Question:
Assalamualaikum SS Dato’ Seri Mufti. Is it permissible to perform the sunnah ba’diyyah prayer after zikir and tahlil? Is it still considered as ba’diyyah isyak prayer?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Sunnah Ba’diyyah Isyak prayer is one of the sunnah mu’akkadah [1] rawatib prayers. From ‘Umar R.Anhuma, he said:
حَفِظْتُ مِنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَشْرَ رَكَعَاتٍ رَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ الظُّهْرِ وَرَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَهَا وَرَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ الْمَغْرِبِ فِي بَيْتِهِ وَرَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ الْعِشَاءِ فِي بَيْتِهِ وَرَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ صَلاَةِ الصُّبْحِ.
“I remember ten Rakaat of Nawafil from the Prophet, two Rakaat before the Zuhr prayer and two after it; two Rakaat after Maghrib prayer in his house, and two Rakaat after ‘Isha’ prayer in his house, and two Rakaat before the Fajr prayer.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (1180)
Regarding the time for which this prayer is performed is two rakaat after the Isyak prayer. The Prophet PBUH performed it in his house.
According to the above prophetic evidence, there is a duration of time for sunnah ba’diyyah isyak prayer after isyak. The reason is, the Prophet PBUH performed it after he returned back to his house. Although it is known that the Prophet PBUH’s house is near the mosque.
In another narration from Aisyah R.Anha, she said:
...وَيُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ الْعِشَاءَ وَيَدْخُلُ بَيْتِي فَيُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ...
“…when he (ﷺ) had led the 'Isha' prayer, he would enter the house and perform two Rak'ah (supererogatory prayer)…”
Sahih Muslim (730)
Conclusion
Answering the above question, it is permissible and there is no problem if one wishes to perform the sunnah ba’diyyah isyak prayer after zikir and tahlil. However, it is prioritized to be performed immediately after the isyak prayer and supplication. This means that the duration between the isyak prayer and the sunnah ba’diyyah isyak prayer should not be too long, considering the name of sunnah rawatib (the sunnah prayer accompanying the obligatory prayer) prayer. Hence, rawatib sunnah prayers should be performed before or after obligatory prayer (with a short duration between them).
Lastly, let us all make it our habit to perform all the sunnah rawatib prayer which includes the sunnah ba’diyyah isyak prayer. Allah SWT has promised those who performed these prayers a house in paradise. This is stated in a hadith from Ummu Habibah R.Anha, the Prophet PBUH said:
مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ مُسْلِمٍ يُصَلِّي لِلَّهِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ ثِنْتَيْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً تَطَوُّعًا غَيْرَ فَرِيضَةٍ إِلاَّ بَنَى اللَّهُ لَهُ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ
“If any Muslim servant (of Allah) prays for the sake of Allah twelve rak'ahs (of Sunan) every day, over and above the obligatory ones, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise,”
Sahih Muslim (728)
We end this discussion with the following supplication:
رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي ۚ رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ ﴿٤٠﴾ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ
“My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and [many] from my descendants. Our Lord, and accept my supplication. Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers the Day the account is established.”
Surah Ibrahim (40-41)
Wallahua’lam.
[1] any voluntary act of worship which the Prophet continuously performed and almost never abandoned. These are not obligatory, but a person who abandons them is considered blameworthy.