Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 2: Nonstressed Sunnah Prayers (As-Sunan GhairAl-Mu’akkadah)

We have been discussing the sunnah prayers which were stressed by theProphet and which he was careful not to miss. There are some othersunnah prayers (al-sunan ar-ratibah) which are commendable, but are not”stressed.”

Volume 2, Page 10b: Two or four rak’at before ‘asr

Many ahadith have been related about this sunnah prayer and they allsupport each other.

Such hadith include the following:

Ibn ‘Umar reports that the Prophet said: “May Allah have mercy on aperson who prays four rak’at before ‘asr prayer.” This was related byAhmad, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmizhi (who calls it hasan), Ibn Hibban, and IbnKhuzaimah. The latter two hold it as sahih. ‘Ali reports that theProphet sallallahu alehi wasallam prayed four rak’at before ‘asr whileseparating every two sets of rak’at with salutations to the angelsclose to Allah, to the prophets, and to those who followed them – thebelievers and Muslims. This is related by Ahmad, an-Nasa’i, Ibn Majah,and atTirmizhi who grades it hasan.

As for praying only two rak’af at this time, this would fall under thegenerality of the Prophet’s statement: “Between every azhan and iqamahthere is a prayer.”

Volume 2, Page 10c: Two rak’at before maghrib

Al-Bukhari records, from ‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal, that the Prophetsaid: “Pray before maghrib, pray before maghrib,” and after saying it athird time, he said: “For whoever wishes to do so,” not wanting thepeople to take it as a sunnah. Ibn Hibban records that the Prophetprayed two rak’at before maghrib prayer.

Muslim records that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “We would pray two rak’at beforemaghrib, and the Prophet would see us but he would not order us to doso, nor would he prohibit us.”

Ibn Hajar says in Fath al-Bari: “All of the evidence points to the factthat it is preferred to say these two rak’at quickly like the tworak’at before the salatul fajr.”

Volume 2, Page 11: Two rak’at before salatul ‘isha

‘Abdullah Ibn Mughaffal reports that the Prophet said: “Betweenevery azhan and iqamah there is a prayer. Between every azhan andiqamah there is a prayer.” And, after saying it a third time, he said:”For whoever wishes [to pray it].” This is related by the group. IbnHibban records from Ibn az-Zubair that the Prophet said: “There existsno obligatory prayer without there being, immediately preceding it, tworak’at.”

Volume 2, Page 11a: Separating The Obligatory PrayerFrom The Supererogatory

It is preferred to make a separation between the fard and nawafilprayers after one finishes the fard prayer.

One of the companions of the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam reportsthat the Prophet prayed the afternoon prayer and right afterward a manstood up to pray. ‘Umar saw him and told him: “Sit, the People of theBook were destroyed because they did not differentiate between theirprayers.” The Prophet said: “Well said, Ibn al-Khattab [i.e., ‘Umar].”This is related by Ahmad with a sahih chain.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 2: The Witr Prayer