What is the ruling on praying four rak'ahs before the midday prayer with a single closing salam?

Question:
What is the validity of the statement that it is permissible to combine four rak'ahs in the regular voluntary prayer before the midday prayer with a single salam?

Answer:
The jurists said so; a group of jurists said so based on the implication of the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): "The night prayer is in pairs." The implication of this is that the daytime prayer is not so. Therefore, one prays four rak'ahs like the midday prayer, similar to the midday prayer, based on the implication of the hadith. However, in some narrations of the hadith, according to this narration, one does not pray four rak'ahs in the daytime with a single salam as a voluntary prayer.