Rulings on the Four Sunnah Rak’ahs Before Zuhr Prayer
Question
What are the rulings regarding the four Sunnah rak’ahs before the obligatory rak’ahs of Zuhr? If one is unable to pray the four Sunnah rak’ahs before the obligatory rak’ahs, what is the ruling?
(Abdul Mateen – Australia)
Answer
It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺ never missed four rak’ahs before Zuhr and two rak’ahs before Fajr prayer.
In another narration, it is stated that he used to pray four rak’ahs at home before Zuhr, then go outside and lead the people in prayer, etc.
It is narrated from Sayyidina Abdullah bin Saib bin Saifi Al-Makhzumi (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray four rak’ahs after midday, before Zuhr, then he would say: At this time, the gates of the heavens are opened, and I like that my good deeds be presented (i.e., elevated) in the Divine Court.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali ibn Abi Talib (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray four rak’ahs before Dhuhr and two rak’ahs after it.
It is narrated from the respected wife of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), Sayyida Umm Habiba (رضي الله عنها), that I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say:
من حافظ على أربع ركعات قبل الظهر و أربع بعدها حرمه الله على النار .
Whoever preserves four rak’ahs before Dhuhr and four rak’ahs after Dhuhr (meaning he always prays these rak’ahs), Allah has forbidden the Fire for him, meaning he will not enter the Hellfire.
The chain of this narration is good in itself and there are many evidences for it, due to which this hadith is considered authentic or close to authentic.
One of the narrators in this chain, Abu Abdur-Rahman Qasim ibn Abdur-Rahman al-Dimashqi, is considered trustworthy and truthful according to the majority in the preferred opinion.
Ayni Hanafi has written:
وثقه الجمهور۔۔۔إلخ
Alaa bin Harith bin Abdul Warith Al-Dimashqi, a student of Qasim bin Abdul Rahman, is a narrator of Sahih Muslim and is trustworthy and truthful. While the majority have authenticated him, some have also raised objections against him:
➊ Confusion
(This objection is false and rejected because it is not proven)
The narrator of this objection, Abu Ubaid Al-Ajri, is unknown.
➋ Predestination
(This is never proven from him with an authentic chain that he denied predestination)
After the majority’s authentication, such an objection (regarding predestination, etc.) is rejected, and this objection has no connection with the narration of the hadith.
Warning:
There are other narrations on this topic as well.
Our master Umar bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed four rak’ahs before Dhuhr in his house.
It is narrated from Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Qari, may Allah have mercy on him, that he went to Umar bin Khattab (RA) and saw that he was praying (Nafl) prayer before Dhuhr. So he asked: O Commander of the Faithful! What prayer is this? He (RA) said: This is one of the night prayers.
Meaning, this is the night (Tahajjud) prayer which I am now praying.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Umar (RA) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Whoever sleeps after his Hizb (i.e., his litanies and remembrances) or a part of it, then let him pray it between Fajr and Dhuhr; he will receive the reward as if he had prayed it at night.
From this hadith, Imam Ibn Khuzaymah deduced that if the Tahajjud prayer is missed, then it should be prayed during the time mentioned in the hadith (between Fajr and Dhuhr).
The great trustworthy and devout Tabi’i, Amr ibn Maymun al-Awdi, may Allah have mercy on him (74 AH), who became a Muslim during the Jahiliyyah period, said that the companions of the Prophet ﷺ never omitted four rak’ahs before Dhuhr and two rak’ahs before Fajr under any circumstances.
Abu al-Ahwas Salam ibn Sulaym Akfi, their master from Kufa, heard from Husayn ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Salmi before their mixing; his narrations from Husayn are found in
.
The summary of all these narrations and reports is that it is completely correct to pray four rak’ahs (Nawafil or Sunnahs) before Dhuhr. It should be noted that it is also established from the Prophet ﷺ that he used to pray two rak’ahs before Dhuhr.
From this, it is proven that praying only two Sunnahs before the obligatory Dhuhr prayer is also permissible.
In one hadith, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Between the two Adhans (the call to prayer) there is a (Nafl) prayer. Then he said (for the third or fourth time):
لمن شاء
Whoever wishes.
From this, it is understood that if someone is unable to perform these two rak’ahs (or four rak’ahs for some reason), it is permissible.
Note:
It is Sunnah and better to perform the four Sunnah rak’ahs in sets of two, as proven by the authentic hadith of صلوة الليل والنهار مشنی مشنی, and this is also the ruling of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (RA).
Hasan Basri (RA) also held the same ruling, and Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (RA) also acted upon it.
If the four rak’ahs are performed with only one salam instead of two sets of two, it is also permissible, as proven by the practice of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (RA).
The answer to the second part of the question is that it is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (RA) that when the Prophet ﷺ did not perform the four rak’ahs before Dhuhr, he would perform them afterward.
In another narration, it is mentioned that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to pray these four rak’ahs after the two Sunnahs of Dhuhr prayer.
This narration is weak due to the narrator Qais bin Al-Rabi’ (according to the majority’s assessment), therefore the mentioned sequence of these Sunnahs is not necessary.
If a person is unable to pray the first four or two Sunnahs of Dhuhr before the Dhuhr prayer (for some reason), it is still permissible according to the hadith with لمن شاء. واللہ اعلم
