The Muslim woman does not limit herself to the five daily obligatory prayers; she also prays those sunnah prayers which the Prophet (S) used to pray regularly (ar-rawaatib), and prays as many of the nafil (superogertory) prayers as her time and energy allow. These prayers include salaatul duhaa, sunnah prayers following maghrib, and prayers offered at night. Nafil prayers bring a person closer to Allaah (swt), earn him or her the love and pleasure of Allaah(swt), and make him or her victorious, obedient and righteous ones. There is no clearer indication of the great status attained by the believer who draws closer to Allaah(swt) by performing nafil deeds than the hadeeth qudsi:

"My servant continues to draw near to Me with superogatory works so that I will love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it." {Fathul Bari 11/341}

Because of Allaah's(swt) love for His servant, that person will be loved by the inhabitants of heaven and earth, as is described in a report narrated by Abu Hurayrah(R) in which the Prophet(S) said:

"When Allaah(swt) loves one of His servants, He calls Jibreel ('Alayhe Salaam) and tells him: 'I love so and so, so love him.' Then Jibreel( 'Alayhe Salaam) will love him, and will proclaim to the inhabitants of heaven: 'Allaah(swt) loves so and so, so love him.' So the inhabitants of heaven will love him too, and he will be well accepted by the inhabitants of the earth. If Allaah() hates one of His servants, He calls Jibreel( 'Alayhe Salaam) and tells him: 'I hate so and so, so hate him.' Then Jibreel( 'Alayhe Salaam) will hate him and will proclaim to the inhabitants of heaven: 'Allaah(swt) hates so and so, so hate him.' Then the inhabitants of heaven will hate him and he will also be detested by the inhabitants of the earth." {Muslim 16/184}

The Prophet(S) used to pray so much at night that his feet would become swollen. 'Aa'ishah(Radhiallaahu 'Anha) asked him: "Why do you do this, O Messenger of Allaah(S), when Allaah(S) has forgiven all your past and future sins?" He answered, "Should I not be a grateful servant?" {Bukhaaree and Muslim/ see Sharh as-Sunnah 4/45}

The Prophet's wife Zaynab( Radhiallaahu 'Anha) used to perform nafil prayers , and make them lengthy. She put up a rope between two columns in the mosque), so that when she felt tired and exhausted she could lean against it and restore her energy. The Messenger of Allaah(S) entered the mosque, saw the rope, and asked, "What is this?" The people told him, "It belongs to Zaynab: she prays, and when she feels tired, she leans against it." He said, "Untie it; let one you pray as long as he has the energy to do so, and if he feels tired, he can sit down (or: let him sit down)." {Muslim 6/72,73}

The Prophet(S) encouraged Muslim men and women to do more nafil deeds, but at the same time he told them to be balanced in their approach to worship, and disliked exaggeration therein. He wanted the Muslims to have a balanced personality, so that their worship would be enthusiastic, but consistent, and would not be so burdensome that people would not be able to persist in it. He also taught that the most beloved deed in the sight of Allaah(swt) is that which is done continuously, even if it is a little, as is stated in the hadeeth in which 'Aa'ishah( Radhiallaahu 'Anha) said:

"The Messenger of Allaah(swt) said: 'The most beloved deed to Allaah(swt) is that which is continuous, even if it is little.'" If 'Aa'ishah started to do something, she would adhere to it." {Muslim 6/73}

This attitude of keeping up the habit of doing righteous deeds was not confined to 'Aa'ishah alone; it was the attitude of all members of the Prophet's household , and of those who were nearest and dearest to him. We see this in the hadeeth reported by Muslim from 'Aa'ishah(Radhiallaahu 'Anha):

"The Messenger of Allaah(S) had a mat which he used for making a compartment at night in which he would pray with him; he used to spread the mat during the day time. The people crowded around him one night. He then said, 'O people, perform only such acts as you are capable of doing, for Allaah(swt) does not grow weary but you will get tired. The acts most pleasing to Allaah(swt) are those which are done continuously, even if they are small.' And it was the habit of the family of Muhammad(S) that whenever they did any deed they did it continuously." {Muslim 6/70-72}