Anas on Prayer: Some prayers the Prophet neither commanded them nor did he forbid them

Mukhtar ibn Fulful reported: I asked Anas ibn Malik about the voluntary prayers after the midday prayer. He said, “Umar would strike his hands over a prayer observed after the midday prayer. During the lifetime of the
Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, we would pray two cycles after the setting of the sun and before the sunset prayer.” Mukhtar said, “Did the Messenger of Allah pray them?” Anas said, “He would see us praying them. He did not command us to pray them and neither did he forbid us from praying them.”

Source: Sahih Muslim 836

Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Imam Muslim

عَنْ مُخْتَارِ بْنِ فُلْفُلٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ عَنْ التَّطَوُّعِ بَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ فَقَالَ كَانَ عُمَرُ يَضْرِبُ الْأَيْدِي عَلَى صَلَاةٍ بَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ وَكُنَّا نُصَلِّي عَلَى عَهْدِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ غُرُوبِ الشَّمْسِ قَبْلَ صَلَاةِ الْمَغْرِبِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَلَّاهُمَا قَالَ كَانَ يَرَانَا نُصَلِّيهِمَا فَلَمْ يَأْمُرْنَا وَلَمْ يَنْهَنَا

836 صحيح مسلم كِتَاب صَلَاةِ الْمُسَافِرِينَ وَقَصْرِهَا باب اسْتِحْبَابِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ صَلَاةِ الْمَغْرِبِ