Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Assalaamu’alaikum. I have some questions regarding the sunnah prayers of Dhuhr salaah (the ones we pray before the fardh of Dhuhr).
Firstly, I have been told that one can pray either 2 or 4 rakaats before the fardh – is this correct? Can we pray 2 on one day and 4 the next?
Secondly, if a person offers 4 rakaats before the fardh, should these be performed with two salaams (i.e. 2 by 2) or as one block of 4 rakaats with one salaam at the end?
Jazaakallah khair,
Wasalaam warahmatullah
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
I pray this finds you in the best of health and spirits.
The sunna before the obligatory Zuhr prayer is specifically four rakats with one set of salams in the Hanafi school, as this was the general practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), as related by Sayyida A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) and others.
Please search the SunniPath QA for related answers and proofs.
And Allah alone gives success.
Faraz Rabbani