4.

Statement of Prayer

٤-

بيان الصلاة

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The time of the noon prayer is when the sun passes the meridian and a man’s shadow is the same length as his height, so long as the time for the afternoon prayer has not come; the time for the afternoon prayer is as long as the sun has not become yellow; the time of the sunset prayer is as long as the twilight has not ended; the time of the night prayer is up to midnight; and the time of the morning prayer is from the appearance of dawn, as long as the sun has not risen, but when the sun rises refrain from prayer, for it rises between the horns of the devil.” Muslim transmitted it.

Buraida told of a man asking God’s Messenger about the time of prayer, to which he replied, “Pray with us these two,” meaning two days. When the sun passed the meridian he gave command to Bilal who uttered the call to prayer, then he commanded him and he made the announcement declaring that the time to begin the noon prayer had come. He gave him command and he made the announcement declaring that the time to being the afternoon prayer had come when the sun was high, white and clear. Then he gave him command and he made the announcement declaring that the time to begin the sunset prayer had come when the sun had set. Then he gave him command and he made the announcement declaring that the time to begin the night prayer had come when the twilight had ended. Then he gave him command and he made the announcement declaring that the time to begin the dawn prayer had come when the dawn appeared. Next day he commanded him to delay the noon prayer till the extreme heat had passed and he did so, and he allowed it to be delayed till the extreme heat had passed. He observed the afternoon prayer when the sun was high, delaying it beyond the time he had previously observed it. He observed the sunset prayer before the twilight had ended; he observed the night prayer when a third of the night had passed; and he observed the dawn prayer when there was clear daylight. Then asking where the man was who had enquired about the time of prayer and receiving from him a reply that he was present, he said, “The time for your prayer is within the limits of what you have seen.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Gabriel twice led me in prayer at the House (i.e. the Ka’ba). He prayed the noon prayer with me when the sun had passed the meridian to the extent of the thong of a sandal; he prayed the afternoon prayer with me when every thing’s shadow was as long as itself; he prayed the sunset prayer with me at the time when one who has been fasting breaks his fast; he prayed the night prayer with me when the twilight had ended; and he prayed the dawn prayer with me at the time when food and drink become forbidden to one who is fasting. On the following day he prayed the noon prayer with me when his shadow was as long as himself; he prayed the afternoon prayer with me when his shadow was twice as long as himself; he prayed the sunset prayer with me at the time when one who has been fasting breaks his fast; he prayed the night prayer with me when about a third of the night had passed; and he prayed the dawn prayer with me when there was clear daylight. Then turning to me he said, ‘Muhammad, this is the time observed by the prophets before you, and the time is anywhere between these two times.” Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn Shihab said that ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz postponed the afternoon prayer somewhat and 'Urwa said to him, “Gabriel has come down and prayed in front of God’s Messenger.” So ‘Umar said to him, “Be sure of what you are saying, ‘Urwa.” He replied:“I heard Bashir b. Abu Mas'ud say that he heard Abu Mas'ud say that he heard God’s Messenger say, 'Gabriel came down and acted as myimamand I prayed along with him, then I prayed along with him, then I prayed along with him, then I prayed along with him, then I prayed along with him,’ reckoning with his fingers five times of prayer." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

It is told of ‘Umar b. al-Khattab that he wrote to his governors, “The most important matter which concerns you in my opinion is prayer; whoever observes it and is attentive to it will guard his religion, but whoever neglects it will be more neglectful of other things." Thereafter he wrote telling them to observe the moon prayer in the period when the shade was a cubit long up to the time when a man’s shadow was as long as himself; the afternoon prayer when the sun was high, white and clear, when there was still time for a rider to go two or three leagues before sunset:the sunset prayer after the sun had set; the night prayer between the ending of the twilight and the passing of a third of the night (adding three times “if one lies down to sleep may his eye not sleep”); and the morning prayer when the stars were still visible and out in abundance. Malik transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud said that the extent of the shadow when God’s Messenger prayed the noon prayer was three to five feet in summer and five to seven feet in winter. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.