with a fixed number of rakʿahs before the Friday prayer. Rather, his words (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) encourage prayer when a man comes to the mosque on Friday, without specifying a time, as in his saying:
“Whoever sets out early and arrives early, walks rather than rides, and prays as much as has been decreed for him.”
This is also the practice reported from the Companions. When they came to the mosque on Friday, they would begin praying upon entering and offer as much prayer as they could. Some would pray ten rakʿahs, some twelve, some eight, and some fewer than that.
For this reason, the great majority of the imams agreed that there is no sunnah prayer before the Friday prayer with a specified time and a fixed number of rakʿahs. Such a prescription can only be established through the Prophet’s words or actions (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and he prescribed nothing of the kind, either by word or deed. This is the position of Mālik, al-Shāfiʿī and most of his followers, and the well-known position in Ahmad’s school.
A group of scholars held that there is a sunnah prayer before it. Some specified two rakʿahs, as did a group of the followers of al-Shāfiʿī and Ahmad. Others specified four, as has been reported from the followers of Abū Hanīfah and a group of Ahmad’s followers. Reports from Imam Ahmad have also been cited in support of this view.
Among these scholars, some cite a weak hadith as evidence, while others say that it is