Azami 2456

Reported by Abu Dawud (1272) from Hafs bin Umar, who said, our teacher Shuba told us, from Abu Ishaq, from Asim bin Damra, from Ali, and he related it. Nawawi graded it sahih in Khulasa (1821).I say, its chain is hasan due to the discussion regarding Asim bin Damra.As for his statement, "He used to pray two units of prayer before Asr," this means occasionally, so it does not contradict what was mentioned earlier about the four units. Because of the divergence among the narrations, the option of choosing between four units and two units becomes a way of reconciling the narrations, though the four are better.Munziri said, Asim bin Damra was deemed reliable by Yahya bin Main and others, though more than one scholar has raised criticism of him.The scholars differed regarding the daytime prayer. Malik, Shafii, and Ahmad held that it is performed two units at a time, just like the night prayer. Bukhari also held this view, and he titled a chapter, "What has been reported about voluntary prayer performed two units at a time," mentioning under it the night and day voluntary prayers performed two units at a time. He then titled another chapter, "The two units before Dhuhr," and cited under it the hadith of Ayesha that the Prophet ﷺ never omitted four units before Dhuhr and two units before dawn, meaning four units before Dhuhr with two separate closing salutations.Abu Hanifa held that one may choose between four units and two, and it has even been reported from some of the early generations that four units are preferable.