Is There Any Proof for Six Voluntary Rakʿahs Between Maghrib and ʿIshā’?
Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
Is there any authentic evidence for offering six rakʿahs of voluntary prayer between Maghrib and ʿIshā’?
The ḥadīths commonly cited regarding the virtue of praying between Maghrib and ʿIshā’, especially those mentioning six rakʿahs, are all weak (ḍaʿīf) and not acceptable as proof. Here is a detailed analysis:
“Whoever prays twenty rakʿahs between Maghrib and ʿIshā’, Allah will build a house for him in Paradise.”
Sunan Ibn Mājah: 1373
This narration is fabricated (mawḍūʿ).
“He was among the great liars and used to fabricate ḥadīths.”
Al-Jarḥ wa al-Taʿdīl: 9/216
“He was a liar.”
Al-Jarḥ wa al-Taʿdīl: 6/224
“Whoever performs six rakʿahs after Maghrib without speaking any evil in between, it will be equal to twelve years of worship.”
Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 435, Sunan Ibn Mājah: 1374, Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah: 1195
Very weak due to ʿUmar ibn Abī Shum – a weak and rejected narrator.
“I saw the Prophet ﷺ offering six rakʿahs after Maghrib and he said: Whoever performs six rakʿahs after Maghrib, all his sins will be forgiven, even if as much as the foam of the sea.”
Al-Muʿjam al-Awsaṭ by al-Ṭabarānī: 7245
The chain is very weak and contains unknown (majhūl) narrators.
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn al-Jawzī رحمه الله said:
“It contains unknown narrators.”
Al-ʿIlal al-Mutanāhiyah: 776
“The prayer of the oft-repentant (ṣalāt al-awwābīn) is between the time people turn away after Maghrib and before ʿIshā’.”
Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 2/196
Weak chain due to Mūsā ibn ʿUbaydah al-Rabdhī.
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Kathīr رحمه الله said:
“He is weak according to the majority of scholars.”
Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, under Surah al-Isrā’: 44
“Whoever offers four rakʿahs after Maghrib is like one who joins one battle after another.”
Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 2/196
Again, the chain contains Mūsā ibn ʿUbaydah, hence weak.
﴿تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ﴾
“They forsake their beds...”
They interpreted this as:
“The prayer of the awwābīn is between Maghrib and ʿIshā’.”
Al-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī: 3/19
Weak due to Ibn Lahīʿah, who is mixed-up and a mudallis.
The narration has no accessible chain, and its authenticity cannot be verified.
Some label this prayer between Maghrib and ʿIshā’ as Ṣalāt al-Awwābīn, but this is not accurate, as the authentic Sunnah refers to Ṣalāt al-Awwābīn as the Duḥā (forenoon) prayer, based on sound ḥadīths.
Offering unspecified nafl (voluntary) prayers between Maghrib and ʿIshā’ is proven from the Prophet ﷺ. However, to specify six rakʿahs with a set virtue is not supported by any authentic ḥadīth.
Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
❖ Question:
Is there any authentic evidence for offering six rakʿahs of voluntary prayer between Maghrib and ʿIshā’?
❖ Answer:
The ḥadīths commonly cited regarding the virtue of praying between Maghrib and ʿIshā’, especially those mentioning six rakʿahs, are all weak (ḍaʿīf) and not acceptable as proof. Here is a detailed analysis:
✿ Analysis of Reported Narrations:
① Ḥadīth from Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها:
“Whoever prays twenty rakʿahs between Maghrib and ʿIshā’, Allah will build a house for him in Paradise.”
Sunan Ibn Mājah: 1373 This narration is fabricated (mawḍūʿ).- Yaʿqūb ibn Walīd al-Madanī is in the chain.
- Imām Aḥmad رحمه الله said about him:
“He was among the great liars and used to fabricate ḥadīths.”
Al-Jarḥ wa al-Taʿdīl: 9/216- The supporting narration in al-Kāmil fī Ḍuʿafā’ al-Rijāl includes ʿAmr ibn Jarīr, about whom Imām Abū Ḥātim said:
“He was a liar.”
Al-Jarḥ wa al-Taʿdīl: 6/224② Ḥadīth from Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:
“Whoever performs six rakʿahs after Maghrib without speaking any evil in between, it will be equal to twelve years of worship.”
Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 435, Sunan Ibn Mājah: 1374, Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah: 1195 Very weak due to ʿUmar ibn Abī Shum – a weak and rejected narrator.③ Ḥadīth from ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir رضي الله عنهما:
“I saw the Prophet ﷺ offering six rakʿahs after Maghrib and he said: Whoever performs six rakʿahs after Maghrib, all his sins will be forgiven, even if as much as the foam of the sea.”
Al-Muʿjam al-Awsaṭ by al-Ṭabarānī: 7245 The chain is very weak and contains unknown (majhūl) narrators.Ḥāfiẓ Ibn al-Jawzī رحمه الله said:
“It contains unknown narrators.”
Al-ʿIlal al-Mutanāhiyah: 776④ Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما:
“The prayer of the oft-repentant (ṣalāt al-awwābīn) is between the time people turn away after Maghrib and before ʿIshā’.”
Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 2/196 Weak chain due to Mūsā ibn ʿUbaydah al-Rabdhī.Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Kathīr رحمه الله said:
“He is weak according to the majority of scholars.”
Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, under Surah al-Isrā’: 44⑤ Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما:
“Whoever offers four rakʿahs after Maghrib is like one who joins one battle after another.”
Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 2/196 Again, the chain contains Mūsā ibn ʿUbaydah, hence weak.⑥ Statement of Ibn al-Munkadir and Abū Ḥāzim on Surah al-Sajdah (32:16):
﴿تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ﴾
“They forsake their beds...”
They interpreted this as:
“The prayer of the awwābīn is between Maghrib and ʿIshā’.”
Al-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī: 3/19 Weak due to Ibn Lahīʿah, who is mixed-up and a mudallis.⑦ Statement of Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما:
The narration has no accessible chain, and its authenticity cannot be verified.
⚠ Note on Ṣalāt al-Awwābīn:
Some label this prayer between Maghrib and ʿIshā’ as Ṣalāt al-Awwābīn, but this is not accurate, as the authentic Sunnah refers to Ṣalāt al-Awwābīn as the Duḥā (forenoon) prayer, based on sound ḥadīths.
Important Note:
Offering unspecified nafl (voluntary) prayers between Maghrib and ʿIshā’ is proven from the Prophet ﷺ. However, to specify six rakʿahs with a set virtue is not supported by any authentic ḥadīth.
