The number of rak'as of the sunna before 'isha'

Question

Regarding the four rak'as of sunna prayed before the 'isha' prayer: if, owing to shortage of time, only two rak'as are prayed instead of four, is that correct or not? It would be better if a reference were given, since the population here is ignorant, so that I can explain it to them.

Answer

The four rak'as before 'isha' are not an emphasized sunna; rather, they are mustahabb. If one prays two, that too suffices. [ar]يستحب أن يصلي قبل العشاء أربعا، وقيل ركعتين[/ar] “It is mustahabb to pray four [rak'as] before 'isha', and it has been said: two rak'as” (al-Durr al-Mukhtar). But there is more reward in four.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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