22nd October 2026
Sunnah is the way of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: everything he said, did or approved of, which Muslims follow as a guide for worship and everyday life. Sunnah deeds are the voluntary acts he practised beyond what is obligatory, and each one brings its own reward.
Knowing where to start can feel overwhelming, so we’ve gathered ten simple, authentic sunnah deeds you can build into your day and your week, from a two-minute prayer before Fajr to fasting on Mondays and Thursdays. One of the most rewarding is caring for orphans: sponsor an orphan with Human Appeal.
Linguistically, sunnah means a “path” or “way”. In Islam, it refers to the sayings, actions and tacit approvals of the Prophet ﷺ, recorded in the hadith collections and, alongside the Quran, a primary source of guidance.
In terms of daily worship, a sunnah act is a recommended deed: you are rewarded for doing it but not sinful for leaving it. These acts complement the obligatory (fard) worship, such as the five daily prayers, and help make up for any shortcomings in it.
1. The 12 daily sunnah prayers. Umm Habibah (RA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said whoever prays twelve voluntary rak‘ahs in a day and night will have a house built for them in Paradise (Muslim). They are:
➔ 2 rak‘ahs before Fajr
➔ 4 rak‘ahs before Dhuhr and 2 after
➔ 2 rak‘ahs after Maghrib
➔ 2 rak‘ahs after Isha
Don’t miss the two before Fajr: the Prophet ﷺ said they are “better than the world and all it contains” (Muslim). New to praying? Read our step-by-step guide on how to perform salah.
2. Duha prayer. The Prophet ﷺ said that charity is due on every joint of the body each morning, and that two rak‘ahs of Duha suffice for all of it (Muslim). Pray them once the sun has risen fully and before Dhuhr begins.
3. Witr prayer. “Allah is Witr (One) and loves what is odd, so pray witr, O people of the Quran” (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi). Pray an odd number of rak‘ahs after Isha, and make it the last prayer of your night (Bukhari). The Prophet ﷺ kept witr even when travelling.
Alongside your prayers, try to set aside a few minutes for morning and evening adhkar. Allah says: “O you who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance” (Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:41).
4. Eat the sunnah way. The Prophet ﷺ told a young boy: “Say Bismillah, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is in front of you” (Bukhari and Muslim). Three small habits that turn every meal into worship. Discover the top 10 sunnah foods and their benefits.
5. Spread salam and smile. The Prophet ﷺ said: “You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I tell you something which, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread the greeting of peace among yourselves” (Muslim). He also said: “Your smiling in the face of your brother is charity” (Tirmidhi). Both cost nothing and soften hearts.
You can greet someone with an e-card from Human Appeal, to spread cheer while giving charity!
6. Sleep the sunnah way. Before bed, make wudu and lie on your right side (Bukhari), and recite Ayat al-Kursi. The Prophet ﷺ said whoever recites it when going to bed will have a guardian from Allah with them and Shaytan will not come near them until morning (Bukhari).
7. Give daily and care for orphans. Every good deed is charity, from removing harm from the road to a kind word. One act the Prophet ﷺ singled out is caring for orphans: “I and the one who looks after an orphan will be in Paradise like this,” and he held up his index and middle fingers together (Bukhari). Sponsor an orphan today.
8. Honour Jummah. The sunnah of Jummah includes taking a bath (ghusl), wearing clean clothes and perfume, going early to the Friday prayer and sending abundant blessings on the Prophet ﷺ. He said: “Among the best of your days is Friday… so send abundant blessings upon me on that day, for your blessings are shown to me” (Abu Dawud). Friday is also the perfect day to give: join The Jummah Club from just £1 a week.
9. Recite Surah Al-Kahf on Friday. The Prophet ﷺ said whoever reads Surah Al-Kahf on Friday will have a light that shines for them between the two Fridays (al-Hakim; graded authentic by al-Albani).
10. Fast on Mondays and Thursdays. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Deeds are presented on Mondays and Thursdays, and I love that my deeds are presented while I am fasting” (Tirmidhi). If you’d like to fast on a Friday, fast the day before or after as well, as singling out Friday alone is discouraged (Bukhari and Muslim). Extra fasting is especially recommended in the sacred months, such as Rajab.
Use this simple checklist to build the Sunnah into your routine. Start with two or three and add more over time.
When | Sunnah deed | Done? |
Before Fajr | 2 rak‘ahs of sunnah prayer | ☐ |
Morning | Morning adhkar; Duha prayer | ☐ |
Meals | Bismillah, right hand, eat from what’s in front of you | ☐ |
Throughout the day | Say salam, smile, give a little in charity | ☐ |
Dhuhr | 4 rak‘ahs before, 2 after | ☐ |
Evening | Evening adhkar; 2 rak‘ahs after Maghrib | ☐ |
Night | 2 rak‘ahs after Isha; Witr | ☐ |
Bedtime | Wudu, right side, Ayat al-Kursi | ☐ |
Weekly | Fast Mon/Thu; Friday ghusl, salawat and Surah Al-Kahf | ☐ |
You don’t need to start all ten sunnah deeds at once. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The most beloved of deeds to Allah are the most consistent, even if they are small” (Bukhari and Muslim). Choose two or three, practise them consistently and add more as they become natural; you’ll often find the more sunnahs you do, the more you want to add.
And if you want to follow one of the Sunnah’s most rewarding acts every single month, sponsor an orphan with Human Appeal. Here for every human. And here for as long as it takes.
Human Appeal currently supports 52,531 orphans around the world, including over 29,000 in Gaza. £40 a month provides them with food, shelter, medicine and the security to stay in school and continue learning.
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The Prophet Muhammed (SAW) was sent to us by Allah as a mercy. There are many things we can learn from his behaviours, so we can use him as a guide for our character and behaviours.
Sunnah is the way of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, meaning his sayings, actions and approvals. Alongside the Quran, it is a primary source of Islamic guidance, and sunnah acts are recommended deeds that bring reward.
In daily worship, Sunnah refers to voluntary acts the Prophet ﷺ regularly practised beyond the obligatory, such as the 12 sunnah prayers, Duha, Witr and adhkar. You are rewarded for doing them but not sinful for leaving them.
Attach sunnah acts to things you already do: pray two rak‘ahs before Fajr, say Bismillah at meals, give salam when you greet people and recite Ayat al-Kursi at bedtime. Start small and stay consistent, using a daily checklist to track progress.
Among the most rewarding sunnah deeds are the 12 daily sunnah prayers (a house in Paradise), the two rak‘ahs before Fajr (better than the world and all it contains) and caring for orphans (closeness to the Prophet ﷺ in Paradise).
The sunnah of Jummah includes ghusl, wearing clean clothes and perfume, going early to the mosque, sending abundant blessings on the Prophet ﷺ and reciting Surah Al-Kahf.
