Answered by Sidi Suheil Laher
I read on your website about the number of sunnah prayers during Salat-ul-Juma. You say that according to Hanafi madhab there are 4 before, 4 after + 2 after the Fard of Juma. I live in Bulgaria, and also in Turkey, we pray as follows: 4 sunnah 2 fard 4 sunnah 4 zuhr akhir 2 sunnah Is there any proof for what we are praying here?
wa`alaykum as-salam wa-rahmatullah
1. It is recommended, in the Hanafi school, to pray 4 rak`ah before Jumu`ah. This is supported by the general implication of the hadith, narrated by Abu Dawud, that the Prophet would pray 4 rak`ah after the sun passed its zenith (zawal) stating that it is a time when the doors of the heavens are opened. This hadith is not specifically about Jumu`ah, but there is no reason to exclude Jumu`ah from it either, especially in light of the practice of some of the Sahabah. [I`la al-Sunan]
2. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and his Household and grant them peace) said, “When one of you prays Jumu`ah, he should pray 4 [rak`ah] after it.” [Muslim] It is also established that he prayed two rak`ah after jumu`ah. Imam Abu Hanifah concluded that the 4 rak`ah is sunnah mu’akkadah (i.e. the Prophet might have prayed 2 additional rak`ah as ghayr-mu’akkadah, or perhaps he sometimes did only 2 instead of 4 due to time constraints). Imams Abu Yusuf and Muhammad ibn al-Hasan concluded that all the 6 rak`ah are sunnah mu’akkadah. Therefore, it is good, for one who is able, to do 6 sunnah after Jumu`ah, and if not then at least 4.
3. Regarding the 4 extra rak`ah of “zuhr akhir” : there is no need for this, unless there is a reasonable doubt that one or more of the conditions (shurut) of Jumu`ah were not fulfilled. If that is the case, then the order you mention (4 sunnah 2 fard 4 sunnah 4 zuhr akhir 2 sunnah) is fine. [Ibn `Abidin] It is worth noting that if there is a real problem with one or more of the shurut if Jumu`ah, then this should be rectified as soon as possible by discussion with the imam/masjid committee. If there is no shar`i problem with the validity of the Jumu`ah, then the “4 akhir zuhr” should be avoided. In either case, people should not think that Jumu`ah is not fard and that zuhr has to be performed anyway.
And Allah knows best.
Was-salam
-sl