Supererogatory works (nawafil)

النوافل

Supererogatory works in the thirty-eighth hadith of the Forty are the second rank of drawing near after the obligations: 'My servant draws near to Me by nothing dearer to Me than what I have made obligatory on him, and My servant keeps drawing near to Me through the supererogatory until I love him' — works beyond the required of prayer, fasting, charity and remembrance, by which the servant perseveres after establishing the obligatory until God's love reaches him; their rank in the commentary is subordinate to the obligations and never precedes them — whoever neglects the obligatory while busying himself with the supererogatory has put the lesser before the greater (Jami' al-Ulum wal-Hikam p. 770).

Depth

At a glance

Era: The Prophetic Era
Region: Global / Diaspora
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Spirituality and Sufism

Overview

Supererogatory acts (nawafil) are deeds beyond what is obligatory: prayer, fasting, charity, and remembrance. In the thirty-eighth hadith of the Forty, they are the second rank of drawing near to God after the obligations, as in the words: "My servant does not cease to draw near to Me by supererogatory acts until I love him." ¹

Their rank after the obligations

The servant continues with supererogatory acts after establishing the obligation, until God's love reaches him. In Ibn Rajab's commentary their rank follows the obligations; it does not precede them. Whoever neglects the obligation and occupies himself with the supererogatory has preferred the lesser over the greater. ¹

Connections

Explore the connections

Based on: Arba'un 38 — whoever is hostile to a friend of Mine

People and things also explored

Friendship with God (wilaya)· Sacred hadith (hadith qudsi)· Karamat (marvels of the friends of God)· Abu Hurayra· Arba'un 38 — whoever is hostile to a friend of Mine· Prophetic adab (proper conduct)· Righteousness (birr)· Remembrance of God (dhikr)

Sources

Jami' al-Ulum wal-Hikam — Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, p.770

Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Supererogatory works (nawafil)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/nawafil/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-17.

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Wing

Ideas

Beliefs, concepts, sciences and schools, explained in plain words. Related

Friendship with God (wilaya)

Friendship with God in the thirty-eighth sacred hadith of the Forty: 'whoever is hostile to a friend of Mine, I have declared war on him; My servant draws near to Me by nothing dearer to Me than what I have made obligatory on him; and My servant keeps drawing near to Me through supererogatory works until I love him' — the wali, on the commentary's account, is the one upright upon the obligations who then ascends through supererogatory works until he becomes beloved of God, his hearing, sight, hand and foot then acting by Him; the drawing near that founds wilaya has two ranks — the obligations first, dearest of all approaches, then the supererogatory after them — while enmity to a friend occasions God's own declaration of war, the gravest of threats in defence of His beloveds (Jami' al-Ulum wal-Hikam pp. 770–771).