Asim bin Damrah says that once we asked Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) how the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer voluntary prayers during the day. He replied: You do not have the strength to pray as he did. We said: Please tell us, we will try to act upon it as much as we are able. He said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), after offering the Fajr prayer, would wait for a while, and when the sun would rise in the east to the extent that it is in the west after the Asr prayer, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand and offer two rak‘ahs of prayer. Then he would wait for a while, and when the sun would rise in the east to the extent that it is in the west after the Zuhr prayer, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand and offer four rak‘ahs of prayer. Then, after the sun had passed its zenith, he would offer four rak‘ahs before Zuhr, two rak‘ahs after Zuhr, and four rak‘ahs before Asr. And in every two rak‘ahs, he would recite words of peace (the tashahhud) for the close angels, the noble prophets (peace be upon them), and the Muslims and believers who follow them.