Four rak'as before 'isha'

Question

Several months have passed in search of a hadith, but it could not be found. The hadith concerns the four rak'as of 'isha'. [If] the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed four rak'as of sunna before the four [rak'as of] fard of 'isha', how many times did he pray them? If proof of even the mere praying of them is found, how fortunate that would be! Kindly quote that hadith. Mawlana 'Abd al-Hannan, Dar al-'Ulum Chhapi, Banaskantha, Gujarat.

Answer

I have not seen in any book of hadith that [the Prophet ﷺ] prayed four rak'as of sunna before 'isha' or commanded [them]. That there is a prayer between every two adhans is, however, certainly present in the noble hadith, and the 'isha' prayer is also included in this generality.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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