Sunnats BEFORE Salaat al-Zuhr
Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) has said: “Whoever performs four rakaats before the fardh of zuhr and four rakaats after it, Allah Ta’aala will make him haraam upon the fire of Jahannam”. [Tirmidhi, Hadith no. 428]
Sunnats BEFORE Salaat al-Asr
Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) has said: “May Allah show mercy upon that person who performs four rakaats before the fardh of asr”. [Tirmidhi, chapter on the narrations regarding the four rakaats, Hadith no. 430]
Sunnats of Salaat al-Maghrib
Hazrat Abu Ma’mar (radhiallahu anhu) has said that the Sahaabah (radhiallahu anhum) used to consider 4 rakaats after the Fardh of maghrib to be mustahab. [Qiyaamul-Layl of Marwazi pg.58]
4 Rakaats Before Salaat al-Isha
Hazrat Sa’eed Ibn Jubair (radhiallahu anhu) narrates that the Sahaabah (radhiallahu anhum) used to regard the performing of four rakaats before the fardh of isha as mustahab. [ibid. pg.58]
Three Rakaats of Witr
Hazrat A’yesha (radhiallahu anha) is reported to have said (with regards to the tahajjud salaah of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam): “He (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) never used to perform more than eleven rakaats, whether in Ramadhan or out of Ramadhaan. Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) would perform long rakaats in two units of four rakaats each with such excellence and devotion which cannot be described. Thereafter he would perform three rakaats of witr salaah”. [Sahih Muslim, chapter on salaatul layl, Hadith 738]
Reciting Qunoot Before Ruku’
Hazrat Aasim (radhiallahu anhu) narrates: “I inquired from Hazrat Anas Ibn Malik (radhiallahu anhu) concerning the qunoot of witr. He affirmed its occurrence in the witr salaah. Then I asked whether it should be recited before the ruku or after it. He replied: “It should be recited before the ruku”. I then informed him of a certain person who had heard him (Hazrat Anas (radhiallahu anhu) saying that it should be recited after ruku. Hazrat Anas (radhiallahu anhu) most vehemently denied this”. Furthermore he said: “Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) recited the qunoot after the ruku for only one month.(referring to the qunootun naazilah)” [Sahih Bukhari, chapter on qunoot before ruku].
In Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah it is mentioned that for this very reason the Sahaaba-e-Kiraam (radhiallahu anhum) used to recite the qunoot before ruku.
Allaama Ibn Hajar (R.A.) writes in his commentary on Bukhari, Fath al-Bari that after analysing all these narrations we learn that it was the normal practice to recite the qunoot before ruku.
However on certain occasions (such as the befalling of a calamity, etc.) the qunoot would be recited after ruku. (vol. 1, pg. 291)
Salaam Should Be Made at the End of the Witr salaah
Hazrat A’yesha (radhiallahu anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) used to perform three rakaats witr without making salaam in between (i.e. after two rakaats.) [Zadul Ma’aad, pg.110]
Allama Ibn Hajar (R.A.) writes in Fathul Baari, the commentary on Sahih Bukhari, that Hazrat Ubay Ibn Ka’b, Hazrat Umar, Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud and Anas Ibn Malik (radhiallahu anhum) used to make salaam at the end of three rakaats witr, not in between. (vol. 1, pg. 291)
Two Rakaats Sunnah of Fajr
It is narrated that once Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (radhiallahu anhu) reached the masjid whilst the Imaam was leading the salaah of fajr with the congregation. Hence, since he had not as yet performed the two rakaats sunnah of fajr, he stood behind one of the pillars of the masjid and performed it (while the jama’ah was in progress). Thereafter he joined the jamaat. [Majmauz-Zawaaid, vol. 1, pg. 75]
This was also the practice of Abdullah Ibn Abbas, Abu Dardaa and Uthmaan (radhiallahu anhum).
Qadha of the Two Rakaats Sunnah of Salaat al-Fajr
Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is reported to have said: “Whoever did not perform the sunnah of fajr should perform it after the sun rises”. [Tirmidhi, Hadith no. 423]
In the Muwwatta of Imaam Malik (R.A.) it is narrated that this was also the practice of Abdullah Ibn Umar (radhiallahu anhu).
Salaat al-Tarawih During The Lifetime Of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)
It is narrated that one night during Ramadhaan Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) performed salaat al-tarawih in the masjid. A group of Sahaabah joined him during his salaah. The following night the same happened as the previous night except that the number of followers had increased considerably. Hence on the third (or fourth) night Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) did not come out to the masjid to perform salaat al-tarawih with the people. The following morning he said to them: “Indeed I had seen your eagerness (to perform the tarawih behind me), but for the fear that this salaah will be made fardh (compulsory) upon you during Ramadhaan, I did not come out to join you in the tarawih”. [Muslim, Hadith no.761]
Salaat al-Tarawih During the Period of the Rightly-Guided Khulafa (TWENTY RAKAATS)
Hazrat Yazeed Ibn Ruman (radhiallahu anhu) narrates that during the khilaafah of Hazrat Umar (radhiallahu anhu) the Sahaabah used to perform twenty rakaats tarawih and three rakaats witr salaah (with jamaat). [Muwwatta Imaam Maalik, chapter concerning standing in salaah during Ramadhaan]
During the khilafah of Abu Bakr (radhiallahu anhu) tarawih with jamaat was not in vogue. The practice of performing twenty rakaats with jamaat in every night of Ramadhaan and the completion of the entire Quraan began only during the the khilaafat of Hazrat Umar (radhiallahu anhu). All the Sahaabah present had agreed upon this practice. From then onwards including the Khilafah of both Hazrat Uthmaan and Hazrat Ali (radhiallahu anhu) upto this day the Muslim Ummah (at large) has followed this practice.
Twenty rakaats tarawih is also performed in both the Masjids of Makkah and Madinah upto the present time. However, it is tragic that in recent times a group of people have conflicted with the consensus of the Sahaabah (radhiallahu anhum) and the rest of the Ummah with regards to the number of rakaats in Tarawih salaah.