Mukhtar bin Fulful said: I asked Anas bin Malik (RA) about the voluntary prayers after the afternoon prayer, and he replied: 'Umar struck hit hands on prayer observed after the 'Asr prayer and we used to observe two rak'ahs after the sun set before the evening prayer during the time of the Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) . I said to him: Did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observe them? He said: He saw us observing them, but he neither commanded us nor forbade us to do so.
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
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)
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 1938
Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai
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]