The Evidence for Determining the Number of Rak'ahs in the Obligatory Prayers
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Your Eminence! Is there any evidence from the Sunnah regarding the determination of the number of rak'ahs in the obligatory prayers, that Fajr is two rak'ahs and Zuhr is four?
This is a strange question.
First: The Sunnah indicates this explicitly,Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: [The first thing that was prescribed was that the prayer was two rak'ahs, then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) migrated, and the prayer for those residing in the city was increased, while the prayer for travelers remained as the original obligation].
Second: This is a matter on which there is scholarly consensus,Meaning: If someone were to tell us that the Fajr prayer could be three rak'ahs, he would be a disbeliever; because this is a denial of what is known necessarily from the religion of Islam, and the number of rak'ahs in the prayers is a matter in which no one doubts.
It is a matter on which there is scholarly consensus.
And this is the hadith of Aisha that I mentioned to you, and the consensus of the Muslims on it from the time of the Messenger of Allah to this day. Has the Muslim community been in consensus on an error since the rise of Islam until today? This person who doubts this—O young men!—is a corrupter, because deep down in his heart he knows that this does not require seeking evidence. The practice of the Muslims on this matter from that time to this day is the greatest evidence. But beware of such people who respond to them with such questions. Beware of them and flee from them as you flee from death, or more so.
We ask Allah to protect the Muslims from the evil of such people. Indeed, He is capable of all things.
This is a strange question.
First: The Sunnah indicates this explicitly,Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: [The first thing that was prescribed was that the prayer was two rak'ahs, then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) migrated, and the prayer for those residing in the city was increased, while the prayer for travelers remained as the original obligation].
Second: This is a matter on which there is scholarly consensus,Meaning: If someone were to tell us that the Fajr prayer could be three rak'ahs, he would be a disbeliever; because this is a denial of what is known necessarily from the religion of Islam, and the number of rak'ahs in the prayers is a matter in which no one doubts.
It is a matter on which there is scholarly consensus.
And this is the hadith of Aisha that I mentioned to you, and the consensus of the Muslims on it from the time of the Messenger of Allah to this day. Has the Muslim community been in consensus on an error since the rise of Islam until today? This person who doubts this—O young men!—is a corrupter, because deep down in his heart he knows that this does not require seeking evidence. The practice of the Muslims on this matter from that time to this day is the greatest evidence. But beware of such people who respond to them with such questions. Beware of them and flee from them as you flee from death, or more so.
We ask Allah to protect the Muslims from the evil of such people. Indeed, He is capable of all things.