It is recommended to recite Surat al-Kafirun and Surat al-Ikhlas in the two Sunnah rak‘ahs of Fajr and Maghrib.

If a person offers an obligatory prayer sitting when he is able to stand, his prayer is invalid. Whoever is not able to stand, bow, and prostrate because of sickness or old age, it is Sunnah for him to sit on the ground or on a chair. If the worshipper is going to pray on the chair from the beginning of the prayer until the end, then he should make the place where he will sit level with the row. If he is going to pray standing, but he will sit on the chair when he bows and prostrates, then what matters here is the standing position, so he should be level with the row when standing.

There is no basis for shaking hands or saying “Taqabbal Allah” after finishing the prayer; that was not narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or from his Companions.

• On the night of the Isra’, one and a half years before the Hijrah, Allah enjoined upon His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) the five daily prayers, and explained that there were conditions and essential parts and other matters having to do with them, bit by bit. Then Jibril came down and taught the Prophet the times of the prayers. • Prayer was enjoined with two Rak`ahs, then when the Prophet migrated, it was enjoined with four Rak`ahs, but prayer while travelling remained as it had originally been. • Before the Isra’, the Prophet definitely used to pray, as did his Companions, but there is a scholarly difference of opinion as to whether any kind of prayer was made obligatory before the five daily prayers or not. It was said that what was obligatory at first was prayer before sunrise and prayer before sunset.