Question:
Is it permissible for a person to be the makmum of someone who is performing sunnah 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.
The scholars have differing opinions regarding this issue. The reason is, obligatory prayer is a greater commandment than sunnah prayer. Thus, it is impermissible for a person performing an obligatory prayer to follow an imam who is praying a sunnah prayer. Other scholars state that it is permissible, for the type of ibadah (worship) is the same, which is salah (prayer). Imam Syafie states that the prayer of a makmum who is performing obligatory prayer following an imam who is performing a sunnah prayer is valid. This is in accordance with a hadith recorded by Imam al-Bukhari and Muslim, “Once, Muaz perform the Isyak prayer together with the Prophet PBUH. Afterwards, he went back home and be an imam for his family.”
Imam al-Syafie explained the second prayer Muaz performed is a sunnah prayer, while his family are performing the obligatory Isyak prayer. This is the evidence that ruled it permissible for someone who is performing an obligatory prayer to follow an imam who is performing a sunnah prayer.
However, it is better to avoid this, in order to avoid the differing of opinions of scholars that state the prayer is invalid for someone who is performing an obligatory prayer follow an imam who is performing a sunnah prayer. See Mughni al-Muhtaj by al-Syarbini al-Khatib (1/503).
Hence, it is permissible for someone who is performing an obligatory prayer to follow an imam who is performing a sunnah prayer according to the above arguments and evidence.
Wallhua’lam.