Number of Rawaatib Prayers
26-8-2002 | IslamWeb
Question:
I would like to know the details of voluntary Raka'h of prayer per day. I know the obligatory Raka'h but I need to know Sunnah prayers as per different scholars; viz. Imam Shafi , Malik , Hambali , etc.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Voluntary Prayers are of two kinds:
1) General voluntary Prayers: such Prayers do not have any limits; a Muslim can offer as many as he wishes, but he should avoid offering them during the dislikeable times. These dislikeable times are after the morning prayer until the sunrise and when the sun is at its meridian until it moves slightly to the west, and after the ‘Asr Prayer until sunset.
2) The specific voluntary Prayers are of two categories:
a) Those which are related to the obligatory Prayers and they are of two kinds:
* The Rawaatib Prayers (the Sunnah prayers that have a specific order, number and so on) that are ten Rak'ahs according to the Shaafi’i and Hanbali Schools of jurisprudence. Two Rak'ahs before the Thuhr and two Rak'ahs after it; two Rak'ahs after the Maghrib, two Rak'ahs after ‘Ishaa’ and two Rak'ahs before Fajr.
According to the Hanafi School of jurisprudence, ar-Rawaatib are twelve Rak'ahs and they are of the view that before the Thuhr, four Rak'ahs should be performed. The Maaliki School of jurisprudence is of the view that there is no limit for performing Prayers before and after the Thuhr, before ‘Asr, after Maghrib, and after Isha.
* Non Rawaatib Prayers such as offering two Rak'ahs between every Athaan and Iqaamah as the Prophet said: "There is a Prayer between the two Athaans (i.e. Athaan and Iqaamah)". [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Another example is the performance of four Rak'ahs before the Thuhr, and four Rak'ahs after it according to the saying of the Prophet “If anyone keeps on praying regularly four Rak'ahs before and four after the Thuhr Prayer, he will not enter Hellfire.” [Abu Daawood and at-Tirmithi]
Another example of offering two Rak'ahs is before Maghrib Prayer [but after the Athaan] as this is also desirable. The Prophet said: “Pray before the Maghrib', (three times) and after the third time he added, for whoever wishes to do so.” [Al-Bukhari]
Those voluntary prayers that are not related to the obligatory prayers are only two prayers, the Thuha Prayer and the Witr.
The minimum Raka'h of al-Witr is one, and the maximum Raka'hs are eleven according to the Shaafi’i and Hanbali Schools of jurisprudence. The Hanafi School of jurisprudence is of the opinion that the minimum Rak'ahs for Witr are three. The Maaliki School said that the Witr is only one Raka'h but it should be performed after performing even numbers of Raka'hs, and they set no limitation.
The minimum number of the Thuha Prayer is two Raka'hs; all Muslim scholars agree upon this ruling. They differ concerning the maximum Raka'hs of Thuha Prayer; the Maaliki and Hanbali Schools of jurisprudence are of the opinion that the maximum Raka'hs are eight while the Hanafi and Shaafi’i Schools of jurisprudence are of the view that it is twelve.
To mention the proofs of every opinion we need a detailed answer; so, we advise anyone who wants to know them to refer to the Fiqh books.
Finally, we would like to draw to your attention that the difference of opinions in such a matter are acceptable.
For more benefit on supererogatory [Sunnah or Rawaatib] prayers, please refer to Fataawa 20804, 233800, 102385 and 88390.
Allah knows best.