Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to always perform four rak‘ahs after the sun had declined. One day I asked: O Messenger of Allah! What are these rak‘ahs that you perform regularly? He (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: At the time of the sun’s decline, the gates of the heavens are opened, and they are not closed until the Zuhr prayer is performed, so I like that a righteous deed of mine is raised up during this time. I asked: O Messenger of Allah! Do you recite (Qur’an) in all these rak‘ahs? He replied: Yes. I asked: Is there a separating salam in them? He (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: No.