What are the sunnah rawatib prayers, and what is their virtue?

The sunnah rawatib are twelve voluntary rak'ahs the Prophet Muhammad prayed regularly alongside the five obligatory prayers, and about which he said, 'Whoever prays twelve rak'ahs in a day and night, a house will be built for him in Paradise' (Sahih Muslim 728). The standard set is: two rak'ahs before Fajr, four before Dhuhr and two after, two after Maghrib, and two after Isha. Among these, the two before Fajr are singled out in other hadith as especially beloved to the Prophet, described as better than the world and everything in it. Some traditions and madhhabs add further recommended rak'ahs, such as four before Asr or extra sets before Dhuhr, classified as less emphasized (ghair mu'akkadah) rather than core sunnah. These prayers are not obligatory, so missing one does not invalidate the day's worship, but consistent observance was part of the Prophet's daily rhythm and is considered a means of compensating for any shortcomings in the obligatory prayers, since voluntary acts of worship are weighed alongside the fard on the Day of Judgment.

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