Sahih Muslim

No one has ever narrated to me that he saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observing the forenoon prayer, except Umm Hani. She, however, narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered her house on the day of the Conquest of Mecca and prayed eight rak'ahs (adding): I never saw a shorter prayer than it except that he performed the bowing and prostration completely. But (one of the narrators) Ibn Bashshar in his narration made no mention of the word:" Never".

I had been asking about, as I was desirous to find one among people who should inform me, whether the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed the forenoon prayer, but I found none to narrate that to me except Umm Hani, daughter of Abu Talib (the real sister of Hadrat 'Ali), who told me that on the day of the Conquest the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came (to our house) after the dawn had (sufficiently) arisen. A cloth was brought and privacy was provided for him (the Holy Prophet). He took a bath and then stood up and observed eight rak'ahs. I do not know whether his Qiyam (standing posture) was longer, or bending or prostration or all of them were of equal duration. She (Umm Hani) further said: I never saw him saying this Nafl prayer prior to it or subsequently. (Al-Muradi narrated on the authority of Yunus that he made no mention of the words:" He informed me." )

I went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the day of the Conquest of Mecca and found him taking a bath, and Fatimah, his daughter, had provided him privacy with the help of a cloth. I gave him salutation and he said: Who is she? I said: It is Umm Hani, daughter of Abu Talib. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Greeting for Umm Hani. When he had completed the bath, he stood up and observed eight rak'ahs wrapped up in one cloth. When he turned back (after the prayer), I said to him: Messenger of Allah, the son of my mother 'Ali b. Abu Talib is going to kill a person, Fulan b. Hubaira whom I have given protection. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: We too have given protection whom you have given protection, O Umm Hani. Umm Hani said: It was the forenoon (prayer).

Abu Murra narrated on the authority of Umm Hani that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the day of the Conquest of Mecca observed in her house eight rak'ahs of prayer in one cloth, its opposite corners having been tied from the opposite sides.

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.

three fasts during every month, two rak'ahs of the forenoon prayer, and observing Witr prayer before going to bed.

A hadith like this has been narrated by Abu Huraira by another chain of transmitters.

My friend Abu'l-Qasim (ﷺ) instructed me to do three things, and the rest of the hadith is the same.

My Friend (ﷺ) instructed me in three (acts), and I would never abandon them as long as I live. (And these three things are): Three fasts during every month, the forenoon prayer, and this that I should not sleep till I have observed the Witr prayer.

Ibn 'Umar reported that Hafsa, the Mother of the Believers, informed him that when the Mu'adhdhin became silent after calling (people) to the dawn prayer, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commenced the dawn (prayer) when it dawned by observing two short rak'ahs before the commencement of the (Fard) prayer.

This hadith has been transmitted by Nafi' with the same chain of narrators.

Hafsa reported that when it was dawn, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not observe (any other prayers) but two short rak'ahs.

A hadith like this has been narrated by Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters.

When the dawn appeared, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed two rak'ahs (of Sunnah prayers).

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe two rak'ahs of Sunnah (prayer) when he heard the Adhin and shortened them.

" When it was dawn".

'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe two (supererogatory) rak'ahs in between the call to prayer and the Iqama of the dawn prayer.

Did he recite in them Surah Fatiha (only)?

When it was dawn, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed two rak'ahs, and I would say: Does he recite only the opening chapter of the Qur'an in it?

'A'isha reported that the Apostle (ﷺ) was not so much particular about observing supererogatory rak'ahs as in case of the two rak'ahs of the dawn prayer.