in the mosque, as discussed previously.

Ibn Taymiyyah—may Allah have mercy on him—said: “Occasionally performing a voluntary prayer in congregation is recommended, provided it is not made a regular practice. The same applies when doing so serves a beneficial purpose—for example, when a person cannot pray properly alone or lacks motivation when alone. In such cases, praying in congregation is better, provided it is not made a regular practice. Nevertheless, performing it at home is better unless there is an overriding benefit.” (1) End quote.

(8-5) Making Up a Regular Sunnah Prayer Along with a Missed Obligatory Prayer

Abū Hurayra said: “We stopped for a night’s rest with the Prophet of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—and did not awaken until the sun had risen. The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said, ‘Let each man take hold of his mount, for this is a place in which Satan was present with us.’” He continued: “So we did. He then called for water and performed ablution, after which he performed two units of prayer (in one narration: ‘he then prayed two units’). The call to commence the prayer was then given, and he performed the Fajr prayer.” Reported by Muslim. (2)

Ibn al-Qayyim—may Allah have mercy on him—said regarding the legal lessons derived from this account: “It shows that the regular Sunnah prayers are made up just as the obligatory prayers are made up. The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—made up the Sunnah prayer of Fajr along with it, and he made up the Sunnah prayer of Zuhr on its own. His established practice—peace and blessings be upon him—was to make up the regular Sunnah prayers along with the obligatory prayers.” (3) End quote.

(9-5) The Best Prayer Is That with Lengthy Recitation

Jābir reported that the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said: “The best prayer is one with prolonged standing.” Reported by Muslim. (4)