Short answer
In the Hanafi school there are 12 confirmed sunnah rakats a day: 2 before Fajr, 4 before and 2 after Dhuhr, 2 after Maghrib and 2 after Isha. Four before Asr and four before Isha are non-confirmed sunnah. The Shafi'i and Hanbali schools count 10 confirmed rakats, with 2 before Dhuhr.
The sunnah mu'akkadah (confirmed) prayers are 2 before Fajr, 4 before Dhuhr with one salam, 2 after Dhuhr, 2 after Maghrib and 2 after Isha. Leaving them habitually is blameworthy. Four before Asr and four before Isha are sunnah ghayr mu'akkadah (recommended), and witr is wajib.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Ten confirmed rakats: 2 before Fajr, 2 before and 2 after Dhuhr, 2 after Maghrib and 2 after Isha; more before Dhuhr and Asr is recommended.
- Hanbali
- Ten confirmed rakats, the same as the Shafi'i list; the two before Fajr are the most emphasised.
- Maliki
- There is no fixed set of confirmed sunnah tied to each prayer apart from the two before Fajr; voluntary prayer before and after the fard is recommended.
Explanation
The Hanafi count follows the hadith of Umm Habibah and Aisha about "twelve rakats a day", for which a house is built in Paradise. Here is the full table:
- Fajr: 2 sunnah mu'akkadah, then 2 fard.
- Dhuhr: 4 sunnah mu'akkadah, 4 fard, 2 sunnah mu'akkadah (2 more nafl are optional).
- Asr: 4 sunnah ghayr mu'akkadah, then 4 fard.
- Maghrib: 3 fard, then 2 sunnah mu'akkadah.
- Isha: 4 sunnah ghayr mu'akkadah, 4 fard, 2 sunnah mu'akkadah, then 3 witr (wajib).
Is it a sin to skip them? Missing a sunnah mu'akkadah now and then for a reason is not a sin. Making a habit of leaving them is blameworthy in the Hanafi school, and you lose a great reward. The non-confirmed ones carry reward with no blame for leaving them.
The two before Fajr are the most stressed of all; the Prophet ﷺ said they are better than the world and all it contains. Sunnah prayers are better prayed at home if you can, except that many people pray them in the masjid so they are not left out.
For the difference between sunnah and nafl, see sunnah meaning. For the Friday count, see how many rakats in Jummah, and for missed sunnah of Fajr see praying Fajr sunnah after the fard.
The evidence
Sahih Muslim 728
Sahih... من صلى اثنتي عشرة ركعة في يوم وليلة بني له بهن بيت في الجنة ...
"Whoever prays twelve rakats in a day and night, a house will be built for him in Paradise because of them."
The virtue of the twelve daily sunnah rakats.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 414
Graded sahih... من ثابر على ثنتي عشرة ركعة من السنة بنى الله له بيتا في الجنة ...
"Whoever keeps to twelve rakats of sunnah, Allah builds a house for him in Paradise."
This narration lists four before Dhuhr, the basis of the Hanafi count.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 430
Graded hasan... رحم الله امرأ صلى قبل العصر أربعا ...
"May Allah have mercy on a person who prays four before Asr."
The four before Asr are recommended.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Nur al-Idah with Maraqi al-Falah, Chapter on nawafil. Lists the confirmed sunnahs with each prayer and the recommended ones before Asr and Isha.
- al-Majmu' (Nawawi), Chapter on voluntary prayer. Sets out the Shafi'i count of the confirmed rawatib.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.