The four rakahs before Zuhr: those who considered them recommended

Abu Salih said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Four rak'ahs before Zuhr are equal to the night prayer (tahajjud)."

Al-Musayyib bin Rafi' said: Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) said: What are the four rak'ahs before Zuhr which you perform regularly? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The gates of Paradise are opened when the sun passes the meridian, and they are not closed until the prayer has been performed, so I love to send forward (a good deed at that time)."

Something similar is reported through another chain.

Abdullah bin Utbah said: I prayed four rak'ahs before Zuhr with Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) in his room.

Amr bin Maymun said: The noble Companions would not leave the four rak'ahs before Zuhr and the two rak'ahs before Fajr under any circumstance.

Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: In the four rak'ahs before Zuhr one does not say the salam in between them; however, he recites the tashahhud.

Abdullah bin Utbah said: I saw Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) offering four rak'ahs before Zuhr.

Ibn Abi Namir said: Sa'id bin al-Musayyib used to offer four rak'ahs before Zuhr.

An elder of the Ansar narrates from his father that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The reward of four rak'ahs before Zuhr is equal to freeing a slave from the descendants of Isma'il."

Salim said: Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to pray four rak'ahs before Zuhr.

Sa'id bin Jubayr used to pray four rak'ahs before Zuhr.

Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray four rak'ahs before Zuhr.