Awwabin: Quran and Hadith
References from the Quran and hadith, with the Sunni view (Hanafi, Shafi‘i, Maliki, Hanbali) and the Shia view (Jafari) side by side.
Timing of Awwabin
Sunni view (Hanafi, Shafi‘i, Maliki, Hanbali)
- Quran 32:16, 51:17; Abu Dawud 1322 Anas explained these verses about those who pray at night: they used to pray between Maghrib and Isha.
- Sahih Muslim 748 In this hadith the name “prayer of the awwabin” is used for Duha; many scholars use it for the prayers between Maghrib and Isha.
Shia view (Jafari)
- Thawab al-A‘mal, p. 115 The hour of heedlessness is between Maghrib and Isha (Salat al-Ghufayla).
- al-‘Urwa al-Wuthqa, vol. 2, p. 246 Ghufayla is prayed after Maghrib, before the redness leaves the western sky.
Benefits of Awwabin
Sunni view (Hanafi, Shafi‘i, Maliki, Hanbali)
- Tirmidhi 435 Six rak‘ahs after Maghrib equal twelve years of worship. Al-Tirmidhi and others graded this narration very weak.
Shia view (Jafari)
- Thawab al-A‘mal, p. 115 The Prophet ﷺ: pray in the hour of heedlessness, even two rak‘ahs, for they lead to Paradise.
- Wasa’il al-Shi‘a, vol. 8, p. 121 Imam al-Sadiq: whoever prays these two rak‘ahs between Maghrib and Isha and then asks Allah, He gives him what he asks.
The Awwabin prayer: rak‘ahs
Sunni view (Hanafi, Shafi‘i, Maliki, Hanbali)
- Commonly 6 rak‘ahs in pairs after the sunnah of Maghrib; the number rests on the weak narration above.
Shia view (Jafari)
- al-‘Urwa al-Wuthqa, vol. 2, pp. 246-247 2 rak‘ahs: after al-Fatihah, recite Quran 21:87-88 in the first and Quran 6:59 in the second.
Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com. Jafari sources are named by book, volume and chapter.
References for the other prayers
Last updated: Tuesday, 6 October 2026