3 – In summary of the foregoing: the reports about the sunnah of the ḍuḥā prayer are abundantly transmitted. It is recommended to observe it regularly for anyone who has not prayed at night, so that he may not be deprived of worship in both the night and the day. Whoever already performs voluntary night prayers is better advised to pray ḍuḥā only from time to time. The minimum is two rakʿahs, the maximum twelve, and its time extends from when the sun has risen the height of a spear above the horizon until shortly before it reaches the zenith.

Benefit:
The hadiths narrated from ʿĀʾishah regarding the ḍuḥā prayer differ, and the following have been transmitted from her:

1 – She reported that he prayed it without fixing a number: “He would pray the forenoon prayer as four rakʿahs and would add whatever Allah willed.” Narrated by Muslim (719).

2 – She said, “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) entered my house and prayed eight rakʿahs of the forenoon prayer.” Narrated by Ibn Ḥibbān (3/459).

3 – She said, “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not pray the forenoon prayer except when he returned from a journey.” Reported by Muslim (717).

4 – She said, “I never saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) perform the forenoon voluntary prayer, though I myself perform it.” Narrated by al-Bukhārī (1128) and Muslim (718).

Al-Qāḍī ʿIyāḍ reconciled the affirming and negating reports by saying that the affirmative narrations were conveyed by Companions who actually saw him pray it and thus reported what they witnessed, whereas the narrations of negation came from those who did not see him perform it. This is an acceptable reconciliation, and whenever harmonization is possible it should be adopted. Allah knows best.