Fath al-Rabbani

Asim bin Damrah says: We asked Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) about the voluntary prayers of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) during the day. He said: You do not have the strength to perform them. We said: Please tell us, and we will act according to our ability. He said: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had performed the Fajr prayer, he would remain seated until the sun had risen in the east to the same height as it is in the west at the time of Asr prayer. At that time, he would stand and pray two rak‘ahs. Then he would remain seated until the sun in the east reached the position it is in the west at the time of Dhuhr prayer, then he (peace and blessings be upon him) would perform four rak‘ahs. Then he would perform four rak‘ahs before Dhuhr, when the sun had declined, and after Dhuhr he would perform two rak‘ahs, and before Asr he would perform four rak‘ahs. And between every two rak‘ahs, he would separate them by offering salutations and praying for peace for the close angels, the prophets, and the believing and Muslim followers. Then Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: These sixteen rak‘ahs are the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) voluntary prayers during the day, and there are very few people who persist in them.