Question 165) - How many Rak'at of Sunnah are made before and after the Fard?

A:? 12 Rak'at of Sunnah are emphasized. They are called Sunnah Muakkadah Emphasized]. Ummul Muminin 'Aishah radiyAliaahu 'anha narrated that the Nabi ~ said, "Allah will build a house in Jannah for he who is constant on twelve Rak'at of Sunnah - 4 before Zhuhr, 2 after 2 after Maghrib, 2 after 'Isha and 2 before Fajr."

(This is the words of at-Tirmizi, similarly narrated by an-Nasal. At-Tlrmizl adds, "In the chapter there are also narrations from Umm Habibah, Abu Hurayrah, Abu Musa and Ibn 'Umar." He then narrates the narration of Umm Habibah and declares it authentic. Muslim also narrates the Hadith of Umm Habibah and in the end says that she said, "I then always prayed these.")

Shurayh narrates that 'Aishah radiyAllaahu 'anha said, "Rasulullaah never prayed 'Isha, except that he would then come by me and pray 4 or 6 Rak'at." (Whoever practices upon these four or six mentioned does well. However, only two are emphasised because of the narration encouraging consistency on it. Abu Dawud narrates the Hadith of Shurayh.)

~ al-Quduri ~