Istikharah Prayer (সালাতুল ইস্তিখারাহ)

The Prophet (ﷺ) taught the Companions the Istikharah Prayer. Jābir (رضي الله عنه) said, “The Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach us Istikharah just as he taught us chapters from the Qur’an.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “If any of you intends to do something important, let him pray two rak‘ahs (units of prayer), not as an obligatory prayer, then recite this du‘ā:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي أَوْ قَالَ عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي أَوْ قَالَ فِي عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي

When reciting هَذَا الْأَمْرَ (“this matter”) in the du‘ā, name or internally intend the specific concern.

References: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (6382), Sunan Abī Dāwūd (1538), Musnad Aḥmad (14707).

Ṣalāt al-Ḥājah (Prayer of Need)

The Prophet (ﷺ) said the prophets, when faced with difficulty, would turn to prayer: كَانُوا يَفْزَعُوْنَ إِذَا فَزِعُوا إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ

“If they were alarmed by something, they would resort to prayer.” —(Ṣaḥīḥ) Musnad Aḥmad (18937), Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah (30122), Sunan al-Kubrā an-Nasā’ī (10450).

The Prophet (ﷺ), when worried, would also resort to prayer: كَانَ النَّبِىُّ ‘ إِذَا حَزَبَهُ أَمْرٌ صَلَّى

“When the Prophet (ﷺ) was distressed by something, he would pray.” —(Ḥasan) Sunan Abī Dāwūd (1319), Musnad Aḥmad (23299), Shuʿab al-Īmān (2912).

In another narration, the Prophet (ﷺ) advised anyone in hardship to perform a thorough wuḍū’, then pray two rak‘ahs in the manner of a normal prayer, followed by supplication. —(Ṣāliḥ) Musnad Aḥmad (27497, 27546), Sunan Ibn Mājah (1385), Sunan at-Tirmidhī (478).

Ṣalāt at-Tasbīḥ

The Prophet (ﷺ) taught this special prayer to his uncle, ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنه), advising him to pray it daily, or weekly, or monthly, or yearly, or at least once in a lifetime.

References: (Ṣaḥīḥ) Sunan Abī Dāwūd (1297), Sunan Ibn Mājah (1387), Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah (1216).

Many hadith experts (e.g., Ibn Khuzaymah, Abū Dāwūd, Abū Bakr al-ʿAjurrī, Ibn Māndah, Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī, etc.) deemed it authentic or ḥasan. Though there is some difference of opinion, the majority count it as acceptable.

In this prayer, one prays four rak‘ahs in normal manner (with qiyām, qirā’ah, rukū‘, sujūd), but in each rak‘ah, recites a special tasbīḥ 75 times. After al-Fātiḥah and sūrah, say “Subḥānallāh, al-ḥamdulillāh, lā ilāha illallāh, Allāhu akbar” 15 times. Then in rukū‘, 10 times; standing up from rukū‘, 10 times; first sujūd, 10 times; sitting between the two sujūds, 10 times; second sujūd, 10 times; and again sitting up, 10 times. This makes 75 per rak‘ah, totaling 300 for four rak‘ahs.

Tawbah Prayer (Repentance Prayer)

The Prophet (ﷺ) encouraged offering two rak‘ahs if someone commits a sin, then seeking forgiveness from Allah: مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يُذْنِبُ ذَنْبًا ثُمَّ يَتَوَضَّأُ فَيُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى لِذَلِكَ الذَّنْبِ إِلَّا غَفَرَ لَهُ

“Whenever a Muslim commits a sin, then makes wuḍū’, prays two rak‘ahs, and seeks Allah’s forgiveness for that sin, Allah will forgive him.” —(Ṣaḥīḥ) Musnad Aḥmad (47), Sunan Abī Dāwūd (1521), Sunan at-Tirmidhī (406).

Solar & Lunar Eclipse Prayer

Once, in Madīnah, there was a solar eclipse. The Prophet (ﷺ) hurried to the mosque and prayed two rak‘ahs—making them long. He continued until the eclipse ended. He explained that eclipses do not occur for anyone’s birth or death, but are among the signs of Allah. When you see them, pray until the eclipse finishes. فَصَلَّى بِنَا رَكْعَتَيْنِ حَتَّى انْجَلَتِ الشَّمْسُ...

References: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (1040), Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (910-912), Sunan Abī Dāwūd (1187).

Istisqā’ Prayer (for Rain)

Sometimes the Prophet (ﷺ) would pray for rain with the Companions by going out to an open field. He offered two rak‘ahs without adhān or iqāmah, recited aloud, then gave a sermon and made du‘ā’, turning his cloak as part of the ceremony. خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‘ يَوْمًا يَسْتَسْقِي فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ بِلاَ أَذَانٍ وَلَا إِقَامَةٍ

—(Ṣaḥīḥ) Sunan Ibn Mājah (1268), Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah (1409), see also Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (1028).

Chāshat Prayer (Duḥā)

Sometimes the Prophet (ﷺ) performed the Duḥā prayer in mid-morning. He termed it “Ṣalāt al-Awwābīn” (the prayer of the devoted) when the heat becomes strong. The Prophet (ﷺ) might pray two rak‘ahs, four, or sometimes even eight. Occasionally he would skip it. صَلاَةُ الأَوَّابِينَ حِينَ تَرْمَضُ الْفِصَالُ

—Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (748). Also see references for 2, 4, or 8 rak‘ahs. Sometimes he left it, as in Sunan at-Tirmidhī (476).

Taḥiyyat al-Masjid (Greeting the Mosque)

The Prophet (ﷺ) instructed that upon entering the mosque, one should pray two rak‘ahs before sitting: إِذَا دَخَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ الْمَسْجِدَ فَلْيُصَلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَجْلِসَ

References: Sahīh al-Bukhārī (444), Sahīh Muslim (714), Musnad Aḥmad (22529).

Two Rak‘ahs after Wuḍū’

The Prophet (ﷺ) liked praying two rak‘ahs after completing wuḍū’, and he encouraged the Companions similarly. —(Ṣaḥīḥ) Sunan at-Tirmidhī (3698), Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah (1209).