Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … According to the narration of Tirmidhi, the details of these twelve rak‘ahs are as follows: two before Fajr, four before Dhuhr and two after it, two after Maghrib, and two after ‘Isha. This same voluntary prayer is referred to in our society as the emphasized Sunnahs (sunan mu’akkadah). However, in the narration of Nasa’i, there is mention of two Sunnahs before ‘Asr and no mention of the Sunnahs after ‘Isha. In the hadith of Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu, there is mention of two Sunnahs before ‘Asr and two after ‘Isha, but he has mentioned only two Sunnahs before the Dhuhr prayer, whereas Imam Tirmidhi has established four before Dhuhr and two after it. Imam Shawkani has resolved this difference as follows: It is established that all the rak‘ahs mentioned in these ahadith are legislated, even though their total becomes fourteen. However, the attainment of the mentioned reward is connected to twelve rak‘ahs, but it is not known which twelve out of these fourteen they are. Only one solution remains: that all fourteen rak‘ahs should be performed, so that no ambiguity remains, and in this way, the required twelve will also be fulfilled in the sight of Allah ta‘ala.