I would like to know the types of prayer (Salah)?
Prayer is divided into two types: obligatory (fard) and supererogatory (tatawwu'), with no third category. The obligatory type includes what is mandated by the original divine law (the five daily prayers), and what an individual obligates upon themselves through a vow. It also includes individual obligations (fard ayn), such as the five prayers, and communal obligations (fard kifayah), such as the funeral prayer. As for supererogatory prayers, they are of various kinds: some are highly emphasized (mu’akkad), such as the regular sunnah prayers (rawātib) accompanying the obligatory prayers and the Witr prayer (though there is disagreement on its obligation); some are legislated to be performed in congregation, such as the Eid, eclipse, and Tarawih prayers; some have a specific reason, such as the greeting of the mosque (tahiyyat al-masjid); and some are absolute voluntary prayers (nafl mutlaq). The preponderant opinion is that nothing is obligatory by original divine law except the five daily prayers, and anything else is supererogatory, for which one does not incur sin by abandoning it.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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