It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform the Duha prayer only upon returning from a journey.

Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that I never saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) performing the Duha prayer, except that when he returned from a journey, he would offer two rak‘ahs. Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says:“The narration of our master Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) belongs to the same category and type which I have mentioned in several places in my books, that the informer and witness whose report and testimony must be accepted is the one who gives information or testimony about seeing, hearing, or the occurrence of something. This does not refer to the informer or witness who negates something (i.e., says it did not happen). Indeed, the scholars sometimes say that such-and-such person did not do this act, and this act did not happen in such a way, but they say this out of oversight and leniency—and undoubtedly, what they mean is that to their knowledge, such-and-such person did not do this act, and to their knowledge, such-and-such act did not happen. And the statement of our master Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) only performed the Duha prayer upon returning from a journey, what he means is that he did not see the Prophet (peace be upon him) performing this prayer, nor did any trustworthy person inform him that the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed the Duha prayer at any time other than upon returning from a journey. And the same is the case with the hadith of Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). This narration has been reported by Kahmas bin Hassan and Jariri from Abdullah bin Shaqiq, who says: I asked Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), did the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) perform the Duha prayer? She replied: No, except that when he returned from a journey (he would perform it). Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says: The wording of the narration of Kahmas and Jariri is as I have mentioned, that Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said this out of oversight and leniency. And the meaning of these words is the same as in the narration of Khalid al-Hadha: I did not see the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) performing the prayer. And the evidence for the correctness of this interpretation is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did perform the Duha prayer on days other than the day of returning from a journey. I will soon mention these narrations in their proper place in this book, insha’Allah. Therefore, the narration that must be accepted and upon which judgment must be based is the narration of the person who states that the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed the Duha prayer, not the narration of the person who says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not perform the prayer.

And in this, it is mentioned that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) performed the Duha prayer on days other than the day of return from travel.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Itban bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) performed the Duha prayer in his house, so the noble Companions also stood behind him, and all of them performed the Duha prayer in his house. Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that the house referred to is the house of Sayyiduna Itban bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him).

And this is regarding that about which I have already stated that the ruling will be based on the report of the one who informs about the occurrence of something, not on the report of the one who negates something.

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform the Duha (forenoon) prayer. Janab Mukhrami says that (our teacher) narrated this hadith to us in this brief manner. Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that in my view, this narration is an abridgment of the narration of Asim bin Damrah. He says that we asked Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and I have already written this narration before. In this narration, it is mentioned that when the sun rises in the east as high as it is in the west at the time of Asr, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would perform two rak‘ahs, and this is the Duha prayer.

And this belongs to the same category which I have mentioned, that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) performed the Duha prayer on days other than the day of return from travel.

Abdur Rahman bin Abi Laila narrates that no one except Sayyidah Umm Hani (may Allah be pleased with her) has narrated to me that she saw the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) performing the Duha prayer. Indeed, she narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) came to her on the day of the conquest of Makkah, performed ghusl (ritual bath), and offered eight rak‘ahs. I have not seen the Prophet (peace be upon him) perform a lighter prayer than this one, except that he would complete the bowing (ruku‘) and prostration (sujud) properly.

Sayyidah Umm Hani bint Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed eight units of Duha prayer on that day, and he would say salam after every two units.

Abdullah bin Harith narrates that I inquired and had a strong desire to find someone who could tell me that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) performed the Duha prayer, but I could not find anyone except Sayyidah Umm Hani bint Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with her). She informed me that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came (to her house) on the day of the conquest of Makkah after the sun had risen high, and he ordered for a cloth to be brought. So, a sheet was used to make a curtain for him, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) performed ghusl (ritual bath). Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stood and performed eight rak‘ahs. I do not know whether his standing in these rak‘ahs was longer, or his bowing, or his prostration; all these parts were nearly equal. She said: Then I did not see the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) perform the Duha prayer before or after that.