
"Allah does not listen to anything from His slave as He does to the
two rak'at (of prayer)that he offers. Mercy descends over the
servant's head as long as he remains in prayer" (Ahmad and
at-Tirmizhi). As-Sayuti gradesit sahih. In al-Muwatta', Malik says:
"It has reached me that the Prophet said: '(Try to) keep to
thestraight path although you won'tbe able to do so completely; and
know that the best of your deedsis the salah, and only a (true)
believer preserves his wudu.'" Muslim records from Rabi'ah ibn Malik
al-Aslami that the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam said:"Ask
(anything)." Rabi'ah said: "I ask of you to be your companionin
paradise." The Prophet said:"Or anything else?" Rabi'ah said:"That is
it." The Prophet sallallahualehi wasallam said to him: "Thenhelp me by
making many prostrations (i.e., supererogatory prayers)."

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HADEES - ~ Offering Supererogatory Prayers in One's House

Ahmad and Muslim relate from Jabir that the Messenger of Allah said:
"If one of you offers his prayers in the Mosque then he should make a
portion of his prayers in his house, as Allah has made his prayers in
his house a means of betterment (for him)."
Ahmad records from 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah said: "The
nawafil salah of a man in his house are a light; whoever wishes should
lighten up his house."
'Abdullah ibn 'Umar reports that the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam
said: "Make some of your prayers in your houses and do not turn your
houses into graves." This statement is related by Ahmad and Abu Dawud.
Abu Dawud records from Zaid ibn Thabit on sound authority that the
Messenger of Allah said: "A person's salah in his house is better than
his salah in my mosque, except for the fard salah."
These hadith prove that it is preferred to say one's nawafil prayers
in one' s house since prayers in one ' s house are better than those
that he performs in the mosque. An-Nawawi says: "The Prophet
sallallahu alehi wasallam encouraged one to offer nawafl in one's
house because then the prayers are more private and willhave less of a
chance of being done for show and will be free from defects that
vitiate good deeds. Furthermore, this will be ablessing for the house
as mercy and angels will descend on it while Satan flees from it."

HADEES - ~ Supererogatory prayers, their Elongation

It is preferred to prolong the reciting by making many rak'at. The
group, except for Abu Dawud, reports that al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah
said: "The Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam would stand and pray
until his feet or shanks swelled. When he was asked about it, he said:
'Should I not be a thankful slave?"' Abu Dawud records from 'Abdullah
ibn Hubshi al-Khath'ami that the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam was
asked: "What is the best deed?" He said: "Prolonging the qiyam;
(standing) [in the prayer]." Then it was asked:"What is the best
charity?" He replied: "The sacrifice made by one who has little to
give." Then it was asked: "What is the best migration?" He responded:
"The migration from what Allah has forbidden." Then it was asked:"What
is the best jihad?" He replied: "Whoever strives against the
polytheists with his wealth and soul." They asked: "What is the most
honorable death?" He answered: "He whose blood is spilled and whose
horse is wounded."

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EXPLANATION :- ~ Shaykh Muhammad Nasir-ud-Deen al-Albani

Question: Some who are seeking knowledge are very hasty in giving
rulings in matters of halaaland haraam, and this is a common
noticeable defect. What is your advice to such people?
Al-Albaanee's reply: "We have spoken on this issue long before,and we
said that Allaah the Wise has divided the Muslim community into two
types of people: the Ahl adh-Dhikr, and those that depend on the Ahl
adh-Dhikr. As Allaah says to the ordinary people: "then ask those who
possess the Message (Ahl adh-Dhikr) if you do not know." (Soorah 21:7
and 16:43)
The Ahl adh-Dhikr are, as we all know, are the Ahl al-Qur'aan and the
Ahl al-Hadeeth, those who know the authentic from the unauthentic, the
general from the specific, the abrogating from the abrogated, and
other such principles of Fiqh and Hadeeth.
Hence, it is not allowed for a Muslim to begin giving fatwaas on the
basis of some hadeeth, simply because he came across itin some book,
although he does not know if it is saheeh according to the criteria of
the scholars of hadeeth. On the otherhand, he knows that he is not
sufficiently well-versed in knowledge and competence in the Arabic
language to explain the meanings and ideas behind the Kitaab and
Sunnah. Therefore, anyone who has not decided to undertake acquiring
knowledge and persevere in it for many years, until the people of
knowledge testify that he can guide the people and direct themtowads
good, it is not permissible for him to think that he is an alim
(scholar) simply because he has read some ahadeeth and memorized some
aayaat. We often hear of some of them who cannot even read the Qur'aan
properly, nor the ahaadeeth of the Prophet (sallallahu `alaihi wa
sallam). This is why I advise the seekers of knowledge to study two
fundamentals: a) the principles offiqh and b) the principles of
hadeeth.
I have mentioned before that it isnot easy for one to deduce the
intended aim of the Lawgiver from any text unless he consults as far
as possible, all the texts of the Qur'an and Sunnah. I will givea
clear example: Allaah says: "Forbidden for you are dead meat, blood…"
(5:4). If a beginner who is studying the Qur'aan and has no knowledge
of hadeeth is asked regarding dead fish, he will immediately bring
this aayah as proof to clearly forbid it since it prohibits dead meat.
But were he to look into the ahaadeeth, he would know that the
Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, excepted two types of animals,
fish and locusts,from this prohibition, so he couldrule accordingly.
Briefly, the student must learn these two fundamental branchesof
learning to help to understandthe Qur'aan and Sunnah as correctly as
possible."

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