This chapter gathers what was done around the Maghrib (sunset) prayer regarding two voluntary units before it. The guidance leaves room for personal choice.
The hadith show the Prophet encouraging these two units while making clear they are for whoever wishes, and they record how eagerly the Companions took to praying them. The thread is a gentle openness: an invitation to extra worship rather than a command.
Hadith 1122
'Abdullah bin Mughaffal (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن عبد الله بن مغفل، رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "صلوا قبل المغرب" قال في الثالثة: "لمن شاء" ((رواه البخاري)).
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].
In plain words
The Prophet twice told the worshippers to pray two units before the Maghrib prayer, then added the third time that it is for whoever wishes, leaving it as an invitation rather than an obligation.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1122 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 132
Hadith 1123
Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
- وعن أنس، رضي الله عنه قال: لقد رأيت كبار أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يبتدرون السواري عند المغرب. ((رواه البخاري)).
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 plain words
Anas saw the leading Companions hurrying to the mosque's pillars to pray two units before the Maghrib prayer, showing how readily they took up this practice.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1123 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 133
Hadith 1124
Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه قال: كنا نصلي على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ركعتين بعد غروب الشمس قبل المغرب، فقيل: أكان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم صلاها؟ قال: كان يرانا نصليهما فلم يأمرنا ولم ينهنا". ((رواه مسلم)).
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].
In plain words
Anas reports that the Companions used to pray two voluntary units after sunset before the Maghrib prayer, and that the Prophet saw them doing so without either ordering or forbidding it.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1124 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 134
Hadith 1125
Anas bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه قال: كنا بالمدينة فإذا أذن المؤذن لصلاة المغرب ابتدروا السواري، فركعوا ركعتين، حتى إن الرجل الغريب ليدخل المسجد فيحسب أن الصلاة قد صليت من كثرة من يصليهما. ((رواه مسلم)).
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].
In plain words
Anas recalls how, the moment the call to the Maghrib prayer ended, so many people rushed to pray two units by the mosque's pillars that a newcomer might think the obligatory prayer had already finished.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1125 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 135