Ahmad, Abū Dāwūd, and al-Tirmidhī (1) also narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “May Allah have mercy on a person who prays four rak‘ahs before the afternoon prayer.” Scholars have differed concerning this hadith: Ibn Hibbān declared it authentic (2), while others considered it defective. Ibn Abī Hātim (3) said:

“I heard my father say: ‘I asked Abū al-Walīd al-Tayālisī about the hadith narrated by Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn al-Muthannā, from his father, from Ibn ‘Umar, from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “May Allah have mercy on whoever prays four rak‘ahs before the afternoon prayer.” He replied, “Leave that aside.” I said, “But Abū Dāwūd has narrated it.” He said: Abū al-Walīd said, “Ibn ‘Umar used to say, ‘I have preserved from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ten rak‘ahs during the day and night.’ If this were so, he would have included it in his count.”’ My father said: ‘He used to say, “I have preserved twelve rak‘ahs.”’”

This is no defect at all, for Ibn ‘Umar was reporting only what he had preserved concerning the Prophet’s practice (peace and blessings be upon him), not anything beyond that. Thus, there is no contradiction whatsoever between the two hadiths (4).

As for the two rak‘ahs before the sunset prayer, it has not been reported that he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray them, and it is authentically reported