circumambulation itself, then a prayer whose opportunity would be lost is all the more deserving of being permitted. Some scholars of our school permit making up the regular sunnah prayers, but not other voluntary prayers, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made up the two rakʿahs after Zuhr, and it is reported that he allowed the two rakʿahs before Fajr to be made up. In response, one may say: if making up a regular sunnah prayer is permissible despite the possibility of postponing it, then prayers whose opportunity would be lost—such as the eclipse prayer, prostration upon recitation, and the prayer of greeting the mosque—are all the more deserving of being permitted.

Indeed, an authentic hadith establishes that an obligatory prayer may be made up during this time, even though postponing it may sometimes be recommended, as in the report:

“The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) delayed making up Fajr when he slept through it during the expedition to Khaybar, and said, ‘This is a valley in which Satan was present with us.’”

If it is permissible to perform what can be postponed, then what cannot be postponed, and whose postponement is not recommended, is all the more deserving of being permitted. These questions cannot be discussed at length in this answer.

Section

As for praying at night and fasting during the day, the best practice is that which authentic reports establish that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) himself followed. He said:

“The best night prayer is that of David: he would sleep for half the night, pray for a third of it, and sleep for a sixth. The best fasting is that of David: he would fast one day and not fast the next, and he would not flee when facing the enemy.”

It is also established