Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
It is Sunnah to perform two light units (rak‘ahs) of prayer between the call to prayer (adhan) and the Maghrib prayer.
During the era of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), this was a common practice among the Companions (radi Allahu anhum).
However, later the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) stated that whoever wishes may perform them, and whoever wishes may leave them.
From this hadith, it is established that using pillars as a barrier (sutrah) while praying is proven, as well as the performance of these two rak‘ahs, as is apparent from the narration.
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) himself has connected (mawsul) the narration of Shu‘bah in the Book of Adhan.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
From these two narrations, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Salamah ibn al-Akwa’ radi Allahu anhu, and other senior Companions—may Allah be pleased with them all—used pillars as a sutrah (barrier) during prayer.
In the first narration, it is mentioned that Salamah ibn al-Akwa’ radi Allahu anhu would make a point to pray near the pillar where the Qur’an was kept.
In Sahih Muslim, it is stated that he would pray behind a chest.
This indicates that a copy of the Noble Qur’an was kept locked in a chest near one of the pillars of the Prophet’s Mosque.
Regarding this pillar, Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah writes:
There was a chest for the Mushaf Sharif (the Noble Qur’an) in which it was kept (since the time of Uthman radi Allahu anhu).
Since a specific place was designated for it, the pillar was identified by it.
Some of our shaykhs have informed us through research that this pillar is in the middle of the Rawdah Mubarakah and is famous as the Pillar of the Muhajirun (As-Sutwanah al-Muhajirin).
A’ishah radi Allahu anha used to say that if people recognized it, they would draw lots to seek nearness to it.
She had told Abdullah ibn Zubayr radi Allahu anhu this as a secret, so he would frequently pray near it. I have also seen this mentioned in Ibn Najjar’s Tarikh al-Madinah.
It is also mentioned there that the Muhajirun of Quraysh used to gather near this pillar.
And before this, Muhammad ibn Hasan also reported a similar practice in Akhbar al-Madinah.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/446)
2.
There is a place in the Prophet’s Mosque which the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam declared to be one of the gardens of Paradise.
There are several pillars in it, for example:
1. The Pillar of Knowledge (Ustuwanah al-‘Ilm) of the Prophet’s Place of Prayer
2. The Pillar of A’ishah
3. The Pillar of Repentance (Tawbah)
4. The Pillar of the Bed (Sarir)
5. The Pillar of Ali
6. The Pillar of Delegations (Wufud)
Below, we will mention only two pillars which are related to the narration of Salamah ibn al-Akwa’ radi Allahu anhu and the aforementioned clarification by Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah:
©.
The Pillar of Knowledge (Ustuwanah al-‘Ilm) of the Prophet’s Place of Prayer:
This pillar is adjacent to the pillar attributed to A’ishah radi Allahu anha, on the western side.
The aforementioned hadith of Salamah in Sahih Bukhari refers to this pillar.
Salamah ibn al-Akwa’ radi Allahu anhu would seek out this pillar and pray near it.
When he was asked the reason, he replied:
“I saw the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam also seeking out this place and praying there. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam led prayer here until the end of his life.”
During the caliphate of Uthman radi Allahu anhu, the Mushaf Sharif, which was kept in a chest as mentioned in the hadith, was to the right of this pillar.
©.
The Pillar of A’ishah:
This pillar is in the middle of the Rawdah min Riyad al-Jannah.
Its name is also inscribed on it in golden letters.
It is also called the Pillar of the Muhajirun, the Pillar of Drawing Lots (Qur‘ah), and the Pillar of Mukhallaqah.
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam led prayer near it for a few days after the change of the qiblah, then continued to lead prayer at his place of prayer until the end of his life.
And the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to lean against it and sit facing north.
Since A’ishah radi Allahu anha identified it, it became famous as the Pillar of A’ishah.
Clarification:
The first place of prayer (musalla) of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in the Prophet’s Mosque was in the north, where he led prayer facing Bayt al-Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months.
The second place of prayer was near the Pillar of A’ishah, where he led prayer for a few days after the change of the qiblah.
The third place of prayer was adjacent to the western side of the Pillar of A’ishah, near the Pillar of Knowledge (Ustuwanah al-‘Ilm), which remained until the end of his life.
The distance between the Prophet’s pulpit (minbar) and the Prophet’s place of prayer is fourteen cubits and one span.
(Wafa’ al-Wafa’: 1/267)
From this detail, it is clear that the pillar near which the Mushaf Sharif was kept was not the Pillar of the Muhajirun, but rather the Pillar of Knowledge (Ustuwanah al-‘Ilm) of the Prophet’s Place of Prayer.
This is contrary to the research presented by Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: From other narrations, it is established that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gave this command. He said: (Sallu qabla salat al-maghrib) "And pray before the Maghrib prayer." (Bukhari)

Two Rak‘ahs before Maghrib
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed two rak‘ahs before Maghrib, then said:

Perform two rak‘ahs before Maghrib. See: [مختصر قيام الليل للمقريزي ص64 وقال: هذا اسناد صحيح على شرط مسلم، آثار السنن: 694 وقال: و اسناده صحيح]

Then afterwards, he granted permission that whoever wishes may do so.

Therefore, it is understood that performing these rak‘ahs is permissible but not obligatory.

In contrast, in the narration in which it is mentioned that “Between the two calls (adhan and iqamah) of every prayer there are two rak‘ahs of supererogatory prayer (nafl), except for Maghrib.” [السنن الكبريٰ للبيهقي ج2 ص474]

Its chain is weak due to the confusion (ikhtilat) of Hayyan ibn ‘Ubaydullah.

For Hayyan’s confusion, see Kitab al-Du‘afa’ by al-‘Uqayli [ج1 ص319] and Lisan al-Mizan [ج2 ص370، دوسرانسخه ج2 ص702]

It is incorrect to abrogate a sound (sahih) hadith with a weak narration.

It is also established from the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) that they acted upon these rak‘ahs.

See: [صحيح بخاري 625، صحيح مسلم 837 اور آثار السنن 689۔ 691]

... See the original article ...

Fatawa ‘Ilmiyyah (Tawdih al-Ahkam) vol. 2, p. 77

1282. Commentary:
That is, he did not issue a binding command that it must necessarily be recited, but rather instructed its recitation as encouragement, as is mentioned in the preceding narration. Furthermore, he did not prohibit those who recited it, while the silence of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is an endorsement of this practice.

Benefits and Issues:

➊
It was the practice of the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma'in) to perform two non-emphasized (ghayr mu’akkadah) Sunnah units of prayer before the obligatory (fard) prayer of Maghrib.

➋
When the iqamah is pronounced, everyone stands up to perform the congregational prayer. The noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma'in) would also stand in this manner to perform the first Sunnah units of Maghrib, meaning all the Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma'in) would perform them.

➌
Some people raise an objection: since the time for Maghrib prayer is short, performing Sunnah prayers before it causes a delay in the performance of the obligatory prayer. However, this objection is not valid, because the Sunnah prayers before and after the obligatory prayer are considered part of the same prayer. Therefore, performing the Sunnah prayers cannot be regarded as causing a delay in the obligatory prayer. Rather, it can be said that the prescribed (masnun) time for the obligatory prayer is that after the adhan, two units of Sunnah are performed and then the congregation stands for the obligatory prayer.