that it is like rising for a third unit at night, and that if he were to continue, his prayer would be invalid.

If he offers a voluntary prayer by day in four units, like the noon prayer, there is no harm

His statement, “If he offers a voluntary prayer,” means that he performs a voluntary prayer during the day, not at night.

His statement, “like the noon prayer,” means with two tashahhuds: an initial tashahhud and a final tashahhud.

His statement, “there is no harm,” means that there is no objection; thus, his prayer is valid. In al-Rawd, the evidence cited is the hadith of Abu Ayyub: the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, used to pray four units before the noon prayer without separating them with a closing salutation (1). However, the hadith does not state that the four units were performed with two tashahhuds. Therefore, we hold that if he prays four units with two tashahhuds, this is closer to being disliked, because the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Do not perform Witr as three units, making it resemble the Maghrib prayer” (2). This hadith is authentic, and it indicates that the Lawgiver intends voluntary prayers not to resemble obligatory prayers. Thus, if a man offers four voluntary units and makes them like the noon prayer by performing two tashahhuds, he has made the voluntary prayer resemble the obligatory prayer.

If this hadith is authentically established from the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, showing that he did this, then it is well known that it must be accepted. It would then constitute an exception to the hadith that lays down the general rule that prayers by night and by day are offered two units at a time.