8. Book of Virtues
٨۔ كتاب الفضائل
three fasts during every month, two rak'ahs of the forenoon prayer, and observing Witr prayer before going to bed.
أَوْصَانِي خَلِيلِي ﷺ بِثَلاَثٍ بِصِيَامِ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَرَكْعَتَىِ الضُّحَى وَأَنْ أُوتِرَ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَرْقُدَ
In the morning charity is due from every bone in the body of every one of you. Every utterance of Allah's glorification is an act of charity. Every utterance of praise of Him is an act of charity, every utterance of profession of His Oneness is an act of charity, every utterance of profession of His Greatness is an act of charity, enjoining good is an act of charity, forbidding what is distreputable is an act of charity, and two rak'ahs which one prays in the forenoon will suffice.
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ يُصْبِحُ عَلَى كُلِّ سُلاَمَى مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ صَدَقَةٌ فَكُلُّ تَسْبِيحَةٍ صَدَقَةٌ وَكُلُّ تَحْمِيدَةٍ صَدَقَةٌ وَكُلُّ تَهْلِيلَةٍ صَدَقَةٌ وَكُلُّ تَكْبِيرَةٍ صَدَقَةٌ وَأَمْرٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ صَدَقَةٌ وَنَهْىٌ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ صَدَقَةٌ وَيُجْزِئُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ رَكْعَتَانِ يَرْكَعُهُمَا مِنَ الضُّحَى
that he asked 'A'isha ؓ how many rak'ahs Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed at the forenoon prayer. She replied: Four rak'ahs, but sometimes more as he pleased.
أَنَّهَا سَأَلَتْ عَائِشَةَ ؓ كَمْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُصَلِّي صَلاَةَ الضُّحَى قَالَتْ أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ وَيَزِيدُ مَا شَاءَ
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to observe four rak'ahs in the forenoon prayer and he sometimes observed more as Allah pleased.
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُصَلِّي الضُّحَى أَرْبَعًا وَيَزِيدُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ