Question
I heard that whoever offers four rak’ahs after ‘Isha he will get reward of laylatul qadr. Is this narration a Hadith? What is its status and can it be quoted?
Answer
This has been reported as a Hadith of Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) by the following Sahabah, but with weak chains:
1. Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu’anhuma)
(Al-Mu’jamul Kabir, Hadith: 13800 and Al-Mu’jamul Awsat, Hadith: 5239)
2. Sayyiduna Bara ibn ‘Azib (radiyallahu’anhu)
(Sunan Sa’id ibn Mansur; see At-Ta’rif wal Ikhbar, Hadith: 283 and Al-Mu’jamul Awsat, Hadith: 6332)
3. Sayyiduna Anas (radiyallahu’anhu)
(Al-Mu’jamul Awsat, Hadith: 2733)
4. Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu’anhuma)
(Al-Mu’jamul Kabir, Hadith: 12240 and As-Sunanul Kubra of Bayhaqi, vol.2 pg.477)
The chains for these narrations vary in their level of weakness.
(Targhib, vol.1 pg.401 and pg.405-406 , Majma’uz Zawaid, vol.2 pg.221 and pg.230-231 and Ithaful Khiyaratil Maharah, after Hadith: 2312 and Mukhtasarul Ithaf, Hadith: 1938)
One reliable chain
Actually, the Hadith of Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu’anhu) also appears in the Musnad of Imam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah), Hadith:178, 179 with a reliable chain.
The above Hadiths are further supported by the following:
It has been reported from several Sahabah (radiyallahu’anhum) that they said:
“Whoever offers four rak’ahs (nafl) after ‘Isha, will get the reward of offering these rak’ahs on laylatul Qadr”
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, Hadith: 7351-7357 and As-Sunanul Kubra of Bayhaqi, vol.2 pg.477)
Although these are reports from Sahabah, the subject matter is not one that can be derived from logic. Therefore it is understood that they acquired this from Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam).
Summary
When all of the above are combined, the Hadith in question gains sufficient strength and is therefore suitable for practice.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,
Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar