Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God show mercy to a man who prays four rak'as before the afternoon prayer!” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Ali said that God's Messenger used to pray four rak’as before the afternoon prayer, separating them with a salutation to the angels who are near God’s presence and the Muslims and believers who come after them. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He said that God's Messenger used to pray two rak'as before the afternoon prayer. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘A'isha reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone prays twenty rak'as after the sunset prayer, God will build for him a house in paradise.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

She said that God’s Messenger never came into her house after praying the evening prayer without praying four or six rak'as. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When the stars set two rak'as should be prayed before the dawn prayer, and after the prostration two rak'as should be prayed after the sunset prayer.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Al-Mukhtar b. Fulful said: I asked Anas b. Malik about the voluntary prayers after the afternoon prayer and he replied, “Umar used to forbid prayer after the afternoon prayer, but in the time of God’s Messenger we used to pray two rak'as after the setting of the sun before the sunset prayer.” I asked him whether God’s Messenger prayed these two and he replied, “He used to see us praying them, but neither commanded us nor forbade us to do so.” Muslim transmitted it.

Anas said, “When we were in Medina, the moment the mu’adhdhin made the call to the sunset prayer the people hastened to the pillars of the mosque and prayed two rak'as, with the result that any stranger coming into the mosque would think that the obligatory prayer had been observed owing to the number who were praying them.” Muslim transmitted it.

Marthad b. ‘Abdallah said: I went to ‘Uqba al-Juhani and said, “I can tell you something about Abu Tamim which will make you wonder. He prays two rak'as before the sunset prayer.” ‘Uqba replied, “We used to do so in the time of God’s Messenger.” I asked, “What prevents you now?” and he replied, “Work.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Ka‘b b. ‘Ujra said that the Prophet (ﷺ) came to the mosque of the B. ‘Abd al-Ashhal and prayed the sunset prayer in it. When the people finished their prayer he saw them performing tasbih after it and said, “This is the prayer to be observed at home.”* * This refers to supererogatory prayers. Tasbih is the utterance of 'Glory be to God!’ Abu Dawud transmitted it. In the version by Tirmidhi and Nasa’i it says that the people got up and offered supererogatory prayers, whereupon the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Observe this prayer at home.”

Ibn ‘Abbas said that God’s Messenger prolonged the recitation of the Qur’an in the two rak'as after the sunset prayer till the people in the mosque separated. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

She said, “When the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed the two rak'as of the dawn prayer, he would talk to me if I was awake, otherwise he would lie down.” Muslim transmitted it.

She said the Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray thirteen rak'as during the night, including the witr and two rak'as of the dawn prayer. Muslim transmitted it.

Masruq said he asked ‘A’isha what prayers God’s Messenger said during the night and she replied, “Seven, nine, and eleven rak'as apart from the two rak'as of the dawn prayer.” Bukhari transmitted it.

‘A’isha said that when the Prophet (ﷺ) stood up at night to pray he began his prayer with two short rak'as. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you gets up at night; he should begin the prayer with two short rak'as.” Muslim transmitted it.

Zaid b. Khalid al-Juhani decided to watch one night what prayers God’s Messenger said. He prayed two short rak'as, then two long, long, long rak'as, then he prayed two rak'as which were less than the two preceding, then he prayed two rak'as which were less then the two preceding, then he prayed two rak'as which were less than the two preceding, then he prayed two rak'as which were less than the two preceding, then he prayed a single one, making a total of thirteen. Muslim transmitted it. The words “then he prayed two rak'as which were less than the two preceding”, mentioned four times, occur thus in Muslim’s Sahih and among those peculiar or him in Humaidi’s book, also in Malik’s Muwatta’, Abu Dawud’s Sunan, and Jami’ al-Usul.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone makes proper use of ten verses he will not be recorded among the negligent; if anyone makes proper use of a hundred verses he will be recorded among those who are obedient to God: and if anyone makes proper use of a thousand verses he will be recorded among those who receive huge rewards.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said that the Prophet’s recitation at night was partly in a loud voice and partly in a low voice. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said the Prophet’s recitation was loud enough for one who was in the inner chamber to hear it when he was in the house. Abu Dawud transmitted it.