What is the ruling on performing the prayer of praises?

Answer

Praise Be to Allah and Peace Be Upon His Messenger.

Referring to your question, Muslim scholars have no agreement in respect to the prayer of praises. Some Shafi’i scholars say it is ordered without obligation (preferred). Some other Hanbali scholars think that there is nothing to prevent Muslims from performing it. Others, however, think that it is not legislated.

The evidence which proves that Muslims can perform the prayer of praises is the following hadith. Ibn Abbas (RAA) narrated that the prophet said to his uncle Al-Abbas Ibn Abdul-Muttaleb: “Abbas, my uncle, shall I not give you a gift, shall I not grant you something, shall I not tell you something which, if you do it, will expiate ten types of sins? If you do them, Allah will forgive you your sins, the first and the last of them, the old and the new, the unintentional and the deliberate, the minor and the major, the secret and the open, ten types of sins. You should pray four Rak’as, reciting in each one Al-Fatihah and another surah. When you finish the recitation of the first Rak’a, you should say fifteen times while standing: “Glory be to Allah”, “Praise be to Allah”, “There is no god but Allah”, and “Allah is the Greatest”. Then you should bow and say them ten times while bowing. Then you should raise your head after bowing and say them ten times (while standing). Then you should kneel down in prostration and say them ten times while prostrating yourself. Then you should raise your head after prostration and say them ten times (while sitting). Then you should prostrate yourself and say them ten times (while prostrating yourself). Then you should raise your head after prostration and say them ten times (while sitting). That will be seventy-five times in each Rak’a. You should do that in the four Rak’as. If you can perform it daily, then do so. If you cannot, then once a week. If you cannot, then once a month. If you cannot, then once a year. If you cannot, then once in your lifetime. Sunan Abu Dawood.

Those who remember the hadiths by heart have no agreement in respect to the above-mentioned hadith. Some of them graded it as sahih. Others considered it as weak. Those who graded it as sahih are Al-Darqutni, Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi, Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, Al-Albani and some others. While some of those who consider the above-mentioned hadith weak are Ibn Al-Jawzi, Sirajuddin Al-Qazwini, Ibn Taymiyyah, Imam Ahmad and some others. Finally, those who think that this prayer is not desirable believe that performing it changes the form of the obligatory prayer; that is why it should not be performed. Moreover, they criticized any hadiths about it. They also say that the basic principle in performing any acts of worship is detention; none narrated that the prophet (PBUH) had performed it, and thus, Muslims should not perform it, and the above-mentioned hadith is not an evidence of its legislation.

To conclude, as long as there is no final agreement on whether to perform it or not, Muslims who consider the hadith as sahih, can pray it. Those who do not, can leave it. Muslims should not have any conflicts in regards to optional acts of worship.