"We asked Ali about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah during the day. He said: 'You will not be able to do that.' We said: 'Whoever among is able (he will)?' So he said: 'When the sun appeared over there (east) like it appears here (west) at Asr, the Messenger of Allah would pray two Rak'ah, and when the sun appeared over there (east) like it appears here (west) at Zuhr, he would pray four Rak'ah. And he would pray four before Zuhr and two after it, and four before Asr separating between every two Rak'ah with At-Taslim upon the angels that are close (to Allah) and those who follow them among the believers, and the Muslims."  

عَنْ صَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنَ النَّهَارِ فَقَالَ إِنَّكُمْ لاَ تُطِيقُونَ ذَاكَ فَقُلْنَا مَنْ أَطَاقَ ذَاكَ مِنَّا فَقَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَا هُنَا كَهَيْئَتِهَا مِنْ هَا هُنَا عِنْدَ الْعَصْرِ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَإِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَا هُنَا كَهَيْئَتِهَا مِنْ هَا هُنَا عِنْدَ الظُّهْرِ صَلَّى أَرْبَعًا وَصَلَّى أَرْبَعًا قَبْلَ الظُّهْرِ وَبَعْدَهَا رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَقَبْلَ الْعَصْرِ أَرْبَعًا يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَ كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ بِالتَّسْلِيمِ عَلَى الْمَلاَئِكَةِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَالْمُرْسَلِينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ  

“We asked ‘Ali about the voluntary (prayer) of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ during the day. He said: ‘You will not be able.’ We said: ‘Inform us of it, we will do what we can of it?’ So he said: ‘When he prayed the Fajr he would delay praying any more. When the sun appeared over there (west) – like it appears here, meaning in the direction of the east, about the amount for the ‘Asr prayer from there, meaning in the direction of the west, meaning before the Maghrib – he would stand and perform two Rak’ah* then he would delay praying until the sun appeared over there (west), meaning in the direction of the east, about the amount of the Zuhr prayer from there, then he would stand and perform four. And, four before the Zuhr when the sun passed the zenith, and two Rak’ah after it, and, four before the ‘Asr, separating between every two Rak’ah with Taslim** upon the angels that are close (to Allah), the Prophets, and those who follow them among the Muslims and the believers.’” 'Ali said: "That is sixteen Rak'ah of voluntary prayer which Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed during the day. And there are very few who offer them regularly." Wakiʿ said: “My father added: Habib bin Abu Thabit said: ‘O Abu Ishaq, this mosque filled with gold would not be dearer to me than this Hadith of yours.’” * Meaning, when the sun was low above the eastern horizon. That is the time of the Duha. ** Meaning the Tashah-hud.  

عَنْ تَطَوُّعِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِالنَّهَارِ فَقَالَ إِنَّكُمْ لاَ تُطِيقُونَهُ فَقُلْنَا أَخْبِرْنَا بِهِ نَأْخُذْ مِنْهُ مَا اسْتَطَعْنَا قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّى الْفَجْرَ يُمْهِلُ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا يَعْنِي مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَشْرِقِ بِمِقْدَارِهَا مِنْ صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ مِنْ هَا هُنَا يَعْنِي مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَغْرِبِ قَامَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُمْهِلُ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَا هُنَا يَعْنِي مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَشْرِقِ مِقْدَارَهَا مِنْ صَلاَةِ الظُّهْرِ مِنْ هَا هُنَا قَامَ فَصَلَّى أَرْبَعًا وَأَرْبَعًا قَبْلَ الظُّهْرِ إِذَا زَالَتِ الشَّمْسُ وَرَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَهَا وَأَرْبَعًا قَبْلَ الْعَصْرِ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَ كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ بِالتَّسْلِيمِ عَلَى الْمَلاَئِكَةِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ فَتِلْكَ سِتَّ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً تَطَوُّعُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِالنَّهَارِ وَقَلَّ مَنْ يُدَاوِمُ عَلَيْهَا قَالَ وَكِيعٌ زَادَ فِيهِ أَبِي فَقَالَ حَبِيبُ بْنُ أَبِي ثَابِتٍ يَا أَبَا إِسْحَاقَ مَا أُحِبُّ أَنَّ لِي بِحَدِيثِكَ هَذَا مِلْءَ مَسْجِدِكَ هَذَا ذَهَبًا  

I heard ʿAsim bin Damrah say: We asked ‘Ali ؓ about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ during the day and he said: You cannot do that. We said: Whoever among us is able to do it [will do it]. He said: When the sun was as high there as it is there the time of ‘Asr, he prayed two rakʿahs, When the sun was as high there as it is there at the time of Zuhr, he prayed four rak’ahs. He prayed four rakʿahs before Zuhr and two afterwards, and [he prayed] four rakʻahs before ‘Asr, separating each two rakʿahs with the greeting (tasleem) upon the angels who are close to Allah, the Prophets, and those who follow them of the believers and the Muslims.  

عَنْ صَلاةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ مِنَ النَّهَارِ فَقَالَ إِنَّكُمْ لَا تُطِيقُونَ ذَلِكَ قُلْنَا مَنِ اطَاقَ مِنَّا ذَلِكَ؟ قَالَ إِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا كَهَيْئَتِهَا مِنْ هَاهُنَا عِنْدَ الْعَصْرِ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَإِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا كَهَيْئَتِهَا مِنْ هَاهُنَا عِنْدَ الظُّهْرِ صَلَّى أَرْبَعًا وَيُصَلِّي قَبْلَ الظُّهْرِ أَرْبَعًا وَبَعْدَهَا رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَقَبْلَ الْعَصْرِ أَرْبَعًا وَيَفْصِلُ بَيْنَ كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ بِالتَّسْلِيمِ عَلَى الْمَلائِكَةِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ مِنَ المُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ  

I asked ʿAli ؓ about the nafl prayers of the Prophet ﷺ during the day. He said: You are not able for that. We said: Tell us and we will do as much of it as we can, He said: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed Fajr, he would wait until the sun would rise from there, meaning in the east, as high as it is at the time of ʿAsr there, meaning in the west. Then he would get up and pray two rakʿahs. Then he would wait until the sun rose as high there, meaning in the east, as it is at the time of Zuhr there, meaning in the west; then he would pray four rakʿahs, and four before Zuhr when the sun passed the meridian, and four afterwards, and four before ‘Asr, He would separate each two rak’ahs with salams upon the angels who are close to Allah, the Prophets, the believers and the Muslims who follow them. ʿAli ؓ said: That is sixteen rakʿahs which the Prophet ﷺ offered as nafl prayers during the day, but there are very few who offer them regularly. Wakee’ narrated; my father said: Habeeb bin Abi Thabit said to Abu Ishaq when he narrated this to him: O Abu Ishaq, this hadeeth of yours is worth this mosque filled with gold.  

عَنْ تَطَوُّعِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ بِالنَّهَارِ فَقَالَ إِنَّكُمْ لَا تُطِيقُونَهُ قَالَ قُلْنَا أَخْبِرْنَا بِهِ نَأْخُذْ مِنْهُ مَا أَطَقْنَا قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّى الْفَجْرَ أَمْهَلَ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا يَعْنِي مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَشْرِقِ مِقْدَارُهَا مِنْ صَلاةِ الْعَصْرِ مِنْ هَاهُنَا مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَغْرِبِ قَامَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُمْهِلُ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا يَعْنِي مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَشْرِقِ مِقْدَارُهَا مِنْ صَلاةِ الظُّهْرِ مِنْ هَاهُنَا يَعْنِي مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَغْرِبِ قَامَ فَصَلَّى أَرْبَعًا وَأَرْبَعًا قَبْلَ الظُّهْرِ إِذَا زَالَتِ الشَّمْسُ وَرَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَهَا وَأَرْبَعًا قَبْلَ الْعَصْرِ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَ كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ بِالتَّسْلِيمِ عَلَى الْمَلائِكَةِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ قَالَ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ تِلْكَ سِتَّ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً تَطَوُّعُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ بِالنَّهَارِ وَقَلَّ مَنْ يُدَاوِمُ عَلَيْهَا  

I heard ʿAsim bin Damrah say: We asked ‘Ali ؓ about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ during the day and he said: You cannot do that. We said: Whoever among us is able to do it [will do it]. He said: When the sun was as high there as it is there the time of ‘Asr, he prayed two rakʿahs, When the sun was as high there as it is there at the time of Zuhr, he prayed four rak’ahs. He prayed four rakʿahs before Zuhr and two afterwards, and [he prayed] four rakʻahs before ‘Asr, separating each two rakʿahs with the greeting (tasleem) upon the angels who are close to Allah, the Prophets, and those who follow them of the believers and the Muslims. (Using translation from Aḥmad 1375)   

عَنْ صَلَاةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ بِالنَّهَارِ؟ فَقَالَ لَا تُطِيقُونَ كَانَ «إِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا يَعْنِي الْمَشْرِقَ كَهَيْئَتِهَا مِنْ هَاهُنَا يَعْنِي الْمَغْرِبَ عِنْدَ الْعَصْرِ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَإِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا يَعْنِي الْمَشْرِقَ كَهَيْئَتِهَا مِنْ هَاهُنَا يَعْنِي الْمَغْرِبَ عِنْدَ الظُّهْرِ صَلَّى أَرْبَعًا وَكَانَ يُصَلِّي قَبْلَ الظُّهْرِ أَرْبَعًا وَبَعْدَهَا رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَقَبْلَ الْعَصْرِ أَرْبَعًا وَيَفْصِلُ بَيْنَ كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ بِالتَّسْلِيمِ عَلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ»  

[Machine] About the voluntary prayers of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ during the day, he asked us, "Who is able to do it?" We said, "We can handle what we can handle." He said, "The Prophet ﷺ used to delay after Fajr prayer until the sun rose, which is the duration of Dhuhr, and then he would perform two units of prayer, in which he would conclude with the salutation upon the angels who are nearest to Allah, the prophets, and those who followed them among the believers and Muslims. Then he would delay until the time of Duha, and then he would perform four units of prayer, in which he would conclude with the salutation upon the angels who are nearest to Allah, the prophets, and those who followed them among the believers and Muslims. Then he would delay until the sun had passed its zenith, and then he would perform four units of prayer, in which he would conclude with the salutation upon the angels who are nearest to Allah, the prophets, and those who followed them among the believers and Muslims. Then he would pray two units of prayer after Dhuhr, in which he would do the same. Then he would pray four units of prayer before Asr, in which he would do the same. And likewise.  

عَنْ تَطَوَّعِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ بِالنَّهَارِ فَقَالَ لَنَا وَمَنْ يُطِيقُهُ؟ قُلْنَا حَدِّثْنَاهُ نُطِيقُ مِنْهُ مَا أَطَقْنَا قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يُمْهِلُ إِذَا صَلَّى الْفَجْرَ حَتَّى إِذَا ارْتَفَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَكَانَ مِقْدَارُهَا مِنَ الْعَصْرِ قَامَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ يَفْصِلُ فِيهِمَا بِالتَّسْلِيمِ عَلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ ثُمَّ يُمْهِلُ حَتَّى إِذَا ارْتَفَعَ الضُّحَى فَكَانَ مِقْدَارُهَا مِنَ الظُّهْرِ قَامَ فَصَلَّى أَرْبَعًا يَفْصِلُ فِيهِنَّ بِالتَّسْلِيمِ عَلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ ثُمَّ يُمْهِلُ فَإِذَا زَالَتِ الشَّمْسُ قَامَ فَصَلَّى أَرْبَعًا يَفْصِلُ فِيهِنَّ بِالتَّسْلِيمِ عَلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ الظُّهْرِ يَفْعَلُ فِيهِمَا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي أَرْبَعًا قَبْلَ الْعَصْرِ يَفْعَلُ فِيهِنَّ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ وَكَذَلِكَ  

[Machine] About the voluntary prayers of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ during the day, he asked, "Who among you can bear it?" We said, "We will take from him what we can handle." He used to delay until the sun appeared similar to its appearance from the west at the time of Asr (afternoon prayer), then he stood up and prayed two units of prayer. Then he delayed until the sun rose and set, and it was similar to its appearance from the east at Dhuhr (noon prayer), then he stood up and prayed four units of prayer, separating each two units with the tasleem (saying salutation). He then delayed until the sun disappeared, and he prayed four units of prayer before Dhuhr, separating each two units with the tasleem. Then he mentioned the tradition in a similar manner. These are the sixteen voluntary units of prayer that the Prophet ﷺ used to perform during the day, and he rarely continued with them. This was mentioned exclusively by 'Asim bin Damrah from 'Ali, and Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak used to increase it, and his narration of this tradition was criticized. And Allah knows best.  

عَنْ تَطَوَّعِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ بِالنَّهَارِ فَقَالَ مَنْ يُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ مِنْكُمْ؟ قُلْنَا نَأْخُذُ مِنْهُ مَا أَطَقْنَا قَالَ كَانَ يُمْهِلُ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَشْرِقِ كَهَيْئَتِهَا مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَغْرِبِ عِنْدَ الْعَصْرِ قَامَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُمْهِلُ حَتَّى إِذَا ارْتَفَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ وَحَلَّقَتْ وَكَانَتْ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ كَهَيْئَتِهَا مِنَ الْمَغْرِبِ عِنْدَ الظُّهْرِ قَامَ فَصَلَّى أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَ كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ بِالتَّسْلِيمِ عَلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ ثُمَّ يُمْهِلُ حَتَّى إِذَا زَالَتِ الشَّمْسُ صَلَّى أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ قَبْلَ الظُّهْرِ يَفْصِلُ بِمِثْلِ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي الظُّهْرَ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي بَعْدَهَا رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي قَبْلَ الْعَصْرِ أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَ كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ بِمِثْلِ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ بِنَحْوِهِ فَهَذِهِ سِتَّ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً تَطَوُّعُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ بِالنَّهَارِ وَقَلَّمَا يُدَاوِمُ عَلَيْهَا تَفَرَّدَ بِهِ عَاصِمُ بْنُ ضَمْرَةَ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ ؓ وَكَانَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ يُضَعِّفُهُ فَيَطْعَنُ فِي رِوَايَتِهِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ