Q. I normally offer 2 rakaahs after the obligatory dawn prayer. A few days ago, someone told me that I should not do that. He added that such voluntary prayers are not allowed until noon time. The reasons he gave me were not convincing. Please comment.
T.M. Hannan, Riyadh
A. There are times during the day when offering voluntary prayers is not appropriate. These are from the time one offers the obligatory dawn prayer until about half an hour after sunrise, and after one has completed the obligatory Asr prayer until sunset, and at the time when the sun is at its highest point at midday. This means that the practice of our reader, offering two rakaahs of Sunnah after Fajr is wrong.
He should follow the guidance of the Prophet and offer such voluntary prayer at that time. An exception to this rule is that, should a person arrive in the mosque for dawn prayer and find the congregation has started. He cannot then begin with the voluntary Sunnah. He has to join the congregation. In this case, he may offer the Sunnah after he has finished the obligatory part with the imam. He may also delay it until after sunrise.
What my reader was told about the extent of the restriction and its continuing until midday is wrong. It finishes about half an hour after sunrise.
One may give different reasons for the restriction. However, I am not attempting any. I only say that we learn the obligations, practices and requirements of our religion from Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). Whatever he teaches us is good, true and faultless. He made this restriction and we obey it without hesitation.
After all, we have learned every thing about prayer from him. He instructed us: "Pray as you have seen me pray." When we follow his example, we are rewarded by God for that, in addition to the reward we get for performing our duties.