The regular sunnah prayers performed before and after the obligatory prayers are divided into two categories: mu’akkad (emphasized) and ghayr mu’akkad (non-emphasized) sunnahs. A mu’akkad sunnah is a practice that the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed regularly, but occasionally omitted to show that it is not obligatory. A ghayr mu’akkad sunnah is one that he sometimes performed and sometimes left. Ghayr mu’akkad sunnahs are also called mustahabb (recommended). It is not proper to abandon the mu’akkad sunnahs without a valid excuse. Abandoning them without excuse is considered ‘isâet’, meaning a wrong or faulty action; however, it does not incur punishment. As for the ghayr mu’akkad sunnahs, they may sometimes be omitted even without an excuse. (Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, 1/103-104, 474, 478)
Source: T.C. Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, Din İşleri Yüksek Kurulu
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