Different types of Nafl Salaah

Tahiyatul Wudhu – After completion of wudhu, the performance of two rakaahs is full of blessings. It is related in the hadith, that the performing of two rakaah Tahiyatul wudhu salaah makes paradise obligatory for the person (Muslim).
It should not be performed at the improper times (makrooh times – then the sun rises, when its at Zenith and when it sets).





Ishraak – After Fajr salaah, one should sit at the same place and recite durood, dhikr and tasbeeh, or recite Quraan without participation in any worldly affairs until the sun has risen. Then perform two or four rakaahs. This is called Ishraak salaah.

This salaah brings blessings equal to a Hajj or Umraah (Tirmidhi)
It also wipes away ones sins (Abu Dawood)




Chaasht – when the sun had risen high, the performance of 2,4,6,8 or 12 rakaahs is known as Chaasht. This is full of blessings. The reciting of two rakaahs wipes away all sins.
Performance of four rakaahs places the person’s name amongst the pious (abids) and it is a sunnah of the truthful. It promises the performer protection until the evening.
The one who performs six rakaahs is relieved of his day’s worries. Performers of the eight rakaahs places his name amongst the devout and the one who recites twelve rakaahs secures a golden palace in Jannah.





Awwaabeen – after the Fardh and sunnah rakaahs of Maghrib salaah, performance of the minimum of 6 to a max. of 20 rakaahs is called Awwaabeen salaah.
One tradition states that performing of 6 rakaahs without indulging in worldly affairs will derive blessings equivalent to 12 years of nafl salaah.
The tradition in Tibrani says the performer of 6 rakaahs will have his sins wiped away even if they were equal to the waves in the sea.





Tahajjud – to wake up in the middle of the night for Tahajjud salaah is very beneficial. Allah SWT is very appreciative of this salaah. This is the one which brings the most rewards of all nafl salaah.
One should perform anything from four to twelve rakaahs for the Tahajjud salaah.
A narration relates that four rakaahs of Tahajjud is equal to four rakaahs performed on Laylatul Qadr. The performance brings one closer to Allah, is kaffara for previous sins and it is prohibitive for future sins. Allah SWT bestows his rahma to those who get up to recite this salaah.
Allah SWT sends a message in the last part of the night saying if there is any appeal to Him, it shall be answered and if there is one seeking His forgiveness, he shall be forgiven. The doors of His mercy are opened and this is the time when prayers are accepted. One should take advantage of performing this salaah in the month of Ramadhaan and perform this salaah before suhoor.




Tawbah Salaah (repentance) – After one has done any sinful act, he should recite two rakaahs nafl salaah of tawbah after which he should sincerely repent, feel sorry for his sins, seek forgiveness and make a firm decision to not do it again. By His Grace the sin would be forgiven.
Rasulullah said that whenever one has done a sinful act, he should make wudhu, perform two rakaahs nafl salaah and thereafter sincerely repent and ask for the Lord’s forgiveness. Allah pardons his sins. Thereafter, Rasulullah SAW recited this from the Holy Quraan:
‘And those who have done something to be ashamed of or wronged their own souls. Earnestly bring Allah to mind and ask for forgiveness of their sins and who can forgive this, except Allah’ (3:135)



Salatul Tasbih – for this salaah, four rakaahs are performed. The following tasbeeh should be read 75 times in each rakaah, making a total of 300 tasbihs in the four rakaahs. The tasbeeh is ‘SubhanAllahi walhamdulillahi walaillaha Ilallahu wAllahu akbar’.

-- Start the salaah by saying ‘Allahu Akbar’, recite the thanaa, Surah Faatiha and another suraah followed by the tasbeeh fifteen times.

-- Thereafter go in to ruku and recite the usual, and then the tasbeeh ten times.

--Stand up from ruku and recite ‘Rabbana wa lakal hamd’ and recite the tasbeeh ten times.

-- Perform sajdah the normal way, and recite the tasbeeh within. Then sit up, recite another ten times and do the second sajdah,reciting the tasbeeh when in sajdah ten times also. When sitting up, recite another ten times.

-- carry out this the same way in all four rakaahs.

Rasulullah SAW told his uncle Hadhrat Abbaas RA that after performing these four rakaahs, ones sins, no matter how big or small, hidden or open, intentional or non intentional are all forgiven. Furthermore, he advised for it to be performed everyday, if this is not possible then every Jumaah or once a month/year or at least once in ones lifetime. It can be performed at any time except at the forbidden times.

The Duha Prayer is a volunatry Salah prayer between the time after Fajr (i.e. Dawn) and the time before the Dhuhr prayer (i.e. forenoon). Ishraq, Salat – ul Awwabin (prayer of the penitent) and Duha are different Names for the same prayer. The minimum Rak’ahs for Duha prayer are two and the maximum are twelve. The preferable amount mong them are four which is supported and approved by the ahadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him). It may also be remembered that this Salah was a tradition of the previous Messengers and they used to perform it during their times. Hence this prayer is Sunnah and Mustahab (desirable). [Commentary Bulugh – Al – Maram (Englsih), published by Darussalam, Hadith: 310] http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Islam_True/message/185

the salatul Awwaabeen you have mentioned is weak

Hafiz Salahuddin yusuf stated, in his commentary of riyadh us saliheen,"...Usually the six Rak`ah performed after Maghrib prayer are called Salat-ul-Awwabin (prayer of the penitent) which is founded on a weak Hadith. In the present authentic Hadith, Duha prayer is interpreted as Salat-ul-Awwabin. Thus Salat-ul-Awwabin is in fact Duha prayer."


And this is salatul Tasbeeh:

Narrated Abdullah Ibn Abbas: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said to al-Abbas ibn AbdulMuttalib: Abbas, my uncle, shall I not give you, shall I not present to you, shall I not donate to you, shall I not produce for you ten things? If you act upon them, Allah will forgive you your sins, first and last, old and new, involuntary and voluntary, small and great, secret and open.

These are the ten things: you should pray four rak'ahs, reciting in each one Fatihat al-Kitab and a surah. When you finish the recitation of the first rak'ah you should say fifteen times while standing: "Glory be to Allah", "Praise be to Allah", "There is no god but Allah", "Allah is most great". Then you should bow and say it ten times while bowing. Then you should raise your head after bowing and say it ten times. Then you should kneel down in prostration and say it ten times while prostrating yourself. Then you should raise your head after prostration and say it ten times. Then you should prostrate yourself and say it ten times. Then you should raise your head after prostrating and say it ten times in every rak'ah. You should do that in four rak'ahs.

If you can observe it once daily, do so; if not, then once weekly; if not, then once a month; if not, then once a year; if not, then once in your lifetime.

[Sunan Aboo Daawood, Book 4, Number 1292; Classed Hasan by Sheikh al - Albaani in Hidaayat ur-Ruwaah (which is his hadeeth commentary on mishkaat ul-Masaabeeh), hadeeth no. 1279]

JazakAllah for adding that information, akhi

Barakallahu feek

Jazakillahu khayrn for you efforts