Q: I usually offer four supererogatory Rak`ahs (units of prayer) before Zhuhr (Noon) Prayer, and four after Zhuhr. Sometimes I offer ten Rak`ahs before and ten Rak`ahs after Zhuhr, is this permissible? Please advise, may Allah benefit you! A: The Sunnah Ratibah (supererogatory Prayer performed on a regular basis) which is offered after the Zhuhr Prayer is four Rak`ahs before and two after Zhuhr Prayer. `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) is reported to have said, The Prophet (peace be upon him) never missed four (Rak`ahs) before the Zhuhr Prayer. (Related by Al-Bukhari in his Sahih (authentic) book of Hadith, Imam Ahmad in his Musnad, and Al-Nasa'y). According to the narration of Al-Tirmidhy which was narrated with a good chain of narration, Two Rak`ahs before and two Rak`ahs after the Zhuhr prayer. It is more preferable to offer four Rak`ahs before and four Rak`ahs after Zhuhr, according to what was related by Imam Ahmad and the Four Compilers of Hadith (Imams Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhy, Al-Nasa'y and Ibn Majah) through a good chain of narration on the authority of Um Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, Whoever keeps up performing four Rak`ahs before and four after Zhuhr Prayer, Allah will shield him against the Fire (of Hell). A Muslim should keep up this (Part No. 6; Page No. 126

A: The Sunnah Ratibah (supererogatory Prayer performed on a regular basis) which is offered after the Zhuhr Prayer is four Rak`ahs before and two after Zhuhr Prayer. `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) is reported to have said, The Prophet (peace be upon him) never missed four (Rak`ahs) before the Zhuhr Prayer. (Related by Al-Bukhari in his Sahih (authentic) book of Hadith, Imam Ahmad in his Musnad, and Al-Nasa'y). According to the narration of Al-Tirmidhy which was narrated with a good chain of narration, Two Rak`ahs before and two Rak`ahs after the Zhuhr prayer. It is more preferable to offer four Rak`ahs before and four Rak`ahs after Zhuhr, according to what was related by Imam Ahmad and the Four Compilers of Hadith (Imams Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhy, Al-Nasa'y and Ibn Majah) through a good chain of narration on the authority of Um Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, Whoever keeps up performing four Rak`ahs before and four after Zhuhr Prayer, Allah will shield him against the Fire (of Hell). A Muslim should keep up this (Part No. 6; Page No. 126) great virtue and reward. You can offer supererogatory Rak`ahs more than you have mentioned after Zhuhr Prayer and until `Asr (Afternoon) Prayer. You should say Taslim (salutation of peace ending the Prayer) after each two Rak`ahs. It was authentically reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, The (optional) Salah by night and day should consist of pairs of Rak`ahs. Related by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad and Ahl-ul-Sunan (authors of Hadith compilations classified by jurisprudential themes). However, you should not offer Salah before Zhuhr Prayer at the time of noon when the sun is in the middle of the sky until it passes its zenith when Adhan (call to prayer) of Zhuhr is proclaimed. This period is very short for it is almost twenty minutes before noon. It was authentically reported that `Uqbah ibn `Amir Al-Juhany (may Allah be pleased with him) said, There are three hours at which the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade us to pray or bury our dead: when the sun begins to rise until it is fully raised, when the sun is at its height at midday until it has passed the meridian, and when the sun inclines to setting until it sets. (Related by Imam Muslim in his Sahih (authentic) Book of Hadith, Al-Tirmidhy, and Al-Nasa'y). It is permissible for you to offer Salah as much as you will before the sun becomes in the middle of the sky for the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, There is no Salah after Fajr prayer till the sun is raised, and no Salah after (Part No. 6; Page No. 127) the `Asr (Afternoon) Prayer until the sun sets. (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.