the unrestricted wording of the hadiths reported concerning this, as in his statement, peace and blessings be upon him: “Perform four rak'ahs for Me at the beginning of the day,” and his statement: “Whoever performs four rak'ahs will be recorded among the devout worshippers.” And Allah knows best.
(3-4) The Prayer after the Sun Passes the Meridian
This prayer forms part of the regular Sunnah prayer before Dhuhr, which was mentioned previously.
I shall cite here some of the hadiths specifically concerning its virtue:
Abū Ayyūb reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Four rak'ahs before Dhuhr … for which the gates of heaven are opened.” Recorded by Abū Dāwūd and Ibn Mājah. (1)
Abd Allah ibn al-Sā'ib reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would perform four rak'ahs after the sun had passed the meridian and before Dhuhr. He said: “It is a time when the gates of heaven are opened, and I would like a righteous deed of mine to ascend then.” Recorded by al-Tirmidhī. (2)
(1) A *hasan li-ghayrihi* hadith (sound due to corroborating evidence).
Abū Dāwūd recorded it in the “Book of Prayer, Chapter on the Four Rak'ahs Before and After the Zuhr Prayer,” hadith no. 1270; Ibn Māja in the “Book of Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Concerning It, Chapter on the Four Rak'ahs Before the Zuhr Prayer,” hadith no. 1157; al-Tirmidhī in *al-Shamā'il* (hadith no. 277, p. 241); and Ibn Khuzayma (2/221–223, nos. 1214–1215).
Abū Dāwūd and Ibn Khuzayma commented critically on its chain of transmission. Its various routes, however, raise it to the level of *hasan li-ghayrihi*, except for the wording: “He did not separate them with the *salām*.” Al-Albānī likewise graded it authentic in *Sahīh Sunan Ibn Māja* (1/191), his commentary on *Sahīh Ibn Khuzayma* (2/221), and *Mukhtasar al-Shamā'il* (p. 157).
(2) A *sahīh* hadith.
Ahmad recorded it in *al-Musnad* (3/411), and al-Tirmidhī in the “Book of Prayer, Chapter on What Has Been Reported Concerning Prayer at Midday,” hadith no. 478.
The eminent scholar Ahmad Shākir graded the hadith authentic in his critical edition of al-Tirmidhī. Al-Albānī also graded it authentic in *Sahīh Sunan al-Tirmidhī* (1/147), while the editor of *Jāmi al-Usūl* (6/24) graded its chain of transmission authentic.