#204: Ruling on making Four Raka`āt of Nāfilah with One Salām during the Day

QUESTION

“Assalamu alaikum, Please is it permissible to observe 4 rakkat of nafila with one Salam during the day”

ANSWER:

Alhamdulillaah!

The matter about which you ask is one in which the Ulamaa differed.

While some of them regard it permissible (mubaah) such as the minority view in the Hanbali school, the Shafi’is and some of the Hanafis, some of them consider it disliked (makruh) such as the Malikis and the dominant view in the Hanbali school.

In fact, some of the Zahiris consider it mustahab if it is the 4 nawaafil raka’aat that preceed Salaatu Az-Zuhr.

They differed due to the Hadith transmitted by At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah:

“The Prophet – salallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam – used to observe 4 raka’aat after the sun has passed its zenith, he will not make the Salaat but at the end of it” he said “It indeed opens the gates of the Heavens so I like that in that situation good deeds from me should ascend.”

The Hadith was declared weak (da’if) according to majority of the Huffaadh (Ulamaa of Hadith)) as mentioned by An-Nawawi – rahimahullaah -. Shaykh Al-Albaani declared a part of the Hadith ‘Hasan’ and some other of its wordings ‘Da’if’. Their difference is partly based on the authenticity of this Hadith.

But they are all agreed that it is better to observe every naafilah in two units (raka’at) each. This is due to the Hadith transmitted by both Imaam Al-Bukhaari and Imaam Muslim that the Rasul – salallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam – said: “The night voluntary prayers are in twos”

And in the transmission of Imaam Ahmad, Abu Daawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa’i and Ibn Maajah, the wording is:

“The voluntary night and day-time prayers are in twos”

On that note, Imaam Al-Bukhaari – rahimahullaah – said:

“The Chapter discussing that the voluntary salaat is in twos. And that is mentioned of Ammaar, Abu Dharr, Anas, Jaabir bn Zayd, Ikrimah and Az-Zuhri – radiyallaahu ‘anhum. Yahya bn Sa’id Al-Ansaari said: ‘I did not meet the Fuqahaa of our land except that they used to make the Salaam after every two raka’at they perform in the day-time prayers”

Allahu A’alam!
BaarakaAllahu feekum.

📨@IslamNode📤