The Significance of the Eight Units of Prayer Performed by Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) During the Conquest of Mecca
Question: When the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) conquered Mecca, he performed eight units of prayer as a form of gratitude. Should we consider this prayer as the Prayer of Gratitude?
Answer: The eight units of prayer that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) performed at the time of the conquest of Mecca were not a Prayer of Gratitude. They were the Salat al-Duha, which is the forenoon prayer. Performing the forenoon prayer every day is a Sunnah (recommended practice). The minimum number of units for the forenoon prayer is two, and the maximum is eight.
According to a hadith in Sahih Bukhari narrated by Umm Hani, the eight units of prayer performed at the conquest of Mecca were indeed Salat al-Duha. Therefore, this prayer should not be considered the Prayer of Gratitude. Additionally, for your information, there is no specific prayer called the Prayer of Gratitude in Islam. However, performing a prostration of gratitude is established.
✍ Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi
❪Jeddah Dawah Center – Al-Salama – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia❫