Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them

"‏ مَنْ صَلَّى قَبْلَ الظُّهْرِ أَرْبَعًا، وَبَعْدَهَا أَرْبَعًا، حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّارِ ‏"

“Whoever prays four Rak’ah before the Zuhr and four afterwards, Allah will forbid him to the Fire.”

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، وَأَبِي، وَإِسْرَائِيلُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ ضَمْرَةَ السَّلُولِيِّ، قَالَ سَأَلْنَا عَلِيًّا عَنْ تَطَوُّعِ، رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ بِالنَّهَارِ فَقَالَ إِنَّكُمْ لاَ تُطِيقُونَهُ فَقُلْنَا أَخْبِرْنَا بِهِ نَأْخُذْ مِنْهُ مَا اسْتَطَعْنَا ‏.‏ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ إِذَا صَلَّى الْفَجْرَ يُمْهِلُ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا - يَعْنِي مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَشْرِقِ - بِمِقْدَارِهَا مِنْ صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ مِنْ هَا هُنَا - يَعْنِي مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَغْرِبِ - قَامَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ. ثُمَّ يُمْهِلُ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَا هُنَا - يَعْنِي مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَشْرِقِ - مِقْدَارَهَا مِنْ صَلاَةِ الظُّهْرِ مِنْ هَا هُنَا قَامَ فَصَلَّى أَرْبَعًا. وَأَرْبَعًا قَبْلَ الظُّهْرِ إِذَا زَالَتِ الشَّمْسُ. وَرَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَهَا. وَأَرْبَعًا قَبْلَ الْعَصْرِ. يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَ كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ بِالتَّسْلِيمِ عَلَى الْمَلاَئِكَةِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ. وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنِينَ ‏.‏ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ: فَتِلْكَ سِتَّ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً. تَطَوُّعُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ بِالنَّهَارِ. وَقَلَّ مَنْ يُدَاوِمُ عَلَيْهَا ‏.‏ قَالَ وَكِيعٌ: زَادَ فِيهِ أَبِي: فَقَالَ حَبِيبُ بْنُ أَبِي ثَابِتٍ: يَا أَبَا إِسْحَاقَ مَا أُحِبُّ أَنَّ لِي بِحَدِيثِكَ هَذَا مِلْءَ مَسْجِدِكَ هَذَا ذَهَبًا ‏.‏

“We asked ‘Ali about the voluntary (prayer) of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) during the day. He said: ‘You will not be able.’ We said: ‘Inform us of it, we will do what we can of it?’ So he said: ‘When he prayed the Fajr he would delay praying any more. When the sun appeared over there (west) – like it appears here, meaning in the direction of the east, about the amount for the ‘Asr prayer from there, meaning in the direction of the west, meaning before the Maghrib – he would stand and perform two Rak’ah* then he would delay praying until the sun appeared over there (west), meaning in the direction of the east, about the amount of the Zuhr prayer from there, then he would stand and perform four. And, four before the Zuhr when the sun passed the zenith, and two Rak’ah after it, and, four before the ‘Asr, separating between every two Rak’ah with Taslim** upon the angels that are close (to Allah), the Prophets, and those who follow them among the Muslims and the believers.’” 'Ali said: "That is sixteen Rak'ah of voluntary prayer which Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) performed during the day. And there are very few who offer them regularly." Waki` said: “My father added: Habib bin Abu Thabit said: ‘O Abu Ishaq, this mosque filled with gold would not be dearer to me than this Hadith of yours.’” * Meaning, when the sun was low above the eastern horizon. That is the time of the Duha. ** Meaning the Tashah-hud.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، وَوَكِيعٌ، عَنْ كَهْمَسٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُغَفَّلٍ، قَالَ قَالَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ‏"‏ بَيْنَ كُلِّ أَذَانَيْنِ صَلاَةٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَهَا ثَلاَثًا قَالَ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ ‏"‏ لِمَنْ شَاءَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

“The Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Between every two Adhans there is a prayer.’ He said it three times, and on the third time he said, ‘For those who wish.’”*

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيَّ بْنَ زَيْدِ بْنِ جُدْعَانَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، يَقُولُ إِنْ كَانَ الْمُؤَذِّنُ لَيُؤَذِّنُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَيُرَى أَنَّهَا الإِقَامَةُ مِنْ كَثْرَةِ مَنْ يَقُومُ فَيُصَلِّي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ الْمَغْرِبِ ‏.‏

“I heard Anas bin Malik say: ‘The Mu ’adh-dhin would call the Adhan during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and one would think that it was the Iqamah because there were so many people who stood and performed the two Rak’ah before the Maghrib.”

حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الدَّوْرَقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْحَذَّاءِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يُصَلِّي الْمَغْرِبَ، ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى بَيْتِي فَيُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ ‏.‏

“The Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray the Maghrib, then he would come back to my house and pray two Rak’ah.”

"‏ ارْكَعُوا هَاتَيْنِ الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ ‏"

“We came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with Banu ‘Abdul-Ashhal, and he led us in praying the Maghrib in our mosque. Then he said: ‘Pray these two Rak’ah in your houses.’”

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الأَزْهَرِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ وَاقِدٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُؤَمَّلِ بْنِ الصَّبَّاحِ، حَدَّثَنَا بَدَلُ بْنُ الْمُحَبَّرِ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَاصِمُ بْنُ بَهْدَلَةَ، عَنْ زِرٍّ، وَأَبِي، وَائِلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ كَانَ يَقْرَأُ فِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ صَلاَةِ الْمَغْرِبِ ‏ {قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ‏} ‏ وَ ‏ {قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ } ‏ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

“Say: O you disbelievers!” [Al-Kafirun (109)] and “Say: He is Allah the One.” [Al- Ikhlas (112)]

"‏ مَنْ صَلَّى بَعْدَ الْمَغْرِبِ سِتَّ رَكَعَاتٍ لَمْ يَتَكَلَّمْ بَيْنَهُنَّ بِسُوءٍ عُدِلْنَ لَهُ بِعِبَادَةِ ثِنْتَىْ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً ‏"

“Whoever prays six Rak’ah after the Maghrib and does not say anything bad in between them, will have a reward equal to the worship of twelve years.”

"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَمَدَّكُمْ بِصَلاَةٍ، لَهِيَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ مِنْ حُمُرِ النَّعَمِ. الْوِتْرُ، جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ فِيمَا بَيْنَ صَلاَةِ الْعِشَاءِ إِلَى أَنْ يَطْلُعَ الْفَجْرُ ‏"

“The Prophet (ﷺ) came out to us and said: ‘Allah has increased a prayer for you which is better for you than red camels. (It is) Witr, which Allah has enjoined on you between the ‘Isha’ prayer and the onset of dawn.’”

"‏ يَا أَهْلَ الْقُرْآنِ أَوْتِرُوا. فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ وِتْرٌ يُحِبُّ الْوِتْرَ ‏"

“Witr is not definite (obligatory) nor is it like your prescribed prayers. But the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed Witr, then he said: ‘O people of the Qur’an! Perform Witr, for Allah is Witr* and He loves the odd (numbered).’” * Meaning 'one' which is the first of the odd numbers; He is unique, and there is nothing like Him, similar or equal.