Kiisimu, Al-Mandoob linatokana na An-Nadb (دبْ َّالن), na ni Du'aa (dua au maombi) kwa jambo muhimu.

Linguistically Al-Mandoob is from An-Nadb (دبْ َّالن (and it is the Du’aa (supplication or beseeching) for something important.

Mandoob kwa mujibu wa Istilahi ya Shar'i ni:

The Mandoob according to the Shar’iy Istilaah (terminological convention) is:

Kile ambacho Shaari' ameomba kifanyike kwa njia ya ombi lisilo la lazima (Talab Ghair Jaazim).

That which the Shaari’ has requested to be done by way of a non-decisive request (Talab Ghair Jaazim).

Inasemekana: Ni kile ambacho mtendaji hupewa thawabu kwa kukifanya, ilhali asiyekifanya haadhibiwi. Mifano yake ni kauli ya Allah Ta’aalaa:

It is said: It is that which the performer is rewarded for undertaking it whilst the one who does not do it is not punished. Examples of this include the Qawl of Allah Ta’Aalaa:

Amri ya kuandika deni ni ya kupendekeza (An-Nadb) na si ya lazima (Al-Wujoob) kwa sababu ni ombi lisilo la kuamua (Talab Ghair Jaazim).

The command to write the debt is one of recommendation (An-Nadb) and not obligation (Al-Wujoob) because it is a Talab Ghair Jaazim (non-decisive request).

Neno Naafilah linaweza kutumika kwa baadhi ya Mandoobaat, kama vile Swala ya Tahajjud wakati wa usiku. Allah (SWT) amesema:

The term Naafilah can be used for some of the Mandoobaat like for the Tahajjud prayer during the night. Allah (swt) said:

Neno Sunnah linaweza pia kutumika kwa baadhi ya mambo yanayopendekezwa (Mandoobaat), kama Sunnah ya Swalaat us-Subh (Alfajiri), Adh-Dhuhr, Al-‘Asr, Al-Maghrib na Al-‘Ishaa. Sunnah hii inaweza kuwa Mu’akkadah, kama Sunnah kabla ya Alfajiri na Sunnah za sikukuu mbili za Eid, na vile vile Sunnah inaweza kuwa Ghair-Mu’akkadah, kama Sunnah ya Swalaat ul-‘Asr.

The term Sunnah can also be used for some of the Mandoobaat like the Sunnah of Salaat us-Subh (Fajr), Azh-Zhohr, Al-‘Asr, Al-Maghrib and Al-‘Ishaa. This Sunnah could be Mu’akkadah like the Sunnah before Fajr and the Sunnah of the two ‘Eids just as the Sunnah could be Ghair-Mu’akkadah like the Sunnah of Salat ul-‘Asr.

Vivyo hivyo, Mandoob inaweza kutumika kwa matendo kama Sadaqah, kuwasaidia wenye uhitaji, na Sala ya jamaa (Salaat ul-Jamaa’ah).

Similarly, Mandoob can be used for acts like the Sadaqah, helping those in need and the congregational prayer (Salaat ul-Jamaa’ah).

Hukmu ya Mandoob ni kwamba mtendaji wake anastahiki thawabu kutoka kwa Allah, ilhali hakuna adhabu ('Iqaab) kwa yule anayeliacha. Hata hivyo, inafaa kwa Mwislamu kutekeleza Mandoobaat nyingi kwa ajili ya kutafuta thawabu ya Allah, ili kujijengea akiba ya Hasanaat kwa Allah na ili baadhi ya Sayyi'aat (matendo mabaya) ambayo huenda aliteleza kwazo zisamehewe. Allah (SWT) amesema:

The Hukm of Al-Mandoob is that its performer is deserving of the reward (Thawaab) from Allah whilst there is no punishment (‘Iqaab) for the one who leaves it. However, it is appropriate for the Muslim to perform a lot of the Mandoobaat in order to seek the reward of Allah, to build up his store of Hasanaat with Allah and for some of his Sayyi’aat (bad acts) that he may have slipped in to be forgiven. Allah (swt) said:

Na Mandoob ni miongoni mwa mambo mazuri (Hasanaat).

And the Mandoob is from the Hasanaat (good deeds).

Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alikuwa akifanya sana mambo ya Mandoob, kwa mfano alikuwa akisimama usiku kwa ajili ya sala hadi miguu yake ikavimba. Pia kuna mambo ya Mandoob ambayo haifai Ummah yote kuyaacha, kama vile ndoa, kwa sababu kuyaacha kungemaanisha kutoweka kwa Ummah. Kwa hiyo ni Mandoob kwa mtazamo wa watu binafsi lakini ni Waajib kwa mtazamo wa Jamaa’ah (jumuiya). Al-Imaam Ash-Shaatibiy alisema katika ‘Al-Muwaafaqaat’: “Kuacha Mandoobaat kwa ujumla kuna athari juu ya hali za Dini ikiwa kuacha huko kulikuwa endelevu (au cha kudumu). Hata hivyo, ikiwa kulikuwa kwa nyakati fulani tu basi hakutaathiri.” Kwa hiyo, kutekeleza Mandoob ni bora na kunafaa zaidi kuliko kuliacha.

The Messenger of Allah (saw) used to perform a lot in respect to the Mandoobaat and so for instance he would stand in the night in prayer until his feet would swell up. There are also Mandoobaat that are not valid to be left by the Ummah as a whole, such as marriage, because leaving it would mean the extinction of the Ummah. It is therefore Mandoob in relation to the individuals but Waajib in relation to the Jamaa’ah (collective). Al-Imaam Ash-Shaatibiy said in ‘Al-Muwaafaqaat’: “The leaving of the Mandoobaat as a whole has an effect upon the conditions of the Deen if the leaving was continuous (or permanent). If, however it was only on occasions then it would not affect it”. Therefore, undertaking the Mandoob is better and more appropriate than leaving it.

Imepewa jina hili la "An-Nadb" kwa sababu Shaari' amelihimiza na kulisihi, na limeitwa "Nafl" kwa sababu linawakilisha ziada juu ya Fard na linaongeza thawabu. Pia limeitwa "At-Tatawwu'" (kujitolea) kwa sababu anayelifanya analifanya kwa hiari yake na si kwa kulazimishwa. Mtu analifanya kama mchango wa hiari zaidi ya kile kilicho wajibu juu yake (Al-Fard). Na pia limeitwa "As-Sunnah" kwa sababu Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alilianzisha na kulifuata.

It has been named with this naming ‘An-Nadb’ because the Shaari’ has called and beseeched him and it has been called ‘Nafl’ because it represents an increase upon the Fard and it increases the reward. It has also been called At-Tatawwu’ (voluntary) because the one who undertakes it does so voluntarily and not under compulsion. The person undertakes it as a voluntary contribution beyond what is obliged upon (Al-Fard). And it has also been named ‘As-Sunnah’ because the Messenger of Allah (saw) introduced it and proceeded upon it.