What is the ruling on Duha prayer, and what are its time and number of rak‘ahs?
Short answer
Duha prayer is an emphasized Sunnah. Its minimum is two rak‘ahs, and its time extends from after the sun has risen until shortly before noon. Delaying it until the morning is hotter is better.
Evidence and explanation
The source cites the Prophet’s instruction to Abu Hurayrah and Abu al-Darda’ concerning two rak‘ahs of Duha and other hadith evidence for the prayer.
Scholar referenced
This editorial summary is based on the original source linked below and is not presented as a verbatim quotation from the scholar.
From the text of the answer (Arabic, with an English translation)
Original answer — Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz
صلاة الضحى.. حكمها وصفتها ووقتها — فتوى ١٠١٢٠- Question
«يقول: أفتونا في صلاة الضحى، في عدد ركعاتها، وعن القراءة فيها، والساعة التي تؤدى فيها، وهل لها تسبيح وتهليل؟ جزاكم الله خيرًا.»
English translation (unreviewed): He says: Give us a fatwa on the Duha prayer, the number of its rak'ahs, the recitation in it, the time at which it is performed, and whether it has glorification and tahlil. May Allah reward you.
- From the text of the answer
«صلاة الضحى ركعتان، ومن زاد؛ صلاها أربعًا، أو أكثر، كله طيب، والنبي ﷺ أوصى أبا هريرة بركعتي الضحى، وأوصى أبا الدرداء كذلك بصلاة الضحى وقال ﷺ: يصبح على كل سلامى أحدكم صدقة، فكل تسبيحة صدقة، وكل تهليلة صدقة، وكل تحميدة صدقة، وكل تكبيرة صدقة، وأمر بمعروف صدقة، ونهي عن منكر صدقة ثم قال: ويكفي من ذلك ركعتان تركعهما من الضحى رواه مسلم في الصحيح.»
English translation (unreviewed): The Duha prayer is two rak'ahs, and whoever adds, praying four or more, all of it is good. The Prophet ﷺ advised Abu Hurayrah to pray two rak'ahs of Duha, and advised Abu al-Darda' likewise to pray Duha, and he ﷺ said: “Every morning a charity is due on each joint of every one of you: every tasbihah is a charity, every tahlilah is a charity, every tahmidah is a charity, every takbirah is a charity, enjoining good is a charity and forbidding evil is a charity”; then he said: “And two rak'ahs that one prays in the forenoon suffice for all that.” Reported by Muslim in the Sahih.
- How the shaykh reasons from it
«هذا يدل على عظم الفائدة لهاتين الركعتين، وإذا صلى تسليمتين أربع ركعات، أو ثلاث تسليمات ست ركعات، أو أربع تسليمات ثمان ركعات؛ كله طيب، ولو صلى أكثر، لو صلى عشرًا، عشرين، ثلاثين يسلم من كل ثنتين؛ كله طيب.»
English translation (unreviewed): This indicates the great benefit of these two rak'ahs. If he prays two salams, four rak'ahs, or three salams, six rak'ahs, or four salams, eight rak'ahs, all of it is good; and even if he prays more, ten, twenty, thirty, giving the salam after every two, all of it is good.
The Arabic excerpts matched the original page word for word by an automated check and have not had human scholarly review. The English translations are unreviewed translations made for this site; they are not an approved Shari‘ah translation. Rely on the Arabic original.
Source
Duha prayer: its ruling, manner, and time
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him