Mastering Nawafil in Calgary

Jamal Harris

As-salāmu ʿalaykum, everyone. Jamal Harris here, and I’m glad you’re tuning in to Calgary Prayer Times. Today, we’re diving into something that, honestly, changed my whole approach to worship—Nawafil prayers. Now, if you’re like I was a few years back, you might be thinking, “Wait, what exactly are Nawafil?” Well, Nawafil, or Nafl prayers, are those voluntary prayers you can do outside of the five daily ones. They’re not required, so you’re not sinful if you skip them, but the rewards? SubhanAllah, they’re huge. It’s like, you know, when you do something extra for someone you love—not because you have to, but because you want to get closer to them. That’s how I see Nawafil with Allah.

Jamal Harris

There are a few key types I want to highlight. First, tahajjud—the night prayer. This one’s special, performed after you’ve slept, ideally in the last third of the night. Then there’s ishraq, which you pray about 15 to 20 minutes after sunrise. Chasht, or duha, comes a bit later in the morning, and awabin is after maghrib, before isha. Each of these has its own timing and intention, and honestly, their benefits are just... well, I mean, they’re hard to put into words. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, used to pray these regularly, and that’s always stuck with me.

Jamal Harris

I’ll be real with you—when I first learned about Nawafil, I thought, “Man, I can barely keep up with the five daily prayers, how am I supposed to add more?” But over time, I realized it’s not about quantity, it’s about quality and intention. Even just two rakats of tahajjud or a quick ishraq after sunrise can make a difference. It’s like, once you taste that peace, you want to keep coming back. And, uh, I might be rambling, but I just want to say—don’t underestimate the impact of these voluntary prayers. They really can transform your connection with Allah.

Jamal Harris

Now, let’s talk about something that’s, well, pretty unique to us here in Calgary—the wild swings in prayer times. I mean, have you ever looked at the schedule in June and thought, “Fajr at 3:00 AM? Seriously?” Or in December, when maghrib hits at, like, 4:30 PM and you’re still at work? It can throw you off, especially with Nawafil, since their timings are tied to sunrise, sunset, and the night.

Jamal Harris

Let me give you a real example. On May 9, 2025, Fajr starts at 3:25 AM. So, if you’re aiming for tahajjud, you’d want to wake up after midnight and finish before 3:25. Sunrise is at 5:31 AM, so ishraq is good around 5:46 AM, maybe up to 9 or so, before the sun gets too high. Chasht? That’s from about 9:00 AM to just before dhuhr, which is at 12:56 PM. And awabin, that’s after maghrib at 8:15 PM until isha at 9:52 PM. I always double-check these times on calgaryprayertimes.ca or the Muslim Council of Calgary app, just to be sure. The times shift every day, so, uh, don’t just rely on memory—trust me, I’ve made that mistake.

Jamal Harris

Planning my routine around these times took some trial and error. In the summer, I’ll admit, waking up for tahajjud is tough when the night is so short. But in winter, you get these long nights—perfect for extra worship. I remember one winter morning at Akram Jomaa Islamic Center, the snow was coming down hard, but a few of us still made it for tahajjud. There was this quiet, almost magical feeling in the masjid. It’s moments like that, you know, that stick with you. So, yeah, Calgary’s seasons can be a challenge, but they also open up unique opportunities for Nawafil.

Jamal Harris

So, how do you actually build Nawafil into your daily life, especially with all these shifting times? My advice—start small. Don’t try to do everything at once. Maybe just two rakats of tahajjud a couple nights a week, or ishraq after you drop the kids at school. And, uh, don’t forget, there are times when Nawafil are discouraged—like right after fajr until about 15 minutes after sunrise, during zawal, and after asr until sunset. I always have to remind myself of that, especially when I get the urge to pray at random times.

Jamal Harris

Community support makes a big difference, too. I’ve found that connecting with local mosques, like Green Dome Mosque, helps keep me motivated. Sometimes they have reminders or group prayers, and just knowing others are on the same journey—it’s encouraging. If you’re struggling to stay consistent, maybe check out their events or even just drop by for a quick chat. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about making progress.

Jamal Harris

I’ll share a quick story before we wrap up. A few months ago, I met a brother who’d just moved to Calgary. He was overwhelmed by the new city, the cold, and, honestly, the prayer times. We started with just two rakats of tahajjud together, once a week. Over time, he added ishraq, then chasht. Now, he tells me those moments are the highlight of his week. It’s a reminder that spiritual growth is a journey, not a sprint.

Jamal Harris

Alright, that’s all for today’s episode. Nawafil prayers are a beautiful way to deepen your connection with Allah, and with a little planning, you can fit them into your Calgary routine—no matter the season. Thanks for listening, and don’t forget to check out calgaryprayertimes.com for more resources. I’ll catch you next time, inshaAllah. As-salāmu ʿalaykum!