Can I Perform Pre-sunnahs of a Fard Prayer at Home?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

Can I perform my sunnahs/nafl at home of a fard prayer, due to lack of concentration in the masjid, as they are performed quickly in the masjid? Also, this allows me to make duas at home as they are accepted between the iqama and fard prayers?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

I hope you are well, amin. 

I commend you for intending to be focused in your prayer and supplications. May it continue and Allah (Most High) increase you in His presence and closeness, amin.

It is actually best to pray one’s sunna prayers at home, especially when you are finding it difficult to concentrate and have presence in the prayer in the masjid. But it is only when one is sure that one will not miss, or completely forget to pray them. 

[Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

Virtue to Perform Sunnas at Home

Zayd ibn Thabit reported: The Messenger of Allah, (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, ‘O people, perform prayer in your houses, for the best prayer of a man is in his house, except for the prescribed prayers.’  [Bukhari]

Duas between Adhan and Iqama

Duas that are made after the adhan and before the congregation of a fard prayer are answered, just as duas that are made after a fard prayer.

Anas bin Malik (Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, ‘Duas are not rejected between adhan and Iqama’ [Tirmidhi]

I would like to recommend you the following article how to bring about presence in prayer:

Prayer and Presence  – SeekersGuidance

Also, the following is also a good Reader on Invocations and Supplications: A Comprehensive SeekersGuidance Reader

 Invocations and Supplications: A Comprehensive SeekersGuidance Reader – SeekersGuidance

I hope this helps. 

[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied within UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan and Turkey.

He started his early education in UK. He went onto complete hifz of Qur’an in India, then enrolled into an Islamic seminary in UK where he studied the secular and Alimiyyah sciences. He then travelled to Karachi, Pakistan.

He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for a number of years. He has taught hifz of the Qur’an, Tajwid, Fiqh and many other Islamic sciences to both children and adults onsite and online extensively in UK and Ireland. He was teaching at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences.

He currently resides in UK with his wife. His personal interest is love of books and gardening.