Qaboos narrates from his father that his father sent a woman to Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) so that she could ask her which prayer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) liked to perform regularly. She said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform four rak‘ahs before the Zuhr prayer, standing long in them and performing bowing and prostration in a good manner, and he would never abandon the two Sunnah rak‘ahs of Fajr, whether he was healthy or ill, or whether he was traveling or at home.

Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray four rak‘ahs before Zuhr and would not abandon the Sunnah prayers before Fajr, and he used to say: "The two best surahs that are recited in the two rak‘ahs before Fajr are: «قل هو الله احد» ‏‏‏‏ and «قل يا ايها الكافرون» ."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite «قل يا ايها الكافرون» and «قل هو الله احد» ‏‏‏‏ in the two rak‘ahs before Fajr and the two rak‘ahs after Maghrib.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever was unable to perform the two Sunnah (rak‘ahs) of Fajr, let him offer them after sunrise."

Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Muntashir narrates that my father used to pray two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr. He was asked (why do you pray this salah)? He said: If I prayed these two rak‘ahs only because I saw Masruq praying them, even that would have been a reliable reason. But I also asked Sayyidah ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) about this, and she said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) never abandoned two rak‘ahs before Fajr and two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade performing prayer after ‘Asr, except if the sun is high.

It is narrated from a companion of the Messenger of Allah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) led the ‘Asr prayer. (After the salam) a man immediately started to pray. Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) saw him and said:“Sit down! The People of the Book were destroyed because there was no interval in their prayers.”The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:“Ibn Khattab did well.”

Abdullah bin Rabah narrates from a companion that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) led the Asr prayer. A man immediately stood up to offer more prayer. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) saw him and, grabbing his sheet or garment, said: "Sit down. The People of the Book were destroyed because there was no interval in their prayers." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Ibn Khattab did well." And in another narration: "(Ibn Khattab) spoke the truth."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah Muzani that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) offered two rak‘ahs before Maghrib and said: "Offer two rak‘ahs before Maghrib, (offer two rak‘ahs before Maghrib)." Then, the third time he said: "Whoever wishes may offer them." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) feared that people might consider it a (mandatory) Sunnah or a fixed practice.

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) says: In the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), when the muezzin finished the call to prayer for Maghrib, the distinguished Companions would rush towards the pillars and (using them as a barrier) would perform two rak‘ahs before Maghrib. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would arrive, they would be praying. People would perform these two rak‘ahs so frequently that a stranger would feel as if the prayer had already been offered (and people were performing the subsequent Sunnah prayers). There was only a short interval between the adhan and the iqamah.