Nafl Salat

According to the verses of the Quran, there are five specific times for the Contact Prayers (Salat).

• Dawn: 24:58, 11:114
• Noon: 17:86
• Afternoon: 11:114
• Sunset: 11:114
• Night: 24:58

Traditionalists believe that in addition to these five obligatory Salats, one can perform additional non-obligatory Salats that they call Salat Al-Nafl (صلاة النفل). The word Nafl comes from the root ن ف ل and occurs four times in the Quran. The usage of this word as used in the Quran can be understood in common speech as a bonus or extra credit.

Two of these occurrences are in Sura 8, in the context of the spoils of war, which were the extra worldly bonus the believers received on top of the credit they received from God for partaking in the battle. While the other occurrences constitute an additional gift or benefit e.g. extra credit or bonus for righteous works.

[21:72] And we granted him Isaac and Jacob as a bonus, and we made them both righteous.

(٧٢) وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ نَافِلَةً وَكُلًّا جَعَلْنَا صَالِحِينَ

The concept of nafl used in the context of Salat can be seen in 17:79.

[17:78] You shall observe the Contact Prayer (Salat) when the sun declines from its highest point at noon, as it moves towards sunset. You shall also observe (the recitation of) the Quran at dawn. (Reciting) the Quran at dawn is witnessed. [17:79] During the night, you shall meditate for extra credit, that your Lord may raise you to an honorable rank.

(٧٨) أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ الَّيْلِ وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا
(٧٩) وَمِنَ الَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَكَ عَسَىٰ أَنْ يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا

It is worth noting that the usage of the Nafl ( نَافِلَةً )in 17:79 is clear that Nafl is not Salat, but specifically the opportunity for one to do additional righteous work through staying up and being God-conscious. This shows that Nafl is something completely separate than Salat.

Even if we check Hadith, there is no Al-Salat Al-Nafl mentioned in any noteworthy sources. There are plenty of references to the messenger offering Nafl through various means, e.g. bowing, prostrating, reverence but it is always considered. separate from the actual Salat. For example

It is worth to look at the Arabic word by word to better understand what is being stated in the above Hadith.

أَنَّ	That
النَّبِيَّ	The prophet,
صلى	blessings (of)
الله	Allah
عليه	upon him
وسلم	and peace,
لَمْ	Not
يَكُنْ	it be
عَلَى	upon
شَىْءٍ	anything
مِنَ	from
النَّوَافِلِ	Al-Nafl (extra righteous works)
أَشَدَّ	more
مُعَاهَدَةً	binding
مِنْهُ	than it
عَلَى	upon
رَكْعَتَيْنِ	bowing twice (rak’ahs)
قَبْلَ	before
الصُّبْحِ	morning.

The takeaway is that the two Rakas of the Dawn Salat before morning are more important than any Al-Nafl. Again this shows a clear distinction that Al-Nafl is something separate from any form of Salat.

The Hadith that often gets cited for justification of Al-Salat Al-Nafl, is the following, but the translation is a major distortion from the Arabic as the word Nafl doesn’t even exist in the text.

فَإِذَا	Then when
هُوَ	He (the man)
يَسْأَلُ	[he] asked
عَنِ	about
الإِسْلاَمِ	Islam (Submission).
فَقَالَ	Then [he] said
رَسُولُ	(the) messenger (of)
اللَّهِ	God,
صلى	blessings (of)
الله	Allah
عليه	upon him
وسلم	and peace,
خَمْسُ	“Five
صَلَوَاتٍ	Salats
فِي	in
الْيَوْمِ	the day
وَاللَّيْلَةِ	and night.”
فَقَالَ	Then he (the man) said,
هَلْ	“Is there
عَلَىَّ	upon
غَيْرُهَا	other than that?”
قَالَ	He (the messenger) said
لاَ،	“No,
إِلاَّ	except
أَنْ	that
تَطَوَّعَ	you can volunteer more (righteous works).”
قَالَ	[He] said
رَسُولُ	(the) messenger (of)
اللَّهِ	God,
صلى	blessings (of)
الله	Allah
عليه	upon him
وسلم	and peace,
وَصِيَامُ	“And fasting (in)
رَمَضَانَ	Ramadan.”
قَالَ	He (the man) said,
هَلْ	“Is there
عَلَىَّ	upon
غَيْرُهُ	other than that?”
قَالَ	He said,
لاَ،	“No,
إِلاَّ	except
أَنْ	that
تَطَوَّعَ	you can volunteer more (righteous works).”
قَالَ	He said,
وَذَكَرَ	and [he] mentioned
لَهُ	to him,
رَسُولُ	(the) messenger (of)
اللَّهِ	God,
صلى	blessings (of)
الله	Allah
عليه	upon him
وسلم	and peace,
الزَّكَاةَ‏.‏	“The Zakat (Obligatory Charity).”
قَالَ	He (the man) said,
هَلْ	“Is there
عَلَىَّ	upon
غَيْرُهَا	other than that?”
قَالَ	He (the messenger) said,
لاَ،	“No,
إِلاَّ	except
أَنْ	that
تَطَوَّعَ	you can volunteer more (righteous works).”
قَالَ	He (the man) said,
فَأَدْبَرَ	as [he] turned back
الرَّجُلُ	the man.
وَهُوَ	And he (the man)
يَقُولُ	[he] says,
وَاللَّهِ	“By God
لاَ	not
أَزِيدُ	I increase
عَلَى	upon
هَذَا	this,
وَلاَ	and not
أَنْقُصُ‏.‏	I decrease.
قَالَ	He said,
رَسُولُ	(the) messenger (of)
اللَّهِ	God,
صلى	blessings (of)
الله	Allah
عليه	upon him
وسلم	and peace,
أَفْلَحَ	“He succeded
إِنْ	if
صَدَقَ	truthful.”

It is clear from the above Hadith, as well as the verses of the Quran, that there are only five Salats. That we are free to do more righteous works, al-nafl, but these are not meant to be understood as additional Salats as it is recognized by the Muslim Ulama.

The Contact Prayers (Salat) are like a prescription for our soul given to us by our Creator. They are to be observed at their specific prescribed times, and we should not add to them nor decrease from them. Much like when we have a sickness and get medication from the doctor, we should stick with the dosage as prescribed.

[4:103] Once you complete your Contact Prayer (Salat), you shall remember GOD while standing, sitting, or lying down. Once the war is over, you shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat); the Contact Prayers (Salat) are decreed for the believers at specific times.

 فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُمُ الصَّلَاةَ فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِكُمْ فَإِذَا اطْمَأْنَنْتُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَوْقُوتًا

[23:9] And they are over their Contact Prayers (Salat) guardians.

(٩) وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ