Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
It was a common practice among the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) to perform two units (rak‘ahs) of Sunnah prayer before the congregational (jama‘ah) prayer of Maghrib.
The purpose of Imam Bukhari’s (rahimahullah) chapter here is to show that there should be at least enough of an interval between the call to prayer (adhan) and the commencement (iqamah) so that two units of voluntary (nafl) prayer can be performed.
Even Maghrib is not exempt from this.
Some scholars from Deoband have written that later on, performing these rak‘ahs was prohibited.
However, they did not clarify who it was that issued this prohibition.
Perhaps they are aware of a hadith from the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) indicating such a prohibition.
But we have not come across such a hadith.
Despite writing this, these same scholars have also declared these rak‘ahs to be permissible.
(See Tafheem al-Bukhari, vol. 3, p: )

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
From this narration, it is also understood that there should be at least enough interval between the adhan (call to prayer) and the iqamah (commencement call) so that two units (rak‘ahs) can be performed. Indeed, this hadith clarifies that the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would turn towards the pillars of the mosque at the time of the Maghrib adhan, so that they could use them as a sutrah (barrier) and perform two voluntary (nafl) rak‘ahs before the congregational prayer. Then, when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would come from his house to the mosque, the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) would still be engaged in prayer. In another hadith, Anas (radi Allahu anhu) states that after sunset, we would perform two rak‘ahs while the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was watching us. He neither commanded us to do so nor forbade us from it. (Sahih Muslim, Salat al-Musafirin, Hadith: 1938(836))

There are also some narrations in which the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) explicitly instructed to perform two rak‘ahs after the adhan and before the congregation. He said: “Pray before Maghrib, pray before Maghrib.” Then, the third time, he said: “This command is only for the one who wishes to do so.” He said this out of concern that people might take it as a binding Sunnah. (Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Jumu‘ah, Hadith: 1183)

It is also established from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) himself that he performed these two rak‘ahs before Maghrib. In one narration, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed two rak‘ahs before Maghrib. (Sahih Ibn Hibban (al-Ihsan), Hadith: 1586) The wording “the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed two rak‘ahs before Maghrib” has been declared shaadh (anomalous) by Shaykh al-Albani. For details, see: (al-Da‘ifah, Hadith number: 5662)

In summary, the intent of Imam al-Bukhari (rahimahullah) is that there must be some interval between the adhan and the iqamah. That interval should be at least enough that two rak‘ahs can be performed. When time was given for two rak‘ahs before Maghrib prayer, even though the time for Maghrib is limited, then for the other prayers, it is even more appropriate that such an interval is established.

(2)
At the end of the hadith, the phrase (لَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَ الأَذَانِ وَالإِقَامَةِ شَيْءٌ) does not mean that there was no interval at all between the adhan and the iqamah. Rather, the tanween (indefiniteness) on the word “shay’” is for magnification, meaning that there was not a great interval between the two. Imam al-Bukhari (rahimahullah) clarified this through the narration of ‘Uthman ibn Jabalah and Abu Dawud, that the interval between the two was very short. Accordingly, Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has written, quoting Ibn Munir, that the absolute negation in the narration is metaphorical for emphasis, and the other narration, which establishes the brevity of the interval, is literal. (Fath al-Bari: 2/142)

It should be noted that the short interval between the adhan and the iqamah pertains only to the Maghrib prayer, because its time is somewhat limited. For the other prayers, a longer interval may be kept. However, even before Maghrib, there should be at least enough time that two rak‘ahs can be performed.

Benefit:

This narration has already been mentioned earlier in Hadith (503). In this narration, it is: «كَانَ الْمُؤَذِّنُ إِذَا أَذَّنَ» and in [مسند السراج 574] it is: «إِذَا أَخَذَ الْمُؤَذِّنُ فِيْ أَذَانِ الْمَغْرِبِ» “when the muezzin of Maghrib would begin to call the adhan.” In this place, it is: «قَامَ نَاسٌ» and in the narration of [شرح مشكل الآثار 5499] it is: «قَامَ كِبَارُ أَصْحَابِ رَسُوْلِ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم» The prominent Companions (radi Allahu anhum) of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would stand up. In [صحيح مسلم 837] it is mentioned that when a stranger would come, he would think that the prayer had already been performed, due to the large number of people who were performing these two rak‘ahs. The tanween on «شَيئ» is for the purpose of magnification, therefore it has been translated as: “there was not much interval.” This is supported by the narration of Shu‘bah, that there was only a short interval between the two.

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 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