QUESTION:
There is a special virtue for performing 12 Rakaat Sunnah Muakkadah daily. On Fridays, which 4 Rakaat of Zuhr is included among these 12? Is it the 4 before or the 4 after Zuhr?
ANSWER:
After studying the books of Hadith and Fiqh, we understand that the 4 Sunnats that should be performed at the time of Jumuah to acquire the virtue of entering Jannah, refers to the 4 Rakaats of Sunnah before the Jumuah Salaah, and not the 4 Rakaats Sunnah after the Jumuah Salaah. The Hadith states:
ما من عبد مسلم يصلي في كل يوم ثنتي عشرة ركعة تطوعا من غير الفريضة الا بني الله بيتا في الجنة
Whichever Muslim servant performs 12 optional Rakaats besides the Fardh Salaah then Allah Ta’ala will build him a house in Jannah. [Re:- Tirmidhi / Nasai’ee]
The 12 Rakaats referred to in this Hadith are the 2 Sunnats before Fajr, 4 Sunnats before Zuhr or Jumuah, 2 Sunnats after Maghrib and 2 Sunnats after Esha. The 4 Sunnats before Jumuah are established and proven, and should not be omitted in the Hanafi Madhab as these are Sunnat-e-Muakkadah. However, there is difference of opinion with regards to the 4 Sunnah after the Jumuah Salaah.
عن نافع عن ابن عمر، انه كان إذا صلي الجمعة انصرف فصلي سجدتين في بيته، ثم قال: كان رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم يصنع ذلك (ترمذي #٥٣٠)
Naafi narrates that when Abdullah bin Umar Radiallahu Anhu would complete Jumuah then he would return and perform two Rakaats in his home. He would then say that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam used do that.
It is recorded in another narration of Tirmidhi:
وروي عن علي بن ابي طالب انه امر ان يصلي بعد الجمعة ركعتين ثم أربعا (ترمذي#٥٣٣)
It is narrated from Ali Radiallahu Anhu that he would command that 2 Rakaats are performed after Jumuah and then 4 Rakaats
A narration of Saheeh Muslim states:
عن ابي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم: إذا صلي احدكم الجمعة فليصل بعدها أربعا (صحيح مسلم #٨٨١)
Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam is reported to have said, “When any one of you performs Jumuah Salaah, then he should perform 4 Rakaats after it.”
قال إسحاق: ان صلي في المسجد يوم الجمعة صلي اربع، و ان صلي في بيته صلي ركعتين، واحتج بان النبي صلي الله عليه و سلم كان يصلي بعد الجمعة ركعتين في بيته، و لحديث النبي صلي الله عليه وسلم من كان منكم مصليا بعد الجمعة فليصلي اربعا (ترمذي)
Ishaaq Rahimullah says: if a person’s performs his Sunnat Salaah in the Musjid on the day of Jumuah then he should perform 4 Rakaats and if he performs Salaah in his home then he should perform 2 Rakaats. He takes proof that Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam used to read two Rakaats after Jumuah in his home, and the Hadith states, whoever performs Salaah after Jumuah then he should perform 4 Rakaats.
These narrations indicate that there are different Riwaayaat with regards to the Sunnat Salaah after Jumuah, whereas the 4 Rakaats Sunnah before the Jumuah is established without any difference amongst the Muhadditeen and Fuqaha.
Hazrat Gangohi Rahimullah mentions in Al-Kawkabud Durri:
اختلفت الروايات في ذلك، فالثابت من بعضها سنية الركعتين، وبالأخرى سنية الأربع (الكوكب الدري ج٢ص٣٩٤)
The narrations differ in regards to it (the Sunnats after Zuhr), from some narrations 2 Rakaats Sunnah are established, whilst 4 Rakaats Sunnah are established through other narrations.
Hence, this clearly indicates that the Sunnah Salaah that one is required to perform, are the 4 Sunnah before Zuhr to acquire the virtue mentioned in the Hadith. It is not possible that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam would only perform 2 Rakaats Sunnah after Jumuah instead of four, and thereby lose a palace in Jannah, as the reality of the hereafter was before Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam all the time.
However, one should bear in mind that the 4 Rakaats before and after the Jumuah Salaah are Sunnat-e-Muakkadah in the Hanafi Madhab and should not be omitted. [Re: Fataawa Uthmaaniyya Vol:2 Pg:276-277]
وأربع قبل الجمعة وأربع بعدها بتسليمة. (در مختار ج٢ص٣٥١)
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Maulana Ahmed Saeed
Date:- 06 Safar 1445 / 23 August 2023
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
