Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May Allah have mercy on the person who performs four (voluntary) rak‘ahs before ‘Asr."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Hudhaifah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he offered the Maghrib prayer with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) continued to offer voluntary prayers until he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) performed the ‘Isha prayer.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever offers six units of voluntary prayer after the Maghrib prayer, and does not engage in any conversation between them except the remembrance of Allah, then these units will be equal to twelve years of worship for him." In the narration of Janab al-Rabali, the words are: "He offers the prayer without saying anything bad between them."

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer two rak'ahs after every obligatory prayer except Fajr and Asr. These are the words of the narration of Waki'.

Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that I performed two rak‘ahs before the Zuhr prayer and two rak‘ahs after it with the Prophet (peace be upon him), and I performed two rak‘ahs after Maghrib in the house of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and two rak‘ahs after ‘Isha in the house of the Prophet (peace be upon him). The narration of Ahmad bin Mani‘ ends here. Mu’ammal bin Hisham added this, saying that Lady Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated to me, and it was a time when no one would come to the Prophet (peace be upon him); indeed, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would perform two rak‘ahs until the (second) Fajr would rise and the mu’adhdhin would call the adhan for prayer. The narrator says: I think she also said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) would perform these two rak‘ahs lightly and briefly, and he would perform two rak‘ahs after Jumu‘ah in his house.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform two rak‘ahs before the Zuhr prayer and also two rak‘ahs after it. He used to perform two rak‘ahs after Maghrib and also two rak‘ahs after ‘Isha. Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: And Sayyidah Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) informed me, although I did not see the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) myself, that he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform two rak‘ahs at the time of the rising of Fajr as well.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Shaqiq (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that I asked Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) about the voluntary prayers of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), so she said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to pray four rak‘ahs in my house before Zuhr, then he would go and lead the people in prayer, then he would return to my house and perform two rak‘ahs, and he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would lead the people in Maghrib prayer, then return to my house and perform two rak‘ahs, then he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would lead them in ‘Isha prayer, then when he entered my house he would perform two rak‘ahs, and he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would perform nine rak‘ahs at night including Witr, and when Fajr would dawn he would perform two rak‘ahs, then he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would go (to the mosque) and lead the people in Fajr prayer.

With such a word that less knowledgeable people might think that the one who performs these two rak'ahs in the mosque is sinful, because the Prophet (peace be upon him) has ordered them to be performed in the homes.

Sayyiduna Mahmood bin Labeed رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم came to the tribe of Banu Abd Ash-hal and led them in the Maghrib prayer. Then, when he finished the prayer with salam, he said: "Pray these two rak‘ahs in your homes." (Qatadah) says: Indeed, I saw Sayyiduna Mahmood رضي الله عنه, while he was the imam of his people, he would lead them in the Maghrib prayer. Then he would come out and sit in the courtyard of the mosque, until shortly before ‘Isha, he would get up, go home, and perform these two rak‘ahs.

Sayyiduna Ka'b bin Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) offered the Maghrib prayer in the mosque of the tribe of Banu Abd Ash-hal. When he (peace be upon him) had finished the prayer, the people stood up and began to offer the Sunnah prayers, so the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "You should offer this prayer in your homes."