Revive A Sunnah: Duha Prayer

Revive A Sunnah: The Duha (Forenoon) Prayer
 

Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him)reported: The Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa salam) said, "In the morning, charity is due on every joint bone of the body of everyone of you. Every utterance of Allah's Glorification (i.e., saying Subhan Allah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of His Praise (i.e., saying Al-hamdu lillah) is an act of charity and every utterance of declaration of His Greatness (i.e., saying La ilaha illAllah) is an act of charity; and enjoining M`aruf (good) is an act of charity, and forbidding Munkar (evil) is an act of charity, and two Rak`ah Duha prayers which one performs in the forenoon is equal to all this (in reward).'' [Muslim].

Abu Huraira radiAllaahu ‘anhu said : “My Khalil (friend) (the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alaihi wa salam) advised me to observe three things and I shall not leave them till I die:
 

1. To observe Saum (fasting) three days every (lunar) month.
2. To offer the Duha prayer.
3. To offer Witr prayer before sleeping.”
 
[Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim]

Ishraaq (“ishrak”) prayer is Duha (“chast”) prayer offered at the beginning of its time. These are not two different prayers. It is called Ishraaq because it is done immediately after sunrise (shurooq) when the sun has risen to a certain height.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz said:

Ishraaq prayer is Duha prayer done at the beginning of its time.
Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 11/401

The time of Duha prayer is from the time when the sun has risen to a certain height, until just before the time for Zuhr prayer.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen defined it as being from a quarter of an hour after the sun has risen until ten minutes before Zuhr prayer.
Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/122

So all of this period is the time for Duha prayer.

It is better to pray it after the sun’s heat has become intense, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It is preferable to offer Duha prayer when the sun’s heat has become so intense that even the young of the camels feel it.”

Narrated by Muslim, 748
Ibn Baaz: Majmoo’ Fataawa, 11/395

The scholars defined this as being when one quarter of the day has passed, i.e., halfway between sunrise and Zuhr prayer.
See al-Majmoo’ by al-Nawawi, 4/36; al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 27/224 .