Advice of Scholars - THINGS WHICH MUSLIMS WERE COMMANDED TO DO

Ibni Abidîn (rahmat Allahi ta’âlâ ’alaih), while explaining the sunnats of ablution, writes: “Mashrû’at, namely ’ibâdât, i. e. things which Muslims were commanded to do, are of four categories: fard, wâjib, sunnat and nâfila. Plain commandments by Allahu ta’âlâ are called fard. Allahu ta’âlâ’s commandments that are not as clear as a fard, but are inferred through deduction are called wâjib.

Those worships which are neither fard nor wâjîb but which Rasûlullah himself advised or practised, or if he did not say anything to those who omitted them, are called sunnat-i hudâ or sunnat-i muakkada. They are the shi’âr (symptoms) of the Islamic religion. [That is, they are peculiar to this religion; they don’t exist in other religions.] When he saw someone omit a wâjib, he used to prevent him from omitting it. If he himself omitted it from time to time, it is called sunnat-i ghayr-i muakkada. It is makrûh to omit a sunnat-i muakkada. It is a venial sin.

Allahu ta’âlâ promised to give thawâbs for all worships. But, it is necessary to intend for a worship in order to be rewarded for it. To intend is to obey the commandments and to remember the fact that the worship is being done to attain the ridâ (consent) of Allahu ta’âlâ.

To perform these three categories of worships in their due times is called adâ. (Not to perform them in their due times, but to perform them after their due times are over is called qadâ. To perform them again upon one’s own wish after adâ or qadâ is called nâfila worship. ) It is more blessed to perform fards and wajîbs as nâfila than performing sunnat-i muakkadas.

Things which Rasûlullah (sallallahu ’alaihi wa sallam) has done continuously not as ’ibâdat (worship) but as ’âdat (habit) are called sunnat-i zawâid. His style of attirement, his sitting and standing and his beginning from the right  hand side while doing good things are in this category. Those who do them are also rewarded. It is not necessary to intend to get a reward for them. If they are intended, then they become acts of worship. Their blessing increases. It is not makrûh to omit the sunnat-i zawâid and the nâfila worships. ”

Nevertheless, following Rasûlullah (sall Allahu ’alaihi wa sallam) also in things pertaining to customs supplies one with many advantages and causes much happiness in this and the next worlds.