Question:

As salamu aleykum, What is the authencity of this hadeeth: Hazrat Sa’eed Ibn Jubair (radhiallahu anhu) narrates that the Sahaabah (radhiallahu anhum) used to regard the performing of four rakaats before the fardh of isha as mustahab. (Qiyaamul-Layl of Imam Marwazi page 58] So it is mustahab to pray 4 rakat before the fard of ischa? A scholar said The chapter in Qiyâm al-Layl where this hadîth appears is entitled: "Encouraging prayer between Maghrib and `Ishâ". All the narrations in the chapter refer to voluntary prayers between Maghrib and `Ishâ', not to Sunnah prayers after the adhân of `Ishâ'. The narration from Sa`îd b. Jubayr reads: "They used to regard four units before the last `Ishâ' as preferable (mustahabb)." It does not mention the word "fard" or "farîdah". As for the phrase "last `Ishâ' " (al-`Ishâ' al-Âkirah) this is because Maghrib and `Ishâ' are sometimes rfeferred to as "the two `Ishâ' prayers", and this hadîth encourages offering prayers between them. is this true?

Answer:

According to the Hanafi jurists there are four sunnas, mustahab, before the Fard of Isha and are prayed in the time of Isha not Maghrib, see Al-Hidayah, Bab al-nawafil, vol.2 p35. As for the chain of the hadith you mention, I do not have Imam Marwazi's collection to verify its soundness or otherwise, and it would seem it is not narrated in the famous books of hadith. However, the fact the jurists have said four rakaas are Mustahab before Isha suggests it is Sahih.

Mufti Mohammed Sajjad

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The answer to this question is the opinion of the scholar and does not reflect the opinion of other scholars of As-Suffa Institute and As-Suffa Institute as an organisation.