Our Imam-e-Masjid told us a Hadeeth that Rasool-e-Mukarram, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, adviced to pray 10 or 12 Raka's Sunnah prayer in whole day before and after Fardh prayers (on various times), in Pakistan we use to pray 4 Raka's Sunnah, before 4 Raka's Fard of Salat-e-Thuhr, with 1 (One) Salaam (ending). However according to a Hadeeth in Saheeh Bukhaari we should pray these 4 Raka's Sunnah with 2 (Two) Salaam (Ending), i.e. 2+2 Raka's. One of our friends says there is a Hadeeth regarding offer 4 Raka's collectively in Saheeh-e-Sitta, but he forgot the book of Hadeeth. My question is that 1- Is there any Hadeeth regarding offering 4 Raka's collectively? 2- Which way is better to offer these 4 Raka's Sunnah of Thuhr according to Shariah-e-Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

In principle supererogatory prayers should be performed in twos. The Prophet said: "The prayer (voluntary prayer) of the night and day is in twos." [Ibn Maajah, At-Tirmithi, An-Nasaa'ee and Abu Daawood]. Nevertheless, it is permissible for a person to perform four Rak'as with one Salaam.

'Aasim Ibn Dhamrah, said: 'I asked 'Ali Ibn Abu Taalib about the supererogatory prayers of the Prophet during the day before the obligatory ones, and he replied: "Who can do what he did?" And then he informed us saying: ''The Prophet used to perform two Raka'hs when the sun reaches its meridian, and four Raka'hs before midday, with one salaam at the end.' [An-Nasaa'ee, and Al-Albaani classified it as authentic]

The scholars stated that the narration reported by Ibn 'Umar is about the superiority [that it is better to pray in twos], and the narration reported by 'Ali is about the permissibility [of doing i.e. performing four Raka'hs with one Salaam].

Allaah Knows best.