Author: Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani (Hafidhahullah)
Question:
Some individuals in our community offer two Sunnah Rakats instead of four before the Dhuhr prayer, claiming it is permissible. Is this correct?
Answer:
Before the obligatory Dhuhr prayer, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) would sometimes offer four Rakats and, at other times, two Rakats. Both practices are authentically reported from the Prophet (ﷺ). This is evidenced in Sahih Bukhari:
عن ابي عمر رضي الله عنهما قال حفظت من النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم عشر ركعات ركعتين قبل الظهر وركعتين بعدها [ بخاري، كتاب التهجد : باب الركعتين قبل الظهر 1180 ]
"Abdullah ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) reported: I memorized ten Rakats from the Prophet (ﷺ): two Rakats before Dhuhr, two after Dhuhr, two after Maghrib at home, two after Isha at home, and two before Fajr."
Furthermore, it is narrated from Lady Aisha (رضي الله عنها):
ان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كان لا يدع اربعا قبل الظهر وركعتين قبل الغداة [ بخاري، كتاب التهجد : باب الركعتين قبل الظهر 1182 ]
"The Prophet (ﷺ) never abandoned four Rakats before Dhuhr and two Rakats before Fajr."
There is no contradiction between the narrations of Lady Aisha (رضي الله عنها) and Abdullah ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما). As explained by Hafidh Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani (رحمه الله):
ولاولٰي ان يحمل علٰي حالين فكان تارة يصلي اثنتين وتارة يصلي اربعا وقيل هو محمول علٰي أنه كان فى المسجد يقتصر علٰي ركعتين وفي بيته يصلي اربعا [نيل الأوطار 18/3، فقه السنة 187/1 ]
"It is preferable to interpret the narrations as referring to two different states. Sometimes, the Prophet (ﷺ) offered two Rakats, and at other times, he offered four. It is also suggested that he would offer two Rakats in the mosque and four Rakats at home."
Both Abdullah ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) and Lady Aisha (رضي الله عنها) reported based on what they observed. Lady Aisha’s (رضي الله عنها) report of four Rakats being offered at home is corroborated by the following Hadith:
عن عائشة قالت كان يصلي فى بيتي قبل الظهر اربعا [ مسلم، كتاب صلاة المسافرين : باب جواز النافلة قائمًا وقاعدًا 730، أبوداؤد 1251 ]
"Lady Aisha (رضي الله عنها) narrated: The Prophet (ﷺ) would offer four Rakats before Dhuhr in my house.
Question:
Some individuals in our community offer two Sunnah Rakats instead of four before the Dhuhr prayer, claiming it is permissible. Is this correct?
Answer:
Before the obligatory Dhuhr prayer, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) would sometimes offer four Rakats and, at other times, two Rakats. Both practices are authentically reported from the Prophet (ﷺ). This is evidenced in Sahih Bukhari:
عن ابي عمر رضي الله عنهما قال حفظت من النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم عشر ركعات ركعتين قبل الظهر وركعتين بعدها [ بخاري، كتاب التهجد : باب الركعتين قبل الظهر 1180 ]
"Abdullah ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) reported: I memorized ten Rakats from the Prophet (ﷺ): two Rakats before Dhuhr, two after Dhuhr, two after Maghrib at home, two after Isha at home, and two before Fajr."
Furthermore, it is narrated from Lady Aisha (رضي الله عنها):
ان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كان لا يدع اربعا قبل الظهر وركعتين قبل الغداة [ بخاري، كتاب التهجد : باب الركعتين قبل الظهر 1182 ]
"The Prophet (ﷺ) never abandoned four Rakats before Dhuhr and two Rakats before Fajr."
There is no contradiction between the narrations of Lady Aisha (رضي الله عنها) and Abdullah ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما). As explained by Hafidh Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani (رحمه الله):
ولاولٰي ان يحمل علٰي حالين فكان تارة يصلي اثنتين وتارة يصلي اربعا وقيل هو محمول علٰي أنه كان فى المسجد يقتصر علٰي ركعتين وفي بيته يصلي اربعا [نيل الأوطار 18/3، فقه السنة 187/1 ]
"It is preferable to interpret the narrations as referring to two different states. Sometimes, the Prophet (ﷺ) offered two Rakats, and at other times, he offered four. It is also suggested that he would offer two Rakats in the mosque and four Rakats at home."
Both Abdullah ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) and Lady Aisha (رضي الله عنها) reported based on what they observed. Lady Aisha’s (رضي الله عنها) report of four Rakats being offered at home is corroborated by the following Hadith:
عن عائشة قالت كان يصلي فى بيتي قبل الظهر اربعا [ مسلم، كتاب صلاة المسافرين : باب جواز النافلة قائمًا وقاعدًا 730، أبوداؤد 1251 ]
"Lady Aisha (رضي الله عنها) narrated: The Prophet (ﷺ) would offer four Rakats before Dhuhr in my house.
Conclusion:
The above-mentioned Hadiths clarify that:- Offering two Rakats before Dhuhr is permissible.
- Offering four Rakats before Dhuhr is also valid.