We used to say (the noonprayer) with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in the intense heat, but when someone amongst us found it hard to place his forehead on the ground, he spread his cloth and prostrated on it.
Anas b. Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray the afternoon prayer when the sun was high and bright, then one would go off to al-'Awali and get there while the sun was still high. Ibn Qutaiba made no mention of" one would go off to al-'Awali".
'Ala' b. 'Abd al-Rahman reported that they came to the house of Anas b. Malik in Basra after saying the noon prayer. His (Anas) house was situated by the side of the mosque. As revisited him he (Anas) said:
Have you said the afternoon prayer? We said to him: It is just a few minutes before that we finished the noon prayer. He said: Offer the afternoon prayer. So we stood up and said our prayer. And when we completed it, he said: I have heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: This is how the hypocrite prays: he sits watching the sun, and when it is between the horns of devil, he rises and strikes the ground four times (in haste) mentioning Allah a little during it.
We offered the noon prayer with Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz. We then set out till we came to Anas b. Malik and found him busy in saying the afternoon prayer. I said to him: O uncle! which is this prayer that you are offering? He said: It is the afternoon prayer and this is the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that we offered along with him.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led us in the afternoon prayer. When he completed it, a person from Bani Salama came to him and said: Messenger of Allah, we intend to slaughter our came and we are desirous that you should also be present there (on this occasion). He (the Holy Prophet) said: Yes. He (the person) went and we also went along with him and we found that the camel had not been slaughtered yet. Then it was slaughtered, and it was cut into pieces and then some of those were cooked, and then we ate (them) before the setting of the sun. This hadith has also been narrated by another chain of transmitters.
We used to say the afternoon prayer with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and then the camel was slaughtered and ten parts of it were distributed; then it was cooked and then we ate this cooked meat before the sinking of the sun.
When it was the day (of the Battle) of Ahzab, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: May Allah fill their graves and houses with fire, as they detained us and diverted us from the middle prayer, till the sun set.
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1309
Hadith 628
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.
'A'isha ordered me to transcribe a copy of the Qur'an for her and said: When you reach this verse:" Guard the prayers and the middle prayer" (ii. 238), inform me; so when I reached it, I informed her and she gave me dictation (like this): Guard the prayers and the middle prayer and the afternoon prayer, and stand up truly obedient to Allah. 'A'isha said: This is how I have heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
This verse was revealed (in this way):" Guard the prayers and the 'Asr prayer." We recited it (in this very way) so long as Allah desired. Allah, then, abrogated it and it was revealed:" Guard the prayers, and the middle prayer." A person who was sitting with Shaqiq (one of the narrators in the chain of transmitters) said: Now it implies the 'Asr prayer. Upon this al-Bara' said: I have already informed you how this (verse) was revealed and how Allah abrogated it, and Allah knows best.
Imam Muslim said: Ashja'i narrated it from Sufyan al-Thauri, who narrated it from al-Aswad b. Qais, who narrated it from 'Uqba, who narrated it from al-Bara' b. 'Azib who said: We recited with the Prophet (ﷺ) (the above-mentioned verse like this, i. e. instead of Salat al- Wusta, Salat al-'Asr) for a certain period. as It has been mentioned (in the above-quoted hadith).
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1317
Hadith 631
Chapter 5: The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer - كتاب الْمَسَاجِدِ وَمَوَاضِعِ الصَّلاَةِ
وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو غَسَّانَ الْمِسْمَعِيُّ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ، - قَالَ أَبُو غَسَّانَ حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، - حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، يَوْمَ الْخَنْدَقِ جَعَلَ يَسُبُّ كُفَّارَ قُرَيْشٍ وَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهِ مَا كِدْتُ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ الْعَصْرَ حَتَّى كَادَتْ أَنْ تَغْرُبَ الشَّمْسُ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
" فَوَاللَّهِ إِنْ صَلَّيْتُهَا " . فَنَزَلْنَا إِلَى بُطْحَانَ فَتَوَضَّأَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَتَوَضَّأْنَا فَصَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْعَصْرَ بَعْدَ مَا غَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ ثُمَّ صَلَّى بَعْدَهَا الْمَغْرِبَ .
Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that Umar b. al-Khattab had been cursing the pagans of the Quraish an the day (of the Battle) of Khandaq (Ditch). (He came to the Holy Prophet) and said:
Messenger of Allah, by God, I could not say. the 'Asr prayer till the sun set. Upon this the Messenger (ﷺ) said: By Allah I, too, have not observed it. So we went to a valley. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) performed ablution and we too performed ablution, and then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said the 'Asr prayer after the sun had set. and then said the evening prayer after it.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Angels take turns among you by night and by day, and they all assemble at the dawn and afternoon prayers. Those (of the angels) who spend the night among you, then, ascend, and their Lord asks them, though He is the best informed about them: How did you leave My servants? -they say: We left them while they were praying and we came to them while they were praying.
We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that he looked at the full moon and observed: You shall see your Lord as you are seeing this moon, and you will not be harmed by seeing Him. So if you can, do not let -yourselves be overpowered in case of prayer observed before the rising of the sun and its setting, i. e. the 'Asr prayer and the morning prayer. Jarir then recited it:" Celebrate the praise of thy Lord before the rising of the sun and before Its setting" (xx. 130).
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1322
Hadith 634
Chapter 5: The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer - كتاب الْمَسَاجِدِ وَمَوَاضِعِ الصَّلاَةِ
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ جَمِيعًا عَنْ وَكِيعٍ، - قَالَ أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، - عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ، وَمِسْعَرٍ، وَالْبَخْتَرِيِّ بْنِ الْمُخْتَارِ، سَمِعُوهُ مِنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ رُؤَيْبَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ
" لَنْ يَلِجَ النَّارَ أَحَدٌ صَلَّى قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا " . يَعْنِي الْفَجْرَ وَالْعَصْرَ . فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ آنْتَ سَمِعْتَ هَذَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ نَعَمْ . قَالَ الرَّجُلُ وَأَنَا أَشْهَدُ أَنِّي سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَمِعَتْهُ أُذُنَاىَ وَوَعَاهُ قَلْبِي .
'Umara b. Ruwaiba is reported to have said on the authority of his father:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: He who observes prayer before the rising of the sun and its setting, i.e. the dawn prayer and the afternoon prayer, would not enter the (Hell) fire. A person belonging to Basra said to him: Did you yourself hear it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? He said: Yes. The person (from Basra) said: I bear witness that I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ); my ears heard it and my heart retained it.
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1328
Hadith 637
Chapter 5: The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer - كتاب الْمَسَاجِدِ وَمَوَاضِعِ الصَّلاَةِ
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مِهْرَانَ الرَّازِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو النَّجَاشِيِّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَافِعَ بْنَ خَدِيجٍ، يَقُولُ كُنَّا نُصَلِّي الْمَغْرِبَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيَنْصَرِفُ أَحَدُنَا وَإِنَّهُ لَيُبْصِرُ مَوَاقِعَ نَبْلِهِ .
Rafi' b. Khadij reported:
We used to observe the evening prayer with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and then one of us would go away and he could see the (distant) place where his arrow would fall.
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1329
Hadith 638
Chapter 5: The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer - كتاب الْمَسَاجِدِ وَمَوَاضِعِ الصَّلاَةِ
وَحَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ سَوَّادٍ الْعَامِرِيُّ، وَحَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، أَنَّ ابْنَ شِهَابٍ، أَخْبَرَهُ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ أَعْتَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَيْلَةً مِنَ اللَّيَالِي بِصَلاَةِ الْعِشَاءِ وَهِيَ الَّتِي تُدْعَى الْعَتَمَةَ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى قَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ نَامَ النِّسَاءُ وَالصِّبْيَانُ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ لأَهْلِ الْمَسْجِدِ حِينَ خَرَجَ عَلَيْهِمْ " مَا يَنْتَظِرُهَا أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ غَيْرُكُمْ " . وَذَلِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَفْشُوَ الإِسْلاَمُ فِي النَّاسِ . زَادَ حَرْمَلَةُ فِي رِوَايَتِهِ قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ وَذُكِرَ لِي أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " وَمَا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَنْزُرُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى الصَّلاَةِ " . وَذَاكَ حِينَ صَاحَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ .
'A'isha. the wife of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) deferred one night the 'Isya' prayer. And this is called 'Atama. And the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not come out till Umar b. Khattab told (him) that the women and children had gone to sleep. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came out towards them and said to the people of the mosque: None except you from the people of the earth waits for it (for the night prayer at this late hour), and it was before Islam had spread amongst people. And in the narration transmitted by Ibn Shihab the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is reported to have said: It is not meant that you should compel the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for prayer. And (this he said) when 'Umar b. Khattab called (the Holy Prophet) in a loud voice.
We waited one night in expectation of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for the last prayer of the night, and he came out to us when a third of the night had passed even after that. We do not know whether he had been occupied with family business or something else. When he came cut he said: You are waiting for prayer, for which the followers of no other religion wait. except you. Were it not a burden for my Ummah, I would have led them (in the 'Isya' prayer) at this hour. He then ordered the Mu'adhdbin (to call for prayer) and then stood up for prayer and observed prayer.
They (the believers) asked Anas about the ring of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he said: One night the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) delayed (observing) the 'Isya' prayer up to the midnight or midnight was about to be over. He then came and said: (Other) people have offered prayers and slept, but you are constantly in prayer as long as you wait for prayer. Anas said: I perceive as if I am seeing the lustre of his silver ring, and lifted his, small left finger (in order to show how the Prophet had lifted it).
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1336
Hadith 641
Chapter 39: The time of `Isha and delaying it - كتاب الْمَسَاجِدِ وَمَوَاضِعِ الصَّلاَةِ
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَامِرٍ الأَشْعَرِيُّ، وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ بُرَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى، قَالَ كُنْتُ أَنَا وَأَصْحَابِي الَّذِينَ، قَدِمُوا مَعِي فِي السَّفِينَةِ نُزُولاً فِي بَقِيعِ بُطْحَانَ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَكَانَ يَتَنَاوَبُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عِنْدَ صَلاَةِ الْعِشَاءِ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ نَفَرٌ مِنْهُمْ قَالَ أَبُو مُوسَى فَوَافَقْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَا وَأَصْحَابِي وَلَهُ بَعْضُ الشُّغُلِ فِي أَمْرِهِ حَتَّى أَعْتَمَ بِالصَّلاَةِ حَتَّى ابْهَارَّ اللَّيْلُ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ فَلَمَّا قَضَى صَلاَتَهُ قَالَ لِمَنْ حَضَرَهُ " عَلَى رِسْلِكُمْ أُعْلِمُكُمْ وَأَبْشِرُوا أَنَّ مِنْ نِعْمَةِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنَ النَّاسِ أَحَدٌ يُصَلِّي هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ غَيْرُكُمْ " . أَوْ قَالَ " مَا صَلَّى هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُكُمْ " . لاَ نَدْرِي أَىَّ الْكَلِمَتَيْنِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو مُوسَى فَرَجَعْنَا فَرِحِينَ بِمَا سَمِعْنَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Abu Musa reported:
I and my companions who had sailed along with me in the boat landed with me in the valley of Buthan while the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was staying in Medina. A party of people amongst them went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) every night at the time of the 'Isya' prayer turn by turn. Abu Musa said: (One night) we (I and my companions) went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he was occupied in some matter till there was a delay in prayer so much so that it was the middle of the night. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then came out and led them (Musa's companions) in prayer. And when he had observed his prayer he said to the audience present: Take it easy, I am going to give you information and glad tidings that it is the blessing of Allah upon you for there is none among the people, except you, who prays at this hour (of the night), or he said: None except you observed prayer at this. (late) hour. He (i. e. the narrator) said: I am not sure which of these two sentences he actually uttered. Abu Musa, said: We came back happy for what we heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
I said to Ata': Which time do you deem fit for me to say the 'Isya' prayer, -as an Imam or alone, -that time which is called by people 'Atama? He said: I heard Ibn 'Abbas saying: The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) one night delayed the 'Isya' prayer till the people went to sleep. They woke up and again went to sleep and again woke up. Then 'Umar b. Khattab stood up and said (loudly)" Prayer." Ata' further reported that Ibn 'Abbas said: The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) came out, and as if I am still seeing him with water trickling from his head, and with his hand placed on one side of the head, and he said: Were it not hard for my Ummah, I would have ordered them to observe this prayer like this (i. e. at late hours). I inquired from 'Ata' how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) placed his hand upon his head as Ibn Abbas had informed. So Ata' spread his fingers a little and then placed the ends of his fingers on the side of his head. He then moved them like this over his head till the thumb touched that part of the ear which is near the face and then it (went) to the earlock and the part of the heard. It (the bind) neither held nor caught anything but this is how (it moved oil). I said to Ata': Was it mentioned to you (by Ibn Abbas) how long did the Apostle (ﷺ) delay it (the prayer) during that eight? He said: I do not know (I cannot give you the exact time). Ali' said: I love that I should say prayer, whether as an Imam or alone at delayed hours as the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said that night, but if It is hard upon you in your individual capacity or upon people in the congregation and you are their Imam, then say prayer ('Isha') at the middle hours neither too early nor too late.
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: Let the bedouin not gain upper hand over you in regard to the name of your prayer. See I (The night prayer should be called) 'Isya' (and the bedouins call it Atama (because) they milk their camels late.