بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

There are 3 important practices for Muslims to observe daily that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) advised us to do. As muslims, following the Sunnah should be a priority in our lives. We may not have the capacity to do it all but we certainly have to an effort to follow the ones that we can as a sign of love and respect towards our beloved prophet.

Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) emphasized these three practices that we should observe in our daily lives based on the authentic hadith that I will share below.

Hadith About Three Important Practices For Muslims Observe Daily

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو التَّيَّاحِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو عُثْمَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ أَوْصَانِي خَلِيلِي صلى الله عليه وسلم بِثَلاَثٍ صِيَامِ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ، وَرَكْعَتَىِ الضُّحَى، وَأَنْ أُوتِرَ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَنَامَ
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My friend (the Prophet (ﷺ) ) advised me to observe three things: (1) to fast three days a month; (2) to pray two rak`at of Duha prayer (forenoon prayer); and (3) to pray witr before sleeping.‏

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 1981
Narrated by: Abu Hurairah (RA)
Status: Sahih

Based on the authentic hadith above, the three practices are to fast 3 days in a month, to perform the two rak’at Duha and Witr salah before going to bed.

Which Days Are The Best to Perform The 3 Days of Fasting?

In accordance with Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ) sunnah, outside of Ramadan, you can fast on the 13th, 14th and 15th of each month following the lunar calendar. This is also known as “Ayyam al-Bidh” or the white days. Below is an authentic hadith about fasting on these three days:

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَخِي مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مِلْحَانَ الْقَيْسِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَأْمُرُنَا أَنْ نَصُومَ الْبِيضَ ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ وَأَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ وَخَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَقَالَ ‏ “‏ هُنَّ كَهَيْئَةِ الدَّهْرِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to command us to fast the days of the white (nights): thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth of the month. He said: This is like keeping perpetual fast.

Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 2449

Narrated by: Qatadah Ibn Malhan al-Qaysi

Status: Sahih (al-Albani)

The Wisdom of Fasting During The Three White Days

Another option would be to observe fasting on Monday’s and Thursday’s in any of the weeks within the month.

أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ دَاوُدَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ثَوْرٌ، عَنْ خَالِدِ بْنِ مَعْدَانَ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ الْجُرَشِيِّ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ وَرَمَضَانَ وَيَتَحَرَّى الاِثْنَيْنِ وَالْخَمِيسَ

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The Messenger of Allah used to fast Sha`ban and Ramadan, and he made sure to fast on Mondays and Thursday.

Source: Sunan an-Nasa’i 2187

Narrated by: ‘Aishah (RA)

Status: Sahih

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Duha As A Charity Due From Your Joints

To express thankfulness to Allah, we are encourage to perform the Duha prayer. Two rak’at is recommended based on the first hadith above but you may perform it as much as you want.

According to Islamic scholars, eight rak’at would be the best with two rak’at performed in each set.

الثاني‏:‏ عن أبي ذر أيضاً رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ ‏”‏ يصبح على كل سلامى من أحدكم صدقة، فكل تسبيحة صدقة، وكل تحميدة صدقة، وكل تهليلة صدقة، وكل تكبيرة صدقة، وأمر بالمعروف صدقة، ونهى عن المنكر صدقة، ويجزيء من ذلك ركعتان يركعهما من الضحى‏”‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم))
‏‏‏ ‏ السلامى‏ ‏ بضم السين المهملة وتخفيف اللام وفتح الميم‏:‏ المفصل.‏

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “When you get up in the morning, charity is due from every one of your joints. There is charity in every ascription of glory to Allah; there is charity in every declaration of His Greatness; there is charity in every utterance of praise of Him; there is charity in every declaration that He is the only true God (worthy of worship); there is charity in enjoining good; there is charity in forbidding evil. Two Rak’ah of Duha (Forenoon prayer) is equal to all this (in reward)”.

Source: Riyad as-Salihin 118
Narrated by: Abu Dharr (RA)

Status: Not available

Duha prayer begins after the sun has completely risen around 15 to 20 minutes after shuruq and it ends when the sun reaches it zenith.

Witr is Haqq

The Witr salat is a highly recommended prayer. In the Hanafi mazhab (school of thought) it is considered as wajib (compulsory). Other mazhabs however differ by ruling it as sunnah mu’akkadah.

أَخْبَرَنَا الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ مَزِيدٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي قَالَ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الزُّهْرِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَطَاءُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ الْوِتْرُ حَقٌّ فَمَنْ شَاءَ أَوْتَرَ بِخَمْسٍ وَمَنْ شَاءَ أَوْتَرَ بِثَلاَثٍ وَمَنْ شَاءَ أَوْتَرَ بِوَاحِدَةٍ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Witr is a duty, and whoever wants to pray witr with seven (rak’ats), let him do so; whoever wants to pray witr with five, let him do so, whoever wants to pray witr with three, let him do so; and whoever wants to pray witr with one, let him do so.

Source: Sunan an-Nasa’i 1711

Narrated by: Abu Ayyud, Az-Zuhri

Status: Sahih

Witr is commonly performed in a 2+1 combination. Two rak’at in the first set and one rak’at in the second set. You may perform one rak’at only as in the hadith or up to 7 rak’at in a 2+2+2+1 set.

After the tasleem, it is also sunnah to recite ‘Subhanal Malikul Quddus‘ three times and to raise your voice on the third recitation.

Final Thoughts About Important Practices For Muslims to Observe

Introspectively I have not yet been able to consistently practice these three acts of worship. Lets strive together to add these sunnahs into our daily routines and may Allah make it easy for us.

As always, please share this article out and may it be one of the prolonging good deeds that fill up our coffer of rewards from Allah.