Chapter 36: The evidence for those who say that “the middle prayer” is the `Asr prayer - كتاب الْمَسَاجِدِ وَمَوَاضِعِ الصَّلاَةِ
وَحَدَّثَنَا عَوْنُ بْنُ سَلاَّمٍ الْكُوفِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ طَلْحَةَ الْيَامِيُّ، عَنْ زُبَيْدٍ، عَنْ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَبَسَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ حَتَّى احْمَرَّتِ الشَّمْسُ أَوِ اصْفَرَّتْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " شَغَلُونَا عَنِ الصَّلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ مَلأَ اللَّهُ أَجْوَافَهُمْ وَقُبُورَهُمْ نَارًا " . أَوْ قَالَ " حَشَا اللَّهُ أَجْوَافَهُمْ وَقُبُورَهُمْ نَارًا " .
'Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) reported that the polytheists detained the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) from observing the afternoon prayer till the sun became red or it became yellow. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
They have diverted us from (offering) the middle prayer. i. e. the 'Asr prayer. May Allah fill their bellies and their graves with fire, or he said: May Allah stuff their bellies and their graves with fire.