(5-2-2) The Regular Sunnah Prayer of Isha:

Two issues pertain to it:

First: Its ruling.

Second: Its manner and virtue.

First: Its ruling:

The regular Sunnah prayer of Isha is one of the regular Sunnah prayers. It is therefore a prayer that Muslims are recommended to observe consistently, for it is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed it, just as he encouraged it in his words.

Second: Its manner and virtue:

The preceding hadith of Ibn Umar states: “I memorized ten rak‘ahs from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) … including two rak‘ahs after Isha in his home.”

The preceding hadith of Abdullah ibn Shaqīq states: I asked Aisha about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)—about his voluntary prayers—and she replied: “… He would lead the people in the Isha prayer, then enter my home and pray two rak‘ahs.”

The preceding hadith of Umm Habība states: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: “Whenever a Muslim servant prays twelve voluntary rak‘ahs for Allah each day, apart from the obligatory prayers, Allah builds a house for him in Paradise … [… including two rak‘ahs after Isha …].”

I say: These hadiths establish that the regular Sunnah prayer of Isha consists of two rak‘ahs performed after the Isha prayer.