Mujahid says: I and Urwah bin Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the mosque, where Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was also present. We sat with him. Some people were performing the Duha (forenoon) prayer. We asked: O Abu Abdur Rahman! What prayer is this? He replied: This is an innovation (bid’ah).

It is narrated from Ibn Abi Layla, who says: No one informed me except Sayyida Umm Hani (may Allah be pleased with her) that she saw the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performing the Duha prayer. She stated that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered her house on the day of the conquest of Makkah, performed ghusl, and prayed eight rak‘ahs, performing the bowing and prostration lightly. (In fact, it should be said that) she had never seen the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) perform a lighter prayer than this, but it is certain that he (peace and blessings be upon him) completed the bowing and prostration.

(Second chain of narration) It is narrated from Ubaidullah bin Abdullah bin Al-Harith that his father Abdullah bin Al-Harith bin Nawfal told him that Sayyida Umm Hani bint Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with her) informed him that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came on the day of the conquest of Makkah after the day had become bright. He (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered for a cloth, and a curtain was made for him with it. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) performed ghusl (ritual bath) and stood up to pray. He (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed eight rak‘ahs. I do not know whether his standing in this prayer was long, or his bowing, or his prostration; each of these was close in length to the others. Sayyida Umm Hani (may Allah be pleased with her) says: I never saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) perform the Duha prayer before or after this.

Anas bin Sirin narrates from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that there was a fat man who did not have the strength to pray with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). He said to the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): I do not have the ability to pray with you, so if you would come to my house and pray (at some place), so that I may follow you. Then he prepared food and invited the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He cleaned a corner of the mat for him, and the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed two rak‘ahs. A man from the family of Jarud asked Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) whether the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray the Duha prayer. He replied that, except for that day, he had never seen the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) perform the Duha prayer.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Rawaha that Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said: Indeed, I did not see the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, performing the Duha prayer except at the time when he, peace and blessings be upon him, set out on a journey or returned from a journey.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, who says: I saw the Noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that he performed eight rak‘ahs of the Duha prayer while on a journey. After finishing, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: I prayed out of desire for (Allah’s mercy) and fear of (His punishments). I asked Allah for three things; He granted me two of them, but withheld one. I asked Allah that He not test my Ummah with famine, so Allah did accordingly. Then I asked Him that He not impose their enemy over them, so He did accordingly. (My third request was) that He not cause them to be mixed up in factions, but He refused to do so.