Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
Since the Friday prayer (Jumu‘ah) takes the place of the noon prayer (Zuhr), therefore Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has stated that the Sunnah prayers that are prescribed before and after Zuhr are likewise prescribed before and after Jumu‘ah.
In some other ahadith, mention of these Sunnah prayers is also found. The Sunnah prayers after Jumu‘ah were mostly performed by the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam at home.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has mentioned the prayer before Jumu‘ah in the chapter heading, but there is no mention of it in the presented hadith. Regarding this, Allamah Ibn Munir rahimahullah has written that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, considering the status of Zuhr and Jumu‘ah to be equal, did not feel the need for any other evidence, and in view of the importance of the subsequent Sunnahs, he referred to their mention in the hadith.
Hazrat Nafi‘ states that Hazrat Ibn ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu used to perform a lengthy prayer before Jumu‘ah and after Jumu‘ah would offer two rak‘ahs at home, and then would refer to the practice of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah states that if what is meant by this is performing prayer after the time of Jumu‘ah has begun, then this is not correct, because the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would arrive after the sun had passed its zenith and would become engaged in the Friday sermon, so there is no evidence for this from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
And if what is meant is performing prayer before the time begins, then these are unrestricted voluntary prayers (nafl), not the regular Sunnah prayers (sunan rawatib). He further states that the strongest narration regarding two rak‘ahs before Jumu‘ah is that of Ibn Hibban, in which ‘Abdullah ibn Zubayr radi Allahu anhu narrates marfu‘an that there are two rak‘ahs before every obligatory prayer.
(Sahih Ibn Hibban (al-Ihsan) 77/4, and al-Sahihah of al-Albani, Hadith: 232)
Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah states that using this hadith—i.e., the hadith about “performing two rak‘ahs before every obligatory prayer”—as evidence for performing two Sunnah rak‘ahs before Jumu‘ah is invalid, because in the blessed era of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam there was only one adhan and iqamah, and during this interval the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would deliver the sermon.
The same is also transmitted from Imam Busayri.
All the narrations reported on this matter are weak.
From this hadith, it is established to perform prayer before obligatory prayers and after the adhan, whereas after the adhan of Jumu‘ah there is the sermon, not prayer.
(Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah: 465/1)
It should be noted that the intent of the Shaykh rahimahullah is not to negate unrestricted voluntary prayers (nafl), but only to negate the emphasized Sunnah (sunnah mu’akkadah).

(2)
According to us, there is some detail regarding performing prayer before and after Jumu‘ah: before the Friday sermon begins, one may perform an unlimited number of voluntary prayers (nafl), because no limit has been set in the hadith; rather, it depends on a person’s ability, i.e., as much as he is able, he may perform voluntary prayers.
(Sahih Muslim, al-Jumu‘ah, Hadith: 1987 (857))
From this, it is understood that there is no fixed limit for performing voluntary prayers before Jumu‘ah.
If someone arrives during the sermon, he is only permitted to perform two rak‘ahs, because it is mentioned in the hadith that when one of you comes on the day of Jumu‘ah and the imam is delivering the sermon, he should perform two rak‘ahs and keep them brief.
(Sahih Muslim, al-Jumu‘ah, Hadith: 2018 (875))
There are hadiths regarding performing four rak‘ahs after Jumu‘ah, as the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: When one of you performs the Jumu‘ah prayer, let him perform four rak‘ahs after it.
(Sahih Muslim, al-Jumu‘ah, Hadith: 2037, 2038 (881))
However, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would perform two rak‘ahs at home, as is mentioned in the hadith under the chapter heading from Hazrat Ibn ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu (Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Jumu‘ah, Hadith: 937).
Therefore, if one is to perform prayer in the mosque after Jumu‘ah, it is preferable to perform four rak‘ahs in sets of two.
And if one is to perform them at home, then two rak‘ahs should be performed.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:

Benefits and Issues:

➊ Generally, before Dhuhr, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to perform four rak‘ahs, and on some occasions, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) also performed two rak‘ahs. The narration of Aisha (radi Allahu anha) is that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) never omitted four rak‘ahs before Dhuhr. In another narration, it is mentioned that if the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) missed the four rak‘ahs before Dhuhr, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would perform four rak‘ahs after the two rak‘ahs following Dhuhr. This proves that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would make up missed Sunnah prayers, and he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) also encouraged performing four rak‘ahs after Dhuhr. As is authentically narrated from Umm Habibah (radi Allahu anha) in the four Sunan collections, whoever consistently performs four rak‘ahs before Dhuhr and four rak‘ahs after Dhuhr, Allah the Exalted will make the Fire of Hell forbidden for him.

➋ The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to perform Sunnah and voluntary (nafl) prayers at home and encouraged this practice, especially the Sunnah prayers of Maghrib, ‘Isha, Fajr, and Jumu‘ah, which he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would perform at home.

Commentary:

1؎:
In the previous narration, there is mention of four rak‘ahs before Zuhr, and in this one, only two rak‘ahs are mentioned. Both are authentic. Depending on circumstances and situations, one may act upon either of the two. However, acting upon both is more virtuous.

Commentary:
1:
It is established that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to perform four rak‘ahs before the obligatory (fard) prayer of Zuhr,
but here only two are mentioned.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar reconciled between the two by stating that sometimes the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would perform two rak‘ahs before Zuhr, and at other times four.

874. Commentary:

➊ In the hadith, both two rak‘ahs and four rak‘ahs before Zuhr are transmitted, therefore both ways are permissible. Also, in the narration in which the virtue of twelve rak‘ahs is mentioned, it amounts to four before Zuhr. See: [صحیح مسلم ، صلاة المسافرین ، حدیث : 728 ، 730]
It is possible that sometimes only two were performed. Or, if two were performed before, then four were performed after, because in some narrations, four rak‘ahs after Zuhr are also mentioned. Thus, in total, there should be twelve. It is better that these are performed in the manner reported in the ahadith.

➋ After Jumu‘ah, the mention is of two rak‘ahs. [صحیح مسلم ، الجمعة ، حدیث : 882]
And in one verbal narration, four rak‘ahs are mentioned: whoever wishes to pray after Jumu‘ah should pray four rak‘ahs. See: [صحیح مسلم ، الجمعة ، حدیث : 881]
Based on these narrations, some scholars have specified four in the mosque and two at home. However, this specification is not necessary; it is left to one’s discretion—one may pray four or two, but the importance of four remains established. Some scholars are of the opinion to combine both, i.e., pray four in the mosque and then two more at home. Although the practice of six rak‘ahs is found from Ibn ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhuma), there is no evidence of this method from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). This was the personal ijtihad or opinion of Ibn ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhuma), which certainly does not have the status of a marfu‘ hadith. Therefore, the better way is, instead of combining two and four, to act upon both separately—i.e., on some Fridays pray two, and on others pray four. Insha’Allah, this will be closer to the Sunnah. And Allah knows best.

Hadith Authentication: [وأخرجه البخاري 937، ومسلم 882، من حديث مالك به]
Jurisprudential Points:
➊ In this hadith, the mention is of the voluntary (nafl) prayers of the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and for the Ummah these prayers are Sunnah.
➋ The four Sunnah units (rak‘ahs) before the obligatory (fard) prayer of Dhuhr are also established. See: [صحيح مسلم 730، ترقيم دارالسلام 1699]
Whoever performs four rak‘ahs before Dhuhr and four rak‘ahs after it, Allah the Exalted will make his body forbidden for the (Hell) Fire. [سنن النسائي 264/3، 265 ح 1813، وسنده حسن]
➌ The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: May Allah have mercy on the person who performs four rak‘ahs before ‘Asr. [سنن ابي داود : 1271، وسنده حسن]
Two rak‘ahs before ‘Asr are also established. See: [سنن ابي داود 1242، وسنده حسن لذاته]
➍ Whether it is day or night, voluntary (nafl) and Sunnah prayers should be performed in sets of two rak‘ahs. Sayyiduna Ibn ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu said: The (nafl) prayer of the night and day is in sets of two rak‘ahs. [السنن الكبريٰ للبيهقي 487/2 وسنده صحيح]
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: The prayer of the night and day is in sets of two rak‘ahs. [سنن ابي داود، 1295، وسنده حسن]
➎ It is narrated from Nafi‘ that (Sayyiduna) ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu used to perform two rak‘ahs at night and four rak‘ahs during the day, then would say the salam. [مصنف عبدالرزاق 5٠1/2 ح4225 وسنده حسن، الاوسط لابن المنذر 236/5 ح2773 وعنده : عبيد الله بن عمر !]
Ibn ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu used to perform four rak‘ahs during the day. [مصنف ابن ابي شيبه 274/2 ح6634 وسنده صحيح]
It is thus known that four rak‘ahs with one salam are permissible, but it is better to perform them in sets of two rak‘ahs.
➏ It is Sunnah to perform two rak‘ahs before the Jumu‘ah prayer, and after Jumu‘ah, performing either two or four rak‘ahs is established in both ways.

Takhrij:
«أخرجه البخاري، التهجد، باب التطوع بعد المكتوبة، حديث:1172، ومسلم، صلاة المسافرين، باب فضل السنن الراتبة قبل الفرائض وبعدهن، حديث:729، وحديث "كان إذا طلع الفجر لا يصلي إلا ركعتين خفيفتين"، حديث:723.»©Explanation:
➊ From this hadith, only two rak‘ahs before the obligatory (fard) prayer of Zuhr and two rak‘ahs after it are established. And from another hadith, the evidence for performing four rak‘ahs before and two after is also present.
See: (Sahih Muslim, Salat al-Musafirin, Hadith: 728, 730)

➋ In Sunan al-Nasa’i and some other hadith collections, there is also this narration from the noble wife of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Umm al-Mu’minin Umm Habibah radi Allahu anha, that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Whoever performs four rak‘ahs before the Zuhr prayer and four rak‘ahs after it, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will make the flesh of that person forbidden for the Fire of Hell.”
(Sunan al-Nasa’i, Qiyam al-Layl, Hadith: 1813)