41. Salaatut Duha (Chaast Prayers)

Mu'aadhah Radiyallahu 'Anha says: "I asked 'Aayeshah, 'Did Rasulullah Sallallahu'Alayhi Wasallam perform the salaatut duha (chaast prayers) ?" She replied: "Yes, he performed four rak'ahs (the least), and added to it the amount Allah Ta'aala willed". Anas Radiyallahu 'Anhu reports: "Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam performed six rak'ahs of the salaatut duha". 'Abdurrahmaan bin Abi Layla RA. (a Taabi'ee) reports: "None had given me the news that they had observed Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam perform the salaatut duhah besides Ummi Haani. She said: Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam came to her house, the day Makkah was conquered. He performed ghusl (bath), then performed eight rak'ahs. I did not observe Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam perform any salaah shorter than these, despite him performing every ruku' and sajdah properly"'. (He did not perform the ruku' and saidah haphazardly because the salaah was short). 'Abdullah bin Shaqeeq Radiyallahu 'Anhu relates: "I enquired from 'Aayeshah, that did Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam perform the salaatut duha?". She replied: "No he did not regularly perform it, but when he returned from a journey he performed it". 'Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudari Radiyallahu 'Anhu relates: "Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam at times performed the salaatut duha with such regularity, that we thought, he would not leave it. At times he left it (fearing it might become fard or because of some advantage), till we thought he left it completely, and would not perform it again". Abu Ayyub Ansaari Radiyallahu'Anhu says. "Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam always performed four rak'ahs around the time of zawaal. I said: 'O Messenger of Allah. You give much importance to these four rak'ahs around the time of zawaal of the sun?' Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam replied: 'The doors of the skies open from the zawaal of the sun till the zuhr salaah is performed. I desire that a good deed of mine reaches the skies at that time'. I asked: 'Is there a recital in every rak'ah?' He replied: 'Yes'. I enquired: 'Should salaam be made at the end of two rak'ahs?' Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam replied 'No' (Salaam should be made only at the end of four rak'ahs)". 'Abdullah bin Saa-ib Radiyallahu'Anhu reports: "Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam performed four rak'ahs after zawaal before the zuhr salaah, and used to say: 'The doors of the heavens open at this moment. I like that a good deed of mine ascend there at this moment'". 'Ali Radiyallahu 'Anhu used to perform four rak'ahs before zuhr and used to say: "Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam also performed these four rak'ahs after zawaal, and recited long verses therein".