Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Vol. 3 – Issues Related to Ṣalāh, p. 114 – 18 August 2013Ruling and Importance
- ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها said:
“The Prophet ﷺ never left four rakʿahs before Ẓuhr and two before Fajr.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1182)
- She also narrated:
“He ﷺ would pray four rakʿahs in his house before Ẓuhr, then go out and lead the people.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 730)
- ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Sāʾib رضي الله عنه said:
“After zawāl, before Ẓuhr, the Prophet ﷺ would pray four rakʿahs and say: ‘The gates of the heavens open at this time, and I love for my good deeds to be presented to Allāh then.’”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 478 – ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ chain)
- ʿAlī رضي الله عنه narrated:
“The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ used to pray four before Ẓuhr and two after.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 598–599 – ḥasan chain)
- Umm Ḥabībah رضي الله عنها narrated:
“Whoever consistently prays four rakʿahs before Ẓuhr and four after it, Allāh will forbid him to the Fire.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 428 – ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ; also in al-Baghawī, al-Ṭabarānī)
Authenticity
- The ḥadīth is ḥasan li-dhātih, and with multiple supporting chains becomes ṣaḥīḥ li-ghayrih.
- Narrators like Qāsim ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān and ʿAlāʾ ibn al-Ḥārith are trustworthy.
- Objections such as ikhtilāṭ or doctrinal flaws are unproven or rejected.
Practice of the Ṣaḥābah & Tābiʿīn
- ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه prayed four rakʿahs before Ẓuhr in his house.
- He said if night prayer was missed, it could be made up between Fajr and Ẓuhr (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 747).
- ʿAmr ibn Maymūn رحمه الله: “The Companions never left four before Ẓuhr and two before Fajr.” (Ibn Abī Shaybah – authentic chain)
Number of Rakʿahs
- Two rakʿahs before Ẓuhr are also established from the Prophet ﷺ (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1180; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 729).
- Ḥadīth: “Between every two adhāns (adhān and iqāmah) is a prayer – for whoever wishes.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 627; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 838)
From this:
- If one cannot pray four, praying two is sufficient.
- If missed before Ẓuhr, they may be prayed after.
How to Perform Them
- Best: Pray in sets of two (ṣalāt al-layl wa’l-nahār mathnā mathnā).
- If prayed four together with one salām, it is also valid.
If Missed Before Ẓuhr
- ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها: If the Prophet ﷺ missed the four before Ẓuhr, he prayed them afterward.
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 426 – ṣaḥīḥ chain) - A weak narration in Ibn Mājah mentions praying them after the two sunnahs post-Ẓuhr, but this specific order is not obligatory.
Summary:- Sunnah Muʾakkadah: Four before Ẓuhr (two + two).
- If missed, they can be prayed after Ẓuhr.
- Two rakʿahs are also permissible if short on time.
- Both individual sets of two or four together are valid, but two + two is superior.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
