Question:
Asslamualaikum,
Will you please let me know how many rakat of Sunna prayer are before Duhr salat? Is it four or two rakat? If four, then how to pray the four rakats? Two and two or four rakats at a time like fard salat?
Answer:
In the name of Allah the Most Merciful.
Walaykum salam,
The most authentic is two rakat before Duhr salat. The proof is: hadith reported in Bukhari & Muslim, narrated by Abdullah Ibn Omar (r.a.): “I prayed with the Prophet (pbuh) and he prayed two rakah before Fajr, two before Duhr, two after Duhr, two after Magrib and two rakat after Isha”.
We need to note that there are different hadiths narrated by Um Habibba (r.a.):
” The Prophet (pbuh) said “whoever prays four rakah before Duhr, then surely Allah will build a house for him in Jannah (Paradise)”. Narrated in Al-Tirmidi
“Whoever pray four rakat before Duhr, Allah will protect his skin from the Hellfire".
These hadiths make reference to Nafela (contribution) salats. Therefore, if you pray these Nafela, you should pray two and two rakats. Imam Anawawi said that you could pray four together as done in the Fard salah.
Allah knows best
Shk. Mostafa