Rules of Namaz

Namaz is the best among all acts of worship. If it is accepted by the Almighty Allah, other acts of worship are also accepted. And, if prayers are not accepted, other acts are also not accepted.

Offering of prayers five times during day and night purifies us of sins in the same manner as bathing five times during day and night makes our body clean of all filth and dirt.

It is befitting that one should offer prayers punctually. A person who considers prayers to be something ordinary and unimportant is just like one who does not offer prayers at all. The holy Prophet has said that a person who does not attach any importance to prayers and considers it to be something insignificant deserves chastisement in the hereafter.

Once, while the holy Prophet was present in the Mosque (i.e. Masjidun Nabi), a man entered and began offering prayers but did not perform the Ruku' and Sajdah properly. The holy Prophet said: "If this man dies and his prayers continue to be this way, he will not depart on my religion". Hence, one should not offer one's prayers hurriedly. While offering prayers one should remember Allah constantly and should offer the prayers humbly and with all solemnity. One should keep in mind the Greatness of Almighty Allah with whom one communes while offering prayers and should consider oneself to be very humble and insignificant before His Grandeur and Glory.

And if a person keeps himself absorbed in these thoughts while performing prayers he becomes unmindful and oblivious to himself, just as when an arrow was pulled out of the foot of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (peace be on him) while he was offering prayers but he did not become aware of it.

Furthermore, one who performs prayers should be repentant and should refrain from all sins and especially those which are an impediment in the way of acceptance of one's prayers (e.g. jealousy, pride, backbiting, eating haraam things, drinking intoxicating beverages, non-payment of Khums and Zakat). In fact, he should refrain from all sins.

Similarly, he should avoid acts which diminish the reward for prayers like praying when one is drowsy or restless because of an urge to urinate, and while offering prayers he should not look up towards the sky. On the other hand, one should perform such acts which increase the reward like wearing an Aqiq, wearing clean clothes, combing the hair, brushing the teeth and using perfume.

Obligatory Namaz

The following six prayers are obligatory:

1. Daily Namaz.
2. Namaz-e-Ayaat.
3. Namaz-e-Mayyit.
4. Namaz for the obligatory Tawaf of the holy Ka'bah.
5. Qadha Namaz of father which are, as a precaution, obligatory upon his eldest son.
6. Namaz which become obligatory on account of hire, vow or oath.
7. Namaz-e-Jumuah is included in the Daily Namaz.

Obligatory daily Namaz

It is obligatory to perform the following five prayers during day and night:

• Dawn prayers (Fajr) - 2 Rak'ats.
• Midday (Zuhr) and Afternoon prayers ('Asr) - each one consisting of 4 Rak'ats.
• Dusk prayers (Maghrib) - 3 Rak'ats and Night prayers ('Isha) - 4 Rak'ats.

736. While travelling, a traveller should reduce the prayers of 4 Rak'ats to 2 Rak'ats. The conditions under which the Rak'ats are reduced will be mentioned later.

Time for Zuhr and Asr prayers

737. If a stick, a pole, or anything similar to it, which acts as an indicator (shakhis) is made to stand on a level ground, its shadow will fall westwards when the sun rises in the morning, and as the sun continues to rise the shadow cast by the indicator will reduce in size. And in our cities it becomes smallest at the time of the commencement of Zuhr.
And as Zuhr passes the shadow cast by the indicator turns eastwards, and as the sun moves towards west the shadow gets longer. Based on this, when the shadow is the shortest, and it begins getting longer again, it is known that Zuhr has taken place. However, in other cities like in Mecca, the shadow disappears totally, so, when it reappears it indicates Zuhr.

738. The time for Zuhr and Asr prayers is from when the sun starts declining at midday till sunset. But, if a person intentionally offers Asr prayers earlier than Zuhr prayers, his prayer is void. However, if a person had not prayed Zuhr till the end of time, and the time left before Qadha allows only one Namaz to be prayed, he will first offer Asr prayers in time and then his Zuhr will be Qadha.
And if before that time a person offers complete Asr prayers before Zuhr prayers by mistake, his prayer is valid. But as a recommended precaution, he should treat that Namaz as Zuhr and should offer 4 more Rak'ats of prayers with the intention of relieving oneself of responsibility, if any (Ala mafi zzimmah).

739. If a person begins offering Asr prayers forgetfully before Zuhr prayers and during the prayers he realises that he has committed a mistake, he should revert his Niyyat to Zuhr prayers i.e. he should intend that from now onwards till the end of the prayers, it would be Zuhr prayers. After completing the prayers, he will offer Asr prayers.

Namaz-e-Jumuah

740. Friday prayers consists of 2 Rak'ats like Fajr prayers. The difference between these two prayers is that Namaz-e-Jumuah has two sermons before it. Namaz-e-Jumuah is Wajib Takhyiri, which means that we have an option to offer Jumuah prayers, if its necessary conditions are fulfilled, or to offer Zuhr prayers. Hence, if Namaz-e-Jumuah is offered then it is not necessary to offer Zuhr prayer.

The following conditions must be fulfilled for Jumuah prayers to become obligatory:

• The time for Jumuah prayers should have set in. And that means that the midday time should have begun to decline. The time for Namaz-e-Jumuah is the earliest part of Zuhr. If it is very much delayed, then Namaz-e-Jumuah time will be over, and Zuhr Namaz will have to be prayed.
• The number of persons joining Namaz-e-Jumuah should be at least five, including the Imam. If there are less than five people, Namaz-e-Jumuah would not become obligatory.
• The Imam should fulfil the necessary conditions for leading the prayers. These conditions include righteousness ('Adalat) and other qualities which are required of an Imam and which will be mentioned in connection with the congregational prayers. In absence of an Imam qualifying to lead, Namaz-e-Jumuah will not be obligatory.

The following conditions should be fulfilled for the Namaz-e-Jumuah to be correct:

• The prayers should be offered in congregation. Hence, Namaz-e-Jumuah cannot be prayed alone. If a person joins Namaz-e-Jumuah before the Ruku of the second Rak'at his prayers will be valid and he will have to add another Rak'at to complete it. But, if he joins the Imam in the Ruku of the second Rak'at then the prayers may not suffice, and as a measure of precaution Zuhr Namaz should be prayed.
• Two sermons should be delivered before the prayers. In the first sermon the preacher should praise Allah and exhort the people to observe piety, and then he should also recite a short chapter (Surah) from the holy Qur'an. Thereafter he should sit down for a while and then stand up again. This time also he should praise Allah and invoke peace and blessings upon the holy Prophet and the holy Imams and, as a recommended precaution, seek forgiveness for the believers. It is necessary that the two sermons should precede the Namaz.
  It will not be correct to offer the prayers before the two sermons. And, it is not permissible to deliver the sermons before Zuhr time has set in. It is also necessary that the preacher should be standing while delivering the sermons. Hence, if he delivers sermons while sitting, it will not be in order. It is also necessary and obligatory that there should be a break between the two sermons by way of sitting down during the interval for a while. It is also necessary that the preacher who delivers the sermons should also lead the prayers.
  Taharat may not be a condition for delivering the sermons, but as a precaution, it should be maintained. As far as the glory of Allah, invocation of prayers and mercy upon the Prophet and the Imams are concerned, it must be rendered in Arabic, but the rest of it need not be in Arabic. In fact, if the majority in the audience are non-Arabs, then as an obligatory precaution, words of admonition and exhorting people to be pious and virtuous should be delivered in their language.
• The distance between the two places where Namaze-Jumuah are offered should not be less than one Farsakh (3 miles). Hence if the distance between the two places is lesser and both the prayers commence at one and the same time both will be void. And if one of those prayers precedes the other (even to the extent of Takbiratul-ehram i.e. the first Takbir) the one which precedes will be in order and the other will be void.
  If, it transpires after the Namaz-e-Jumuah is over that another Namaz-e-Jumuah had commenced earlier or simultaneously at a distance of less than farsakh, it will not be obligatory to offer Zuhr prayers. It is immaterial whether this information is received within the time or later. Moreover, a Namaz-e-Jumuah can stop another from being held within the stipulated distance only if it is itself valid, comprising of all conditions, otherwise it cannot have any prohibitive effect.

741. When Namaz-e-Jumuah, with all its requirements is held, it will be obligatory to attend it if one who established it is Imam (A.S.) or his representative. But in a situation other than this, joining or attending it is not obligatory.

When attending is obligatory, the following points must be considered:

• The person joining should be man. Presence in Jumuah prayers is not obligatory for women.
• Freedom. Hence it is not obligatory for a slave to be present in Jumuah prayers.
• Not being a traveller. Hence Jumuah prayers is not obligatory for a traveller, regardless of whether the traveller prays Qasr or full prayers, as he would do if he intends staying for 10 days or more.
• Being free from ailment and blindness. Hence it is not obligatory for a sick or a blind man to offer Jumuah prayers.
• Not being old. Hence Jumuah prayers is not obligatory for old men.
• That the distance between the place a person is and where Jumuah prayers is going to be held should not be more than 2 farsakh (11 Km) and it would be obligatory for a person who is at the end of 2 farsakh to join the Namaz. And similarly, participation in Jumuah prayers will not be obligatory for a person who finds it extremely difficult, because of rains, severe cold and so on.

742. A few rules concerning Jumuah prayers:

• It is permissible for a person, who is exempted from Jumuah prayers, and for whom presence in Jumuah prayers is not obligatory, to hasten for Zuhr prayers in the early part of its time.
• It is Makrooh to talk while Imam delivers the sermon. And if the noise created by talking prevents others from listening to the sermon, then it is haraam, regardless of whether the attendance is the minimum required or more.
• As an obligatory precaution, it is wajib to listen to both the sermons. However, listening to the sermons is not obligatory upon those, who do not understand their meanings.
• The second Adhan on Friday is an innovation. And it is the same Adhan which is usually called the third Adhan.
• It is not obligatory for a person wishing to join Jumuah Namaz to be present while Imam is delivering the sermon.
• Conducting purchase and sale at the time when people are called to Jumuah prayers is haraam, if it hinders the prayers, and not if it does not hinder. And inspite of it being haraam, the transaction done would not be void. When it was obligatory for a person to be present in Jumuah prayers and he abandoned it, and offered Zuhr prayers, his prayers would be in order.

Namaz-e-Jumuah

740. Friday prayers consists of 2 Rak'ats like Fajr prayers. The difference between these two prayers is that Namaz-e-Jumuah has two sermons before it. Namaz-e-Jumuah is Wajib Takhyiri, which means that we have an option to offer Jumuah prayers, if its necessary conditions are fulfilled, or to offer Zuhr prayers. Hence, if Namaz-e-Jumuah is offered then it is not necessary to offer Zuhr prayer.

The following conditions must be fulfilled for Jumuah prayers to become obligatory:

• The time for Jumuah prayers should have set in. And that means that the midday time should have begun to decline. The time for Namaz-e-Jumuah is the earliest part of Zuhr. If it is very much delayed, then Namaz-e-Jumuah time will be over, and Zuhr Namaz will have to be prayed.
• The number of persons joining Namaz-e-Jumuah should be at least five, including the Imam. If there are less than five people, Namaz-e-Jumuah would not become obligatory.
• The Imam should fulfil the necessary conditions for leading the prayers. These conditions include righteousness ('Adalat) and other qualities which are required of an Imam and which will be mentioned in connection with the congregational prayers. In absence of an Imam qualifying to lead, Namaz-e-Jumuah will not be obligatory.

The following conditions should be fulfilled for the Namaz-e-Jumuah to be correct:

• The prayers should be offered in congregation. Hence, Namaz-e-Jumuah cannot be prayed alone. If a person joins Namaz-e-Jumuah before the Ruku of the second Rak'at his prayers will be valid and he will have to add another Rak'at to complete it. But, if he joins the Imam in the Ruku of the second Rak'at then the prayers may not suffice, and as a measure of precaution Zuhr Namaz should be prayed.
• Two sermons should be delivered before the prayers. In the first sermon the preacher should praise Allah and exhort the people to observe piety, and then he should also recite a short chapter (Surah) from the holy Qur'an. Thereafter he should sit down for a while and then stand up again. This time also he should praise Allah and invoke peace and blessings upon the holy Prophet and the holy Imams and, as a recommended precaution, seek forgiveness for the believers. It is necessary that the two sermons should precede the Namaz.
  It will not be correct to offer the prayers before the two sermons. And, it is not permissible to deliver the sermons before Zuhr time has set in. It is also necessary that the preacher should be standing while delivering the sermons. Hence, if he delivers sermons while sitting, it will not be in order. It is also necessary and obligatory that there should be a break between the two sermons by way of sitting down during the interval for a while. It is also necessary that the preacher who delivers the sermons should also lead the prayers.
  Taharat may not be a condition for delivering the sermons, but as a precaution, it should be maintained. As far as the glory of Allah, invocation of prayers and mercy upon the Prophet and the Imams are concerned, it must be rendered in Arabic, but the rest of it need not be in Arabic. In fact, if the majority in the audience are non-Arabs, then as an obligatory precaution, words of admonition and exhorting people to be pious and virtuous should be delivered in their language.
• The distance between the two places where Namaze-Jumuah are offered should not be less than one Farsakh (3 miles). Hence if the distance between the two places is lesser and both the prayers commence at one and the same time both will be void. And if one of those prayers precedes the other (even to the extent of Takbiratul-ehram i.e. the first Takbir) the one which precedes will be in order and the other will be void.
  If, it transpires after the Namaz-e-Jumuah is over that another Namaz-e-Jumuah had commenced earlier or simultaneously at a distance of less than farsakh, it will not be obligatory to offer Zuhr prayers. It is immaterial whether this information is received within the time or later. Moreover, a Namaz-e-Jumuah can stop another from being held within the stipulated distance only if it is itself valid, comprising of all conditions, otherwise it cannot have any prohibitive effect.

741. When Namaz-e-Jumuah, with all its requirements is held, it will be obligatory to attend it if one who established it is Imam (A.S.) or his representative. But in a situation other than this, joining or attending it is not obligatory.

When attending is obligatory, the following points must be considered:

• The person joining should be man. Presence in Jumuah prayers is not obligatory for women.
• Freedom. Hence it is not obligatory for a slave to be present in Jumuah prayers.
• Not being a traveller. Hence Jumuah prayers is not obligatory for a traveller, regardless of whether the traveller prays Qasr or full prayers, as he would do if he intends staying for 10 days or more.
• Being free from ailment and blindness. Hence it is not obligatory for a sick or a blind man to offer Jumuah prayers.
• Not being old. Hence Jumuah prayers is not obligatory for old men.
• That the distance between the place a person is and where Jumuah prayers is going to be held should not be more than 2 farsakh (11 Km) and it would be obligatory for a person who is at the end of 2 farsakh to join the Namaz. And similarly, participation in Jumuah prayers will not be obligatory for a person who finds it extremely difficult, because of rains, severe cold and so on.

742. A few rules concerning Jumuah prayers:

• It is permissible for a person, who is exempted from Jumuah prayers, and for whom presence in Jumuah prayers is not obligatory, to hasten for Zuhr prayers in the early part of its time.
• It is Makrooh to talk while Imam delivers the sermon. And if the noise created by talking prevents others from listening to the sermon, then it is haraam, regardless of whether the attendance is the minimum required or more.
• As an obligatory precaution, it is wajib to listen to both the sermons. However, listening to the sermons is not obligatory upon those, who do not understand their meanings.
• The second Adhan on Friday is an innovation. And it is the same Adhan which is usually called the third Adhan.
• It is not obligatory for a person wishing to join Jumuah Namaz to be present while Imam is delivering the sermon.
• Conducting purchase and sale at the time when people are called to Jumuah prayers is haraam, if it hinders the prayers, and not if it does not hinder. And inspite of it being haraam, the transaction done would not be void. When it was obligatory for a person to be present in Jumuah prayers and he abandoned it, and offered Zuhr prayers, his prayers would be in order.

Time for Fajr prayer

749. Just before dawn a column of whiteness rises upwards from the east. It is called the first dawn. When this whiteness spreads, it is called the second dawn, and the Prime time for Subh prayers. The time for Subh prayers is till sunrise.

Rules regarding Namaz times

750. A person can start offering prayers only when be becomes certain that the time has set in or when two just (Adil) persons inform that the time has set in. In fact, one can rely upon the Adhan, or on advice of a person who knows the timings and is reliable.

751. If a person cannot be certain about the Prime time for prayers due to a personal handicap like blindness or being in the prison cell, he should delay the prayer till such time when he feels sure that the time has set in. And as an obligatory precaution, he should act the same way when there are general hindrances like dust or clouds.

752. If a person is satisfied on the basis of any one of the above methods that the time for prayers has set in and he begins offering prayers, but then realises during the prayers that the time has not yet set in, his prayer is void. And the position is the same if he realises after the prayers that he has offered the entire prayers before time. However, if one learns as he prays that the time has just entered or if he learns after the prayers that the time entered while he was in the process of praying, his Namaz will be valid.

753. If a person is heedless of the fact that he should pray after ensuring that the time has set in, and if he realises after the prayers that he had offered the entire prayers in time, his prayer is in order. And if he realises that he had offered his prayers before time or does not realise whether he had offered the prayers within time or not, his prayers will be void. In fact, if he realises after offering prayers that the time for prayers had set in while he was praying, he should offer that prayers again.

754. If a person was certain that the time for prayers had set in, and began offering prayers but while praying, he doubted whether or not the time for it had actually set in, his prayers would be void. However, if he is certain while offering prayers that the time for it has set in, but doubts whether what he has already performed in the prayer, has been in time or not, his prayer is valid.

755. If the time left for Namaz is so little that if we perform some Mustahab acts of the prayers, an obligatory part of the prayers will fall beyond the prescribed time, one should not perform those Mustahab acts. For example, if on account of reciting qunut a part of the prayers will lapse beyond time, one should do without qunut.

756. If the time at the disposal of a person is sufficient for performing one Rak'at only he should offer the prayers with the Niyyat of Ada, i.e. offering the same in time. However, one should not delay offering prayers intentionally.

757. If a person who is not a traveller has at his disposal time for offering five Rak'ats till sunset he should offer both Zuhr and Asr prayers. And if he has less time than that he should offer only Asr prayers, and thereafter he should give Qadha of Zuhr prayers. Similarly if he has sufficient time upto midnight for offering five Rak'ats, he should offer Maghrib and Isha prayers and if he has less time than that he should offer only Isha prayers and then offer Maghrib prayers, without making a Niyyat of Ada (i.e. being in time) or Qadha.

758. If a person who is a traveller has sufficient time at his disposal till sunset for offering three Rak'ats he should offer Zuhr and Asr prayers and if he has lesser time than that, he should offer only Asr prayers and then offer Qadha of Zuhr prayers. And if he has time enough for offering 4 Rak'ats till midnight he should offer Maghrib and Isha prayers, and if he has just enough time for three Rak'ats he should offer Isha first and then Maghrib so that at least one Rak'at falls within time.
And if the time is for lesser than three Rak'ats, then he should first offer Isha prayers, followed by Maghrib without the Niyyat of Ada or Qadha. However, if he learns after completing Isha prayers that there is still time for at least one Rak'at, or more, he should hasten to offer Maghrib with the Niyyat of Ada.

759. It is Mustahab that a person should offer prayers at the Prime time prescribed for it, and great emphasis has been laid on it; alternatively, the nearer the prayers are to its Prime time, the better, except where there is good reason for delay, like, waiting to join the prayers in congregation (Namaz-e-Jamaat).

760. If a person has a justifiable excuse for offering prayers with tayammum and he wishes to offer it at the Prime time knowing that his excuse will continue till the end of the prescribed time, or having no hope for redress, he can offer prayers in the early part of the time. But if he has a hope that the excuse will cease to exist, he should wait till his excuse is removed. In case his excuse is not removed, he would offer prayers in the last part of the time.
But, in so doing, it is not necessary that he should wait so much that he may be able to perform only the obligatory acts of the prayers. In fact, if he has time for the Mustahab acts like Adhan, Iqamah and qunut as well, he can perform tayammum and offer prayers along with these Mustahab acts.
As for other excuses which do not justify tayammum, it is permissible for him to offer prayers at its Prime time, even if he has not lost hope about redress. However, if the excuse actually ceases to exist while he is praying, he must repeat the prayers.

761. If a person does not know the rules about prayers, doubts occurring in it, or about the forgotten parts, and if he feels that such problems would probably arise in his Namaz, he should defer from its Prime time so as to learn the relevant rules. However, if he is hopeful that he can offer prayers correctly he may pray at its Prime time. And if no problem arose during the prayers, his prayers would be correct and valid.
But if a problem arose and the rules relating to it were not known to him, he would be allowed to act on one of the two probabilities and complete the prayers. And, after the prayers, he should enquire about the rule so that if his prayers had been void he would offer it again, and if it had been valid, he need not repeat.

762. If there is ample time for prayers, and at the same time his creditor demands repayment of his loan from him, he should repay the loan first, if possible, and then offer prayers. Similarly, if there emerges another obligatory matter which demands immediate attention, like if a man sees that the Masjid is Najis he should make it Pak first and then offer prayers. And in both the cases if he offers his prayers first he commits a sin but his prayer is in order.

The prayers which should be performed in sequence

763. One should always offer Asr prayers after the Zuhr prayers, and the Isha prayers after the Maghrib prayers. If one intentionally offers Asr prayers before Zuhr prayers, or Isha prayers before Maghrib prayers, one's prayers would be void.

764. If a person starts namaz with the niyyat of Zuhr prayers, and during the prayers he recollects that he has already offered Zuhr prayers, he is not allowed to change the niyyat to the Asr prayers.He should abandon that namaz, and start Asr namaz. And the same rule applies to the Maghrib and the Isha namaz.

765. If a person somehow becomes sure while offering the Asr prayers that he has not offered the Zuhr prayers, and changes niyyat to the Zuhr prayers, but later he recollects that he has infact already offered the Zuhr prayers, he can again revert to Asr, and complete the prayers, provided that he has not performed important parts like Ruku', Sajdah or any other part with the niyyat of Zuhr, otherwise his prayers will be void, and he has to offer all over again.

766. If, while offering the Asr prayers, a man doubts whether he has offered the Zuhr prayers, he should complete his namaz with the same niyyat of Asr, and then pray Zuhr. However, if the time is so short, that that the sun would set by the time he finishes the prayers, and there would be no time left even for one Rak'at, then it is not necessary to pray Zuhr namaz as Qadha.

767. If, while offering the Isha prayers, a man doubts whether he has offered Maghrib prayers, he should complete the namaz with the same niyyat of Isha. But if the time is short, and he will not be able to perform even one Rak'at after completion of Isha, it is not necessary to pray Maghrib as Qadha.

768. If while offering Isha prayers, a person doubts after reaching the Ruku of the 4th Rak'at, whether he has offered Maghrib prayers, he should complete the Isha Prayers. Thereafter, he should pray Maghrib, if the time for it is still available (i.e. if it is not Qadha).

769. If a person is praying a particular namaz again as a precaution, and during the prayers he recollects that he has not offered the preceding namaz, he cannot change niyyat to that prayers. For example, when offering the Asr prayers again as a measure of precaution, he recollects that he has not offered the Zuhr prayers, he cannot change niyyat to Zuhr prayers.

770. It is not permissible to change niyyat from Qadha to Ada (i.e. prayers which is offered within the prescribed time), nor from Mustahab to obligatory prayers.

771. If a person has sufficient time at his disposal to offer prayers within the time, he can, while offering the prayers, change niyyat to Qadha prayers, provided that it is possible to do so. For example, if he is offering Zuhr prayers, he can change to Qadha of dawn prayers, only when he has not entered the Ruku of the third Rak'at.

Mustahab prayers

772. There are many Mustahab prayers which are generally called Nafilah, but more stress has been laid on the daily Mustahab prayers. The number of the Rak'ats everyday excluding Friday, is 34. It is an follows:

• 8 Rak'ats Nafilah for Zuhr
• 8 Rak'ats Nafilah for Asr
• 4 Rak'ats Nafilah for Maghrib
• 2 Rak'ats Nafilah for Isha
• 11 Rak'ats Nafilah for Tahajjud (Namaz-e-Shab)
• 2 Rak'ats Nafilah for Fajr

As an obligatory precaution, the Nafilah for Isha prayers should be offered while sitting, and therefore its 2 Rak'ats are counted as one. But on Friday, 4 Rak'ats are added to the 16 Rak'ats of the Zuhr and the Asr Nafilah, and it is preferable that all these 20 Rak'ats are offered before the Zuhr sets in.

773. Out of the 11 Rak'ats of the night Nafilah, 8 Rak'ats should be offered with the niyyat of the Nafilah, 2 Rak'ats with the niyyat of Shaf'a, and 1 Rak'at with the Niyyat of Witr. Complete instructions regarding Namaz-e-Shab are given in the book of prayers.

774. All Nafilah prayers can be offered while sitting, but then, certain Fuqaha say that 2 Rak'ats prayed sitting should be counted as one Rak'at. For example, if a person wishes to offer Zuhr Nafilah which consists of 8 Rak'ats, in a sitting posture, he should offer 16 Rak'ats. And if he wishes to offer Witr prayers while sitting, he should offer two prayers of 1 Rak'at each. This later preference is not known from any sources; however, they may be followed with the hope of earning divine pleasure.

775. Zuhr Nafilah and Asr Nafilah should not be offered when one is on a journey, and one may offer Isha Nafilah with the intention of Raja'.