Shortcuts To Jannah

THE NUMBER OF RAKAHS FOR THE PRAYERS IN ISLAM

Umm Habeebah (RadhiAllaahu Anha) narrates I heard the Messenger of Allaah (Sallalahu Alayhee Wasallam) say, "whoever prays 12 rakahs in the day and night then for him will be a palace in paradise." (Saheeh Muslim no.728)

The Messenger of Allaah (Sallalahu Alayhee Wasallam) also said "whoever prayed 12 rakahs in the day and night a house will be made for him paradise. 4 rakahs before Dhuhr and 2 after, 2 rakahs after maghrib, 2 rakahs after Ishaa and 2 rakahs before the Fajr prayer." (Sunan Tirmidhee no.415)

FAJR

Total : 4 rakahs

Breakdown : 2 rak'ah obligatory and 2 rak'ah optional (sunnah rak'ah)

OBLIGATORY RAKAHS
Abu Barzah as-Salami (RadhiAllaahu Anhu) narrates, "When the Messenger of Allaah (Sallalahu Alayhee Wasallam) would pray the morning prayer he would recite in both rakahs or in one 60-100 verses." (Saheeh Bukhaari no.771)
THE OPTIONAL RAKAHS
Hafsah (RadhiAllaahu Anha) narrates, "When the Mu'addhin finished saying the Adhaan for the morning prayer and sunrise had started the Messenger of Allaah (Sallalahu Alayhee Wasallam) would pray 2 light rakahs before the standing of the congregation for the obligatory prayer." (Saheeh Muslim no.723)
NOTE :

The Messenger of Allaah (Sallalahu Alayhee Wasallam) never missed the morning optional prayers and always prayed them. Aishah (RadhiAllaahu Anha) narrates, "The Messenger of Allaah (Sallalahu Alayhee Wasallam) would not be firm upon anything except the 2 rakahs of the morning optional prayer before the sunrise." (Saheeh Muslim no.724).

Hence these rakahs are sunnate Mu'akkadah (confirmed sunnah) i.e he never missed and always prayed

The late Indian Hadeeth Master, Allaamah Shams ul-Haqq A'dheemaabadee authored a magnanimous work on the 2 rakahs before the obligatory prayers of Fajr titled 'A'laam Ahlil Asar Bi-Ahkaam Rakatil-Fajr' 300+ pages. Two such virtue of praying the 2 rak'ah sunnah of Fajr is :

Aishah relates that the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam said about the two rak'at before the fajr "They are dearer to me than the whole world." [This is related by Ahmad, Muslim, and at-Tirmidhi]

Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet said: "Do not leave the two rak'at of the fajr, even if you are being attacked by a cavalry."[This is confirmed by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Baihaqi, and at-Tahawi]

DHUHR

Total : 12 rakahs

Breakdown : 2 or 4 optional rakahs + 4 obligatory prayers + 2 or 4 optional prayers.

OPTIONAL RAKAHS
Aishah (RadhiAllaahu Anha) said, "The Messenger of Allaah (Sallalahu Alayhee Wasallam) would pray 4 rakahs before the Dhuhr prayer in my house and after leading the people in the prayer (ie The Fardh of Dhuhr) and returning he would pray 2 rakahs." (Saheeh Muslim no.730)

Ibn Umar (RadhiAllaahu Anhuma) narrates, "I prayed with the Prophet (Sallalahu Alayhee Wasallam) and we prayed 2 rakahs before the Dhuhr prayer and 2 rakahs after." (Saheeh Bukhaari no.1172)

Umm Habeebah (RadhiAllaahu Anha) narrates that the Messenger of Allaah (Sallalahu Alayhee Wasallam) said, "Whoever establishes the 4 rakahs before the Dhuhr prayer and 4 rakahs after then the fire will be unlawful upon him."(Sunan Abu Dawood no.1269)
NOTE

The Messenger of Allaah (Sallalahu Alayhee Wasallam) would never miss the 4 rakahs before Dhuhr. Aishah (RadhiAllaahu Anha) narrates, "The Prophet (Sallalahu Alayhee Wasallam) would never miss the 4 rakahs before Dhuhr and the 2 rakahs before Fajr." (Saheeh Bukhaari no.1182)

Hence these 4 rakahs are also Sunnah Mu'akkadah

OBLIGATORY RAKAHS
Abu Qataadah narrates, "Verily the Prophet (Sallalahu Alayhee Wasallam) would recite the Faatihah and a Soorah in the first 2 rakahs and then just the faatihah in the last 2 rakahs." (Saheeh Bukhaari no.776)