Benefit:
Confirming the Prohibition of Praying after Asr is at the times the Sun Rises and Sets
Imam Muslim narrated in his Sahih that Ibn ‘Umar reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: “Do not intend to observe prayer at the time of the rising of the sun nor at its setting, for it rises between the horns of Satan.” [Hadith No. 828]
Imam Muslim also narrated in his Sahih that Ibn ‘Umar reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: “When the rim of the sun starts appearing defer prayer till it completely appears, and when the rim of the sun disappears defer prayer till it completely disappears.” [Hadith No. 829]
Imam Muslim likewise narrated in his Sahih that Uqba b. ‘Amir said: There were the times at which Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) forbade us to pray, or bury our dead: When the sun begins to rise till it is fully up, when the sun is at its height at midday till it passes over the meridian, and when the sun draws near to setting till it sets. [Hadith No. 831]
It was said: So we benefit from these hadiths that the prohibition of praying after salaatul Asr is at the determined time of the setting of the sun or at its covering. As for what is before that then it is permissible without any dislike.
We responded: That praying after salaatul Asr is generally disliked rather the dislike was emphasized and the worst of it is praying the supererogatory prayer at the time of the setting of the sun. So there is no conflict between these hadiths. As for the hadith of Ali (1) then it is considered weak (ضعيف) and doesn’t strengthen the (apparent) conflict of these many well-known authentic hadiths.
As for what came from the hadith of Aisha (2), then it was referred to ask Umm Salima because the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ ) first prayed it (the two rakah after salaatul Asr) at Umm Salima house and also when she disapproved of that and referred back to the Prophet, he ﷺ informed her that he was busied from praying his two rakah after salaatul Dhuhr so those two (rakah after Asr) were for that.
So this is the origin of the Prophet’s (ﷺ )prayer after Asr, then he continued upon it. Because if he ﷺ began an action he would continue upon it. And the saying that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) changed the ruling (of praying after Asr) from being disliked to preferred is contrary to the fact, as it also shows this is specific to him ﷺ. Did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) not prevent his nation from fasting continuously yet he himself did it? And when they intended to fast continuously, he ﷺ disapproved of them doing so.
So what is correct and Allah knows best, combining between these hadiths that praying after salaatul Asr continuously is only allowed for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) based upon the many unrestricted hadiths prohibiting that. And because of this he ﷺ did this act that was prohibited in his home not in front of the people.
And we benefit from this matter:
The permissibilty of making up missed superogatory prayers directly after Asr, like the permissibility of making up the two rakah before Fajr directly after Fajr as this issue is similar to that.
Benefited from: Shaikh Abu Abdillah Muhammad Ba Jamaal (May Allah preserve him)
Source: https://t.me/OfficialChannelShaykhBaajammaal/24
Translated by: Abu Yusuf Bílal ibn Howard Robinson
Footnote:
- We asked Ali (رضي الله عنه) about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in the day, he said: You do not have the capacity to do it. We said: Who from amongst us can. He said: If the sun is here then it is disliked from here until the time of Asr to pray two rakah, and if the sun is here then it is disliked from here until Dhuhr to pray four raka’aat, and before Dhuhr pray four raka’aat and then two rak’ahs after, and before Asr four raka’aat, separating each two rak’ahs with the tasleem and sending salaams upon the prophets of angels and those (of the righteous) that followed them from the Believers and Muslims. [Musnad Ahmad; 1375]
- Kuraib said: I went to her (‘A’isha) and conveyed to her the message with which I was sent. She said: (Better) ask Umm Salama. So I went to them (those who had sent him to ‘A’isha) and informed them about what she had said. They sent me back to Umm Salama with that with which I was sent to ‘A’isha. Umm Salama said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibiting them, and then afterwards I saw him observing them. And when he observed them (two rak’ahs) he had already observed the ‘Asr prayer. Then he (ﷺ) came, while there were with me ladies of Banu Haram, a tribe of the Ansar and he (ﷺ) observed them (the two rak’ahs). I sent a slave-girl to him asking her to stand by his side and say to him that Umm Salama says: Messenger of Allah, I heard you prohibiting these two rak’ahs, whereas I saw you observing them; and if he (ﷺ) points with his hand (to wait), then do wait. The slave-girl did like that. He ﷺ pointed out with his hand and she got aside and waited, and when he had finished (the prayer) he said: Daughter of Abu Umayya, you have asked about the two rak’ahs after the ‘Asr prayer. Some people of ‘Abu al-Qais came to me for embracing Islam and hindered me from observing the two rak’ahs which come after the noon prayer. So those are the two I have been praying. [Sahih Muslim:361]