Tips To Become Consistent With Sunnah Prayers

Sunnah prayers are the voluntary prayers that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) used to perform regularly. They are a great way to increase your rewards and strengthen your connection with Allah. 

But in the age where many find it challenging to even consistently pray the 5 obligatory prayers, how can you become consistent with Sunnah prayers and make them a part of your daily routine?

It all starts with the right intention. You being here and reading this blog shows sufficient intention, and Allah assuredly rewards all of us for our sincere efforts. 

To help aid your sincere efforts, we suggest you stick around to discover some practical tips to become consistent with your Sunnah prayers. These tips are not only practical but are also based on the Quran, and the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW). 

Following these tips will certainly help you improve your consistency in the Sunnah prayers and also subsequently improve your connection with Allah. 

Without further ado, let’s get right into our carefully thought-out tips: 

Tip #1- Know the Timings and Number of Sunnah Prayers:

There’s no shame in starting from the basics and learning how many Sunnah prayers are there, alongside their timings. 

Sunnah prayers are of two types, Sunnah mu'akkadah (emphasised) and sunnah ghayr mu'akkadah (non-emphasized). Sunnah mu'akkadah are 12 in total and these are the ones that the Prophet (SAW) hardly ever missed, and they are highly recommended for us to perform as well. 

Whereas, Sunnah ghayr mu'akkadah are the ones that the Prophet (SAW) performed sometimes and skipped out on other times, and they are also optional for us to perform. 

What are the 12 Sunnah prayers? 

• 2 rak'ahs before Fajr
  
  

• 4 rak'ahs before Dhuhr
  
  

• 2 rak'ahs after Dhuhr
  
  

• 2 rak'ahs after Maghrib
  
  

• 2 rak'ahs after Isha 
  
  

It is however important to note that the Sunnah prayers are not obligatory, but they are highly recommended. 

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, "Whoever prays twelve rak'ahs of voluntary prayer in a day and night, a house will be built for him in Paradise: four before Dhuhr, two after Dhuhr, two after Maghrib, two after Isha, and two before Fajr." (Tirmidhi)

Tip #2- Know the Benefits of Sunnah prayers:

Why do we strive to pray and get consistent in Sunnah prayers? To get Allah’s rewards and follow the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet (SAW). So, whenever we feel it a little challenging to keep up with the Sunnah prayers consistently, we should remind ourselves of the significant benefits of these prayers. 

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, "Whoever prays twelve rak'ahs of voluntary prayer in a day and night, a house will be built for him in Paradise: four before Dhuhr, two after Dhuhr, two after Maghrib, two after Isha, and two before Fajr." (Tirmidhi)

This 6* is a great reminder of the significant benefits of Sunnah prayers. Moreover, Sunnah prayers can also help us protect from evil, and make Allah’s remembrance a consistent part of our lives. Knowing these benefits and many others will motivate you to perform Sunnah prayers consistently and not miss them.

Tip #3- Start off With the Easiest and Most Rewarding Ones: 

If you are not used to performing sunnah prayers, it might be overwhelming to start with all of them at once. Therefore, a better approach might be to start with the easiest and most rewarding ones, and then gradually add more as you become comfortable. 

The easiest and most rewarding ones are the two rak'ahs before Fajr and the three rak'ahs of Witr. 

The Prophet (SAW) said, "The two rak'ahs before Fajr are better than this world and everything in it." (Muslim) 

In addition to that, he also said: "Whoever prays Witr is a believer." (Tirmidhi).  

Therefore, these two Sunnah prayers are a good starting point for anyone looking to make the Sunnah prayers a consistent part of their daily routines. Moreover, these two Sunnah prayers are also a great way to start and end your day by praying to Allah in accordance with the Sunnah. 

Tip #4-  Be Consistent and Don't Give Up: 

Consistency is the key to success in anything, especially when you’re praying to Allah. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, ‘“The most beloved of deeds to Allah are those that are most consistent, even if it is small.” (Bukhari).

Hence, try to perform Sunnah prayers every day, even if it's just one or two, and don't let anything stop you from doing them. If you miss any of them due to a valid reason, such as travel or illness, don't feel guilty or discouraged, but try to make up for them later.

Know that every day you choose to regularly pray the Sunnah prayers, is a day you've succeeded in coming closer to Allah in the most beautiful manner. So, keep going, keep striving, and remember that every step, no matter how small, is a step towards Allah’s reward. 

Tip #5- Go Easy on Yourself:

While being consistent with your Sunnah prayers is important, it is also very likely that sometimes you might face some challenges or obstacles that prevent you from performing the Sunnah prayers.

Oftentimes, pushing yourself to be too stringent on praying the Sunnah prayers in these situations can have a counterproductive impact on you, especially if you have only recently started praying the Sunnah prayers consistently. 

Therefore, you should be easy on yourself especially if you’re new to being consistent in Sunnah prayers. For starters, if you are busy at work or school, you can shorten or combine some Sunnah prayers, such as performing two rak'ahs instead of four before Dhuhr or Asr, or only praying the Witr with Isha and skipping the two Sunnah prayers. 

Overall, what's important is that you maintain a connection with praying the Sunnah prayers regularly, even if it means making some adjustments based on your circumstances. Allah is the most understanding, and hence also knows that there will be times when you are unable to pray your Sunnah prayers.

Tip #6- Make Sincere Dua: 

Nothing can be achieved without the will and help of Allah. So, making sincere dua to Allah to help you get consistent in performing your Sunnah prayers for His sake will never fail you. After all, how can His help not be there for a sincere heart that seeks closeness to Him? 

Ask Allah to make it easy for you, reward you abundantly, and accept your deeds. You can also make dua after every obligatory prayer, or at any time of the day, to ask Allah to help you with Sunnah prayers.

Allah is the all hearing and He is bound to respond to your sincere intentions and efforts. The Quran also assures us that when we call upon Allah, He will respond. As it is stated, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you" (Quran 40:60). 

Here are a few supplications that you can make: 

اللهم اني على ذكرك وشكرك وحسن عبادتك

Allahumma a'inni 'ala dhikrika wa shukrikaka wa husni 'ibadatika

(O Allah, help me in remembering You, being grateful to You, and worshiping You properly)

اللهمّ يا مقلب قلوب ثابت قلبي على دينك

Allahumma ya muqallibal qulub thabbit qalbī 'ala dīnika

(O Allah, Turner of the hearts, make my heart firm on Your religion)

These are just a few examples, and you can of course make dua in any way that you feel comfortable. The most important thing is to be sincere and to ask Allah for help from the bottom of our hearts.

Wrapping Up

Sunnah prayers are a gift from Allah and His Messenger to us, since they provide such a simple manner to get closer to Allah. It is important we don’t neglect these 12 daily rak'ahs and take them lightly.  

Getting consistent with the Sunnah prayers is not that difficult once you’re sincere in your intentions. With a little effort and by following the tips highlighted in this blog, you can easily become more consistent with your Sunnah prayers in no time. 

Even if you’re struggling to be consistent in your 5 obligatory prayers, don't lose heart or think that these tips for Sunnah prayers aren't applicable to you. On the contrary, these tips can help be a stepping stone to not only enhance your consistency in Sunnah prayers, but also improve your consistency in obligatory prayers.

Let this be the moment you look back on as the turning point in you getting consistent with your Sunnah prayers. May Allah help us get consistent in praying all our Sunnah prayers and reap the fruits of this beautiful act of worship, both in this world and the next. 

Vocabulary List:

Mushaf: Arabic for a codex or collection of sheets, but also refers to a written copy of the Quran.

Rabb: Sustainer, Cherisher

Tilawa: Recitation of Quran

Azkaar: Repeated remembrance Of Allah

Hasanat: Credit for good deeds

Ayats: Verses