upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, which is a sunnah during prayer and an unrestricted obligation outside it; returning the imam’s greeting of peace; the follower’s saying “Āmīn” when the imam says “nor of those who have gone astray”; his saying “Our Lord, to You belongs all praise” when the imam says “Allah hears whoever praises Him”; a woman’s wearing a head covering; and glorifying Allah while bowing and prostrating.
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Eight of these sunnahs are emphasized: inadvertently omitting them requires the prostration of forgetfulness, while there is disagreement over whether deliberately omitting them requires repeating the prayer. They are: the surah recited in addition to the Opening Surah; audible recitation where prescribed; quiet recitation where prescribed; the takbīrs other than the opening takbīr; saying “Allah hears whoever praises Him”; the first tashahhud; sitting for it; and the final tashahhud. Omitting the others entails no legal consequence. They differ from recommended acts only in the greater emphasis placed on their merit, except that a woman who prays without a head covering is recommended to repeat her prayer within its prescribed time.
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The Recommended Acts of Prayer
The recommended acts of prayer likewise number eighteen: wearing an outer garment; turning to the right when giving the closing salām; the follower’s reciting along with the imam during quiet recitation; prolonging the recitation in the dawn and noon prayers; keeping the first sitting brief; saying “Āmīn” after reciting the Opening Surah, for someone praying alone and for the imam during quiet recitation; [the person praying alone saying “Our Lord, to You belongs all praise”; the manner of sitting; and pointing with the finger while sitting]; the qunūt supplication in the dawn prayer; the imam’s leaving his place as soon as he gives the closing salām; using a prayer barrier; straightening the rows; supporting oneself; refraining from reciting “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful” in obligatory prayer; and placing one hand over the other during prayer. Mālik disapproved of this in al-Mudawwanah, meaning that he disapproved of its being regarded as an obligation of prayer. They also include praying on the ground or on what grows from it; and praying