When to pray the two Rak’ahs of Sunnah after the Maghrib prayer

15-5-2008 | IslamWeb

Question:

As salamu aleykum, I read in couple of hadit that we should offer the 2 rakat Sunnah of Magrib immidiatly after the Fard prayer, like this hadith Hadhrat Huzayfah (Radhiyallaahu Anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘Hasten with performing two Rakaats after Maghrib for they are lifted up with the Fardh Salaat.’ (Mishkat pg.105; Kuwait) and other hadith says ''without any talk'' according to this should we do the after-salah dhikr and duaa's after the 2 rakat Sunnah of Magrib? Or should we delay the Sunnah and do it after the Fard? I heard that Ibn Hajar has said something about this issue, can you please mention what he said? Was salaam
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

 

The Prophetic narration which reads "Hasten to perform the two Rak’ahs of Sunnah after the Maghrib obligatory prayer" is reported by Al-Bayhaqi and others may Allaah have mercy upon them but its chain of narrators was classified as weak by many scholars, like Al-Munaawi, As-Sakhaawi, Al-‘Ajlooni and Al-Albaani may Allaah have mercy upon them. This narration also contradicts the authentic narrations which prove the dislikeability of performing the supererogatory prayer straight after the obligatory prayer.

After investigation, we have not come across any statement of Ibn Hajar may Allaah have mercy upon him about this precise narration. However, he stated the legislated mention of Allaah after the obligatory prayer, and said: “This is a controversial issue, whether or not one should busy himself with the legislated mention of Allaah before performing the supererogatory prayer and then perform the supererogatory prayer –and this is the opinion of most scholars may Allaah have mercy upon them –but the view of the Hanafi School of jurisprudence, is that one should start with the supererogatory prayer...”

However, the authentic narrations prove that one should first recite the legislated mention of Allaah after the obligatory prayer, and he should not abandon this mention just for the above narration which is proven to be Dha’eef (inauthentic), and then after reciting the legislated mention of Allaah, he should perform the Sunnah prayer. 

Allaah Knows best.

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