The Book of Virtues

I performed with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) two Rak'ah before and two after Zuhr prayers.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Prophet (ﷺ) never omitted four Rak'ah supererogatory prayer before Zuhr prayers.[Al-Bukhari].

Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) stayed in my house, he would perform four Rak'ah (supererogatory prayer) before Zuhr prayer. Then he would go out and lead Salat. He (ﷺ) would then come back and perform two Rak'ah (supererogatory prayer). He would lead the Maghrib prayer and come back and perform two Rak'ah (supererogatory prayer). When he (ﷺ) had led the 'Isha' prayer, he would enter the house and perform two Rak'ah (supererogatory prayer).[Muslim]

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Whoever observes the practice of performing four Rak'ah before Zuhr prayer and four after the Zuhr prayer, Allah will shield him against the Fire (of Hell).[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to perform four Rak'ah prayer after the declining of the sun before Zuhr prayer and would say, "This is an hour at which the gates of heaven are opened, and I like that my good deeds should rise to heaven at that time."[At- Tirmidhi].

If the Prophet (ﷺ) could not perform four Rak'ah before Zuhr prayer, he would perform them after it (i.e., after the obligatory prayer).[At-Tirmidhi].

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to perform four Rak'ah before the 'Asr prayer, separating them with Taslim (i.e., offering blessings) on the favourite angels who are near Allah's proximity and the Muslims and the believers who come after them.[At- Tirmidhi].

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "May Allah have mercy on a man who performs four Rak'ah before the 'Asr prayer."[Abu Dawud and At- Tirmidhi].

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to perform two Rak'ah before the 'Asr prayer.[Abu Dawud].

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Perform two Rak'ah before Maghrib prayer." He (ﷺ) repeated it twice; when repeating it for the third time he added: "He who may so wish."[Al- Bukhari].

I saw the principal Companions of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) rushing to the pillars (of the mosque) to perform two Rak'ah prayers behind them before the Maghrib prayer.[Al-Bukhari].

In the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), we used to perform two Rak'ah (optional prayer) after sunset before the Maghrib prayer. It was asked: "Did Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) perform them?" He replied: "He saw us performing it, but he neither ordered us to perform them nor did he forbid us from doing so."[Muslim].

When we were in Al-Madinah, the moment the Mu'adhdhin finished the Adhan of the Maghrib prayer, the people hastened to the pillars of the mosque and performed two Rak'ah prayer behind them. A stranger coming into the mosque would think that the obligatory prayer had already been performed because of the number of people performing them.[Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If anyone of you performs the Friday prayer, he should perform four Rak'ah (Sunnah) after it."[Muslim].

The Prophet (ﷺ) would not perform any Salat (in the mosque) after the Friday prayer till he had returned to his house. He would then perform two Rak'ah there.[Muslim].

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O people! perform your (voluntary) Salat (prayers) in your homes because the best Salat of a man is the one he performs at home, except the obligatory Salat."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Observe part of the [Nawafil (voluntary)] Salat (prayers) in your homes. Do not turn your homes into graves."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When you have finished your (Fard) Salat (prayer) in the mosque, you should observe some of your (Sunnah and Nawafil) Salat at home; Allah will bless your homes because of your Salat (in your homes)."[Muslim]

"Yes, I performed the Friday prayer along with him in the enclosure (Maqsurah), and when the Imam concluded the Salat with Taslim, I stood up in my place and performed the Sunnah prayer. When Mu'awiyah went home, he sent for me (and when I came) he said: "Never do again what you have done. When you have observed the Friday prayer, you must not start another Sunnah prayer till you have spoken to some one or have shifted your place; because the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered us not to follow up the congregational Salat with any other Salat until we have talked (to some one) or moved from the place."[Muslim].

The Witr prayer is not obligatory as the prescribed Salat (prayers), but the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed it as his regular practice (Sunnah). He (ﷺ) said, "Allah is Witr (single, odd) and loves what is Witr. So perform Witr prayer. O followers of Qur'an, observe Witr (prayer)."[At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud].