What Is the Ruling on Praying Before the Obligatory Isha Prayer, and What Is the Regular Sunnah of Dhuhr Before and After It?
Question: Salam wa alakium, what is the ruling on praying sunnah for Isha before praying Isha ? i.e after athan but before praying it. Also what is the sunnah for duhr ? is it 4 before with 2 tasleems and 4 after with 2 tasleems (2 prayers of 2) ? JazakAllahu khairun
Summary:
The prayer before Isha is prescribed and recommended, but it is not one of the regular Sunnah prayers. Whoever prays two rakahs after the adhan of Isha and before the iqamah has acted upon the Sunnah. Abdullah ibn Mughaffal رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Between every two calls to prayer there is a prayer.” Then, on the third occasion, he said: “For whoever wishes.” Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim. As for the regular Sunnah of Dhuhr, the Sunnah is to pray four rakahs before Dhuhr with two tasleems, and two rakahs after Dhuhr as the regular Sunnah. If one prays four rakahs after it with two tasleems, then that is better and carries a greater reward, due to the established virtue of praying four rakahs before Dhuhr and four after it.
Answer:
First: Praying Before the Obligatory Isha Prayer
There is no regular Sunnah prayer before Isha like the regular Sunnah prayer before Fajr or Dhuhr. However, it is recommended for a Muslim to pray two rakahs between the adhan of Isha and its iqamah.
From the Sunnah:
- Sahih Al-BukhariThe evidence for this is the hadith of Abdullah ibn Mughaffal رضي الله عنه, who narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Between every two calls to prayer there is a prayer, between every two calls to prayer there is a prayer.” Then, on the third occasion, he said: “For whoever wishes.”
What is meant by the two calls to prayer is the adhan and the iqamah. Therefore, this hadith includes the time between the adhan of Isha and its iqamah, and the statement of the Prophet ﷺ, “For whoever wishes,” indicates that it is recommended and not obligatory.
From the Scholars:
- Shaykh Abdul Aziz ibn Baz رحمه الله said: In the fatwa, Is There a Sunnah Prayer Before Isha?:
“Likewise with Isha, when the muadhin gives the adhan, he should pray two rakahs, due to the statement of the Prophet ﷺ: ‘Between every two calls to prayer there is a prayer.’” He then explained that it is a Sunnah prayer before Isha.
As for the emphasized regular Sunnah prayer of Isha, it is two rakahs after it.
From the Sunnah:
- Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.This is based on the hadith of Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما, who said:
“I memorized from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ten rakahs which he used to pray during the night and day: two rakahs before Dhuhr, two rakahs after it, two rakahs after Maghrib, and two rakahs after the latter Isha prayer. And Hafsah told me that he used to pray two rakahs before Fajr.”
Second: The Regular Sunnah Before Dhuhr
- Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.It is authentically reported from Aishah رضي الله عنها that she said:
“The Prophet ﷺ would not leave four rakahs before Dhuhr and two rakahs before Fajr.”
- Sahih MuslimIt is also authentically reported from her that she said regarding the Prophet ﷺ:
“He would pray four rakahs in my house before Dhuhr, then he would go out and lead the people in prayer, then he would return and pray two rakahs.”
Therefore, it is better to consistently maintain four rakahs before Dhuhr.
The four rakahs are prayed as two rakahs followed by tasleem, then another two rakahs followed by tasleem.
From the Scholars:
- Shaykh Ibn Baz رحمه الله said: In the fatwa, The Regular Sunnah of Dhuhr and How It Is Prayed:
“The Sunnah is to pray four rakahs before Dhuhr with two tasleems.”
Third: The Sunnah After Dhuhr: Two Rakahs or Four?
From the Sunnah:
- Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.Two rakahs after Dhuhr are established in the hadith of Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما:
“Two rakahs before Dhuhr and two rakahs after it.”
These two rakahs are the emphasized regular Sunnah prayer after Dhuhr.
However, a great virtue has been reported regarding adding another two rakahs, thereby praying four rakahs after Dhuhr.
From the Sunnah:
- Narrated by Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasai, and Ibn Majah, and authenticated by al-Albani رحمه الله.. This is based on the hadith of Umm Habibah رضي الله عنها, who narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever prays four rakahs before Dhuhr and four after it, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will forbid his flesh from the Fire. I have not left them since I heard them.”
From the Scholars:
- Shaykh Ibn Baz رحمه الله said:
“The Sunnah before Dhuhr is four regular Sunnah rakahs... and after it is one tasleem, and if he prays four after it, then that is better... This is what is better: four before it and four after it with two tasleems.”
A Brief Description of How to Pray Them: If a Muslim wishes to do what is most complete in this matter: Before Isha: Two recommended rakahs after the adhan and before the iqamah. They are not a regular Sunnah prayer. Before Dhuhr: Two rakahs → Tasleem → Two rakahs → Tasleem. After Dhuhr: Two rakahs → Tasleem. These are the emphasized regular Sunnah prayer. If he adds another two rakahs: Two rakahs → Tasleem. He thereby attains the virtue of maintaining four rakahs after Dhuhr. After Isha: Two rakahs, which are the regular Sunnah prayer after Isha. Conclusion: The prayer before Isha is a recommended Sunnah prayer, but it is not one of the regular Sunnah prayers. It is better for a Muslim to pray two rakahs between the adhan and the iqamah. As for Dhuhr, it is better to pray four rakahs before it with two tasleems, and two rakahs after it as an emphasized regular Sunnah prayer. If one prays four rakahs after it with two tasleems, then that is better, due to the hadith: “Whoever maintains four rakahs before Dhuhr and four after it, Allah will forbid him from the Fire.” Therefore, praying four rakahs before Dhuhr and four after it, with every two rakahs concluded by a separate tasleem, is an established and prescribed practice that carries great virtue.
And Allah knows best.
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