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).  

نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَصَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ فَقَرَأْنَاهَا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ نَسَخَهَا اللَّهُ فَنَزَلَتْ { حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى} فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ كَانَ جَالِسًا عِنْدَ شَقِيقٍ لَهُ هِيَ إِذًا صَلاَةُ الْعَصْرِ فَقَالَ الْبَرَاءُ قَدْ أَخْبَرْتُكَ كَيْفَ نَزَلَتْ وَكَيْفَ نَسَخَهَا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ مُسْلِمٌ وَرَوَاهُ الأَشْجَعِيُّ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ عَنْ شَقِيقِ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ قَالَ قَرَأْنَاهَا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ زَمَانًا بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ فُضَيْلِ بْنِ مَرْزُوقٍ  

[Machine] They were revealed: "Preserve the prayers, and especially the middle prayer" [2:238]. A man said to him: a person who is known as Zaher was accompanying him. This is the afternoon prayer. He said: I have already informed you about how it was revealed and how Allah abrogated it. And Allah knows best.  

نَزَلَتْ حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَصَلَاةِ الْعَصْرِ فَقَرَأْنَاهَا عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ مَا شَاءَ اللهُ أَنْ نَقْرَأَهَا لَمْ يَنْسَخْهَا اللهُ فَأَنْزَلَ {حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَى} [البقرة 238] فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ كَانَ مَعَ شَقِيقٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ زاهِرُ وَهِيَ صَلَاةُ الْعَصْرِ قَالَ قَدْ أَخْبَرْتُكَ كَيْفَ نَزَلَتْ وَكَيْفَ نَسَخَهَا اللهُ وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ  

[Machine] They maintained the prayers and the prayer of Asr, so we recited it according to the era of the Messenger of Allah. Whatever Allah willed, we recited it. Then he said, "Indeed, Allah abrogated it and revealed (the verse) 'Maintain the prayers and the middle prayer.' "[Al-Baqarah 2:238] A man said to him, "Is Asr prayer included?" He said, "I have already informed you how it was revealed and how Allah abrogated it. And Allah knows best."  

نَزَلَتْ حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَصَلَاةِ الْعَصْرِ فَقَرَأْنَاهَا عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ مَا شَاءَ اللهُ أَنَّ نَقْرَأَهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ نَسَخَهَا فَأَنْزَلَ {حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَى} [البقرة 238] فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ أَهِيَ صَلَاةُ الْعَصْرِ؟ فَقَالَ قَدْ أَخْبَرْتُكَ كَيْفَ نَزَلَتْ وَكَيْفَ نَسَخَهَا اللهُ؟ وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ