Salah al-Duha | The Mid-Morning Prayer
وَٱلضُّحَىٰ
By the morning light! (Duha 93:1)
The time of Duha is honoured by Allah, as He takes an oath by it in the Quran. Allah does not take an oath by anything except that it holds great significance. Imam an-Nasafi comments on this verse, saying, “The meaning of this is the time of Duha— the beginning of the day, when the sun has risen. The reason for this specific oath is that it was during this time that Allah spoke to Nabi Musa (peace be upon him), and the magicians fell into prostration.” Another opinion, mentioned by Imam Maturidi, is that the oath refers to the prayer of Duha.
In this article, we shall discuss some aspects of this voluntary prayer, including its virtues, description, and method.
Salat ad-Duha is also known by the following names:
Salat al-Ishraq
Chasht (in Urdu)
The Practice of the Prophet ﷺ
The Duha prayer is classified as a Sunnah prayer by the Hanafi jurists. At times, the Prophet ﷺ would refrain from it, and at other times, he ﷺ would perform it to emphasise its non-obligatory nature. Similarly, the companions would occasionally perform it and occasionally leave it.
Abu Sa’id narrated: “The Prophet ﷺ would pray the Duha prayer so regularly that we would say, ‘He will never abandon it.’ Then he ﷺ would refrain from praying it to the extent that we would say, ‘He will never perform it again.’”(Tirmidhi, 477)
Commenting on this narration, Mulla Ali Qari writes: “It was obligatory upon the Prophet ﷺ to perform [the Duha prayer] as a whole, but he was not tasked with performing it every day.” For the Prophet ﷺ, this prayer was akin to tahajjud, and thus, the ruling differs for him ﷺ compared to the general community.
Gratitude to Allah for His Blessings
Expressing gratitude to Allah for the bounties He has bestowed upon us is a sign of a thankful and devoted servant. Offering alms in acknowledgement of these blessings is encouraged, for every healthy and functional bone in the human body is a reason for gratitude. One way to fulfil this obligation is through the glorification of Allah and the performance of the Duha prayer.
Abu Dharr narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “In the morning, alms are due for every joint in a person’s body. Every utterance of ‘SubhanAllah’ is alms, every utterance of ‘Alhamdulillah’ is alms, every utterance of ‘La ilaha illallah’ is alms, and every utterance of ‘Allahu Akbar’ is alms. Enjoining good is alms, and forbidding evil is alms. And performing two units of Duha prayer suffices for all of them.” (Muslim, 720)
The time of Duha was specifically designated for prayer and the glorification of Allah, as it is often a time when many neglect remembrance of Him.
Allah Suffices for You
In a Hadith Qudsi (a divine narration in which the Prophet ﷺ conveys Allah’s words), the Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah, the Most High, said: ‘O son of Adam! Bow to Me in four units at the start of the day, and I will suffice for you until its end.’”(Tirmidhi, 475)
The sufficiency of Allah extends to all worries and sadness. If one begins the day by worshipping Allah, He promises to fulfil the worshipper's needs and interests until the day's end. Scholars explain this concept with the phrase: “He who is for Allah, Allah is for him.”
A Palace in Paradise
Anas b. Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever performs twelve units of Duha, Allah will build for him a golden palace in Paradise” (Tirmidhi, 473).
In an extended version of this narration, recorded by Imam Bayhaqi and narrated by Abu Dharr, the Prophet ﷺ elaborated:
“If you pray two units at the time of Duha, you will not be recorded among the heedless.
If you pray four units, you will be written among the pious.
If you pray six units, you will be written among the successful.
If you pray eight units, you will be written among the winners.
If you pray twelve units, Allah will build for you a house in Paradise.”
Forgiveness of Sins
Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever prays two units of Duha consistently, his sins will be forgiven—even if they are as abundant as the foam of the sea” (Tirmidhi, 476).
Note: Some of the reported virtues of Duha are based on weak (Da’if) narrations. However, this does not diminish the merit of the prayer. Scholars of Hadith and Fiqh agree that weak Hadith can be accepted when encouraging virtuous actions, as is the case with this narration.
Its Time
The time for Duha begins after the sun has fully risen and continues until zawal (the point just before the sun reaches its zenith). The time of zawal can be calculated as follows:
Determine the time between sunrise and Maghrib (sunset).
Divide this duration by two.
The resulting time marks the zawal.
Example Calculation:
The sun completes its rising at 5:00 AM.
Maghrib begins at 7:00 PM.
The time in between is 14 hours.
Dividing 14 by 2 gives 7 hours.
Adding 7 hours to 5:00 AM gives 12:00 PM (zawal).
Thus, the time for Duha is from 5:00 AM until 12:00 PM in this example.
Note: Some assume that zawal time is at noon (12:00 PM); this is incorrect. The time for zawal changes according to sunrise and sunset times; the formula mentioned above should be used to calculate the correct time. Alternatively, one should consult their local masjid calendars.
The Hanafi scholars, as noted by Imam Ibn Abidin, consider the most preferred time for Duha to be a quarter of the day (approximately halfway between sunrise and zawal).
Its Method
The number of units for the Duha prayer, as reported by the Prophet ﷺ, varies. At a minimum, he ﷺ performed four units, and on some occasions, up to twelve units. The length of this prayer was generally concise and brief, as described by his cousin.
Umm Hani narrated: “The Prophet ﷺ visited her home on the day of the conquest of Makkah. He ﷺ bathed and then performed eight units. She said, ‘I never saw a shorter prayer than it, except that the bowing and prostration were performed completely.’” (Bukhari, 1176)
This means that during the Duha prayer, the Prophet ﷺ kept the recitation of the Quran and the supplications brief compared to other prayers.
If the prayer consists of four units, the recommended Surahs for recitation, as proven from narrations, include:
Surah Ash-Shams (91)
Surah Al-Layl (92)
Surah Ad-Duha (93)
Surah Al-Inshirah (94)
Some scholars specifically highlight Surah Ash-Shams and Surah Ad-Duha as the most suitable for this prayer.
The Duha prayer can be performed in units of two or four. While the absolute minimum is two units, it is preferable to perform between four and twelve units to achieve greater virtue.
The Duha prayer is a beautiful act of devotion that reflects gratitude, draws us closer to Allah, and carries immense rewards. Whether performed in two units or twelve, it is a powerful means of seeking Allah’s forgiveness, blessings, and sufficiency. By incorporating this Sunnah into our daily lives, we honour a practice beloved by the Prophet ﷺ and attain benefit in this world and the Hereafter.
References
Madarik at-Tanzil wa Haqa’iq at-Ta’wil - Tafsir an-Nasafi, Abu al-Barakat an-Nasai
Ta’wilat Ahl as-Sunnah - Tafsir Al-Maturidi, Abu Mansur Al-Maturidi
Mirqat Al-Mafatih Sharh Mishkat al-Masabih, Mulla Ali Qari
Hashiyat at-Tahtawi ala Maraqi al-Falah Sharh Nur al-Idah, Tahtawi
Hashiyat Ibn Abidin - Radd al-Muhtar ala Dur al-Mukhtar, Ibn Abidin
Written by Ustadh Umer Asif
