He who misses the afternoon prayer, it is as though he has been deprived of his family and his property.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ الَّذِي تَفُوتُهُ صَلاَةُ الْعَصْرِ كَأَنَّمَا وُتِرَ أَهْلَهُ وَمَالَهُ  

This hadith has been narrated as Marfu by another chain of transmitters.  

أَبُو بَكْرٍ رَفَعَهُ  

Abdullah relates on the authority of his father. He who missed his afternoon prayer it is as though he was deprived of his family and property.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ مَنْ فَاتَتْهُ الْعَصْرُ فَكَأَنَّمَا وُتِرَ أَهْلَهُ وَمَالَهُ  

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.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَلأَ اللَّهُ قُبُورَهُمْ وَبُيُوتَهُمْ نَارًا كَمَا حَبَسُونَا وَشَغَلُونَا عَنِ الصَّلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى حَتَّى غَابَتِ الشَّمْسُ  

This hadith has been narrated by Hisham with the same chain of transmitters.  

عَنْ هِشَامٍ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: On the day (of the Battle) of Ahzab we were diverted from the middle prayer, till the sun set. May Allah fill their graves or their houses, or their stomachs with fire. The narrator is in doubt about" houses" and" stomachs".  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَوْمَ الأَحْزَابِ شَغَلُونَا عَنْ صَلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى حَتَّى آبَتِ الشَّمْسُ مَلأَ اللَّهُ قُبُورَهُمْ نَارًا أَوْ بُيُوتَهُمْ أَوْ بُطُونَهُمْ شَكَّ شُعْبَةُ فِي الْبُيُوتِ وَالْبُطُونِ  

Their houses and their graves (be filled with fire), and did not express doubt over the words," houses" and" graves".  

وَقَالَ بُيُوتَهُمْ وَقُبُورَهُمْ وَلَمْ يَشُكَّ  

They (the enemies) have diverted us from the middle prayer till the sun set. May Allah fill their graves and their houses with fire, or their graves and stomachs with fire.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَوْمَ الأَحْزَابِ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ عَلَى فُرْضَةٍ مِنْ فُرَضِ الْخَنْدَقِ شَغَلُونَا عَنِ الصَّلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى حَتَّى غَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ مَلأَ اللَّهُ قُبُورَهُمْ وَبُيُوتَهُمْ أَوْ قَالَ قُبُورَهُمْ وَبُطُونَهُمْ نَارًا  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said on the day (of the Battle) of Ahzab: They diverted us from saying the middle prayer, i. e. the 'Asr prayer. May Allah fill their houses and graves with fire; he then observed this prayer between the evening prayer and the night prayer.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَوْمَ الأَحْزَابِ شَغَلُونَا عَنِ الصَّلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ مَلأَ اللَّهُ بُيُوتَهُمْ وَقُبُورَهُمْ نَارًا ثُمَّ صَلاَّهَا بَيْنَ الْعِشَاءَيْنِ بَيْنَ الْمَغْرِبِ وَالْعِشَاءِ  

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.  

حَبَسَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ حَتَّى احْمَرَّتِ الشَّمْسُ أَوِ اصْفَرَّتْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ شَغَلُونَا عَنِ الصَّلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ مَلأَ اللَّهُ أَجْوَافَهُمْ وَقُبُورَهُمْ نَارًا أَوْ قَالَ حَشَا اللَّهُ أَجْوَافَهُمْ وَقُبُورَهُمْ نَارًا  

'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.  

وَقَالَتْ إِذَا بَلَغْتَ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ فَآذِنِّي { حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى} فَلَمَّا بَلَغْتُهَا آذَنْتُهَا فَأَمْلَتْ عَلَىَّ حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى وَصَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ سَمِعْتُهَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ 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).  

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  

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.  

وَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهِ مَا كِدْتُ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ الْعَصْرَ حَتَّى كَادَتْ أَنْ تَغْرُبَ الشَّمْسُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنْ صَلَّيْتُهَا فَنَزَلْنَا إِلَى بُطْحَانَ فَتَوَضَّأَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَتَوَضَّأْنَا فَصَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْعَصْرَ بَعْدَ مَا غَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ ثُمَّ صَلَّى بَعْدَهَا الْمَغْرِبَ  

This hadith has been reported by Yahya b. Abd Kathir with the same chain of transmitters.  

عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ فِي هَذَا الإِسْنَادِ بِمِثْلِهِ  

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.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ يَتَعَاقَبُونَ فِيكُمْ مَلاَئِكَةٌ بِاللَّيْلِ وَمَلاَئِكَةٌ بِالنَّهَارِ وَيَجْتَمِعُونَ فِي صَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ وَصَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ ثُمَّ يَعْرُجُ الَّذِينَ بَاتُوا فِيكُمْ فَيَسْأَلُهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِمْ كَيْفَ تَرَكْتُمْ عِبَادِي فَيَقُولُونَ تَرَكْنَاهُمْ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ وَأَتَيْنَاهُمْ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ  

Angels take turns among you by night and by day, and the rest of the hadith is the same.  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ وَالْمَلاَئِكَةُ يَتَعَاقَبُونَ فِيكُمْ بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ  

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).  

سَمِعْتُ جَرِيرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ كُنَّا جُلُوسًا عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذْ نَظَرَ إِلَى الْقَمَرِ لَيْلَةَ الْبَدْرِ فَقَالَ أَمَا إِنَّكُمْ سَتَرَوْنَ رَبَّكُمْ كَمَا تَرَوْنَ هَذَا الْقَمَرَ لاَ تُضَامُّونَ فِي رُؤْيَتِهِ فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَنْ لاَ تُغْلَبُوا عَلَى صَلاَةٍ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا يَعْنِي الْعَصْرَ وَالْفَجْرَ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ جَرِيرٌ { وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا}  

You will be soon presented before your Lord, and you will see Him as you are seeing this moon, and then recited (the above-mentioned verse). But (in this hadith) no mention is made of Jarir.  

وَقَالَ أَمَا إِنَّكُمْ سَتُعْرَضُونَ عَلَى رَبِّكُمْ فَتَرَوْنَهُ كَمَا تَرَوْنَ هَذَا الْقَمَرَ وَقَالَ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ وَلَمْ يَقُلْ جَرِيرٌ  

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.  

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ﷺ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ الرَّجُلُ وَأَنَا أَشْهَدُ أَنِّي سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ سَمِعَتْهُ أُذُنَاىَ وَوَعَاهُ قَلْبِي  

He who said prayer before the rising of the sun and its setting would not enter the fire (of Hell), and there was a man from Basra (sitting) beside him who said: Did you hear it from the Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him)? He said: Yes, I bear witness to it. The man from Basra said: I bear witness that I did hear from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying it from the place that you heard from him.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ يَلِجُ النَّارَ مَنْ صَلَّى قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا وَعِنْدَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ فَقَالَ آنْتَ سَمِعْتَ هَذَا مِنَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ نَعَمْ أَشْهَدُ بِهِ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ وَأَنَا أَشْهَدُ لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَقُولُهُ بِالْمَكَانِ الَّذِي سَمِعْتَهُ مِنْهُ  

He who observed two prayers at two cool (hours) would enter Paradise.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ مَنْ صَلَّى الْبَرْدَيْنِ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ  

This hadith has been narrated by the same chain of transmitters by Hammam, and said about Abu Bakr that he was Ibn Abu Musa.  

حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ وَنَسَبَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَقَالاَ ابْنُ أَبِي مُوسَى  

Salama b. al-Akwa' reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray the evening prayer when the sun had set and disappeared (behind the horizon).  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ يُصَلِّي الْمَغْرِبَ إِذَا غَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ وَتَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ  

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.  

سَمِعْتُ رَافِعَ بْنَ خَدِيجٍ يَقُولُ كُنَّا نُصَلِّي الْمَغْرِبَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَيَنْصَرِفُ أَحَدُنَا وَإِنَّهُ لَيُبْصِرُ مَوَاقِعَ نَبْلِهِ  

A hadith like this, i. e." We used to observe evening prayer...." so on and so forth, has been narrated by Rafi' b. Khadij by another chain of transmitters.  

كُنَّا نُصَلِّي الْمَغْرِبَ بِنَحْوِهِ  

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.  

أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَتْ أَعْتَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَيْلَةً مِنَ اللَّيَالِي بِصَلاَةِ الْعِشَاءِ وَهِيَ الَّتِي تُدْعَى الْعَتَمَةَ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَتَّى قَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ نَامَ النِّسَاءُ وَالصِّبْيَانُ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ﷺ قَالَ وَمَا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَنْزُرُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى الصَّلاَةِ وَذَاكَ حِينَ صَاحَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ  

It was narrated to me, and that which followed.  

عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ قَوْلَ الزُّهْرِيِّ وَذُكِرَ لِي وَمَا بَعْدَهُ  

The Apostle of Allah ﷺ one night delayed (observing the 'Isya' prayer) till a great part of the night was over and the people in the mosque had gone to sleep. He (the Holy Prophet) then came out and observed prayer and said: This is the proper time for it; were it not that I would impose a burden on my people (I would normally pray at this time). In the hadith transmitters by 'Abd al-Razzaq (the words are):" Were it not that it would impose burden on my people."  

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ وَأَلْفَاظُهُمْ مُتَقَارِبَةٌ قَالُوا جَمِيعًا عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي الْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ حَكِيمٍ عَنْ أُمِّ كُلْثُومٍ بِنْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ أَنَّهَا أَخْبَرَتْهُ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ أَعْتَمَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ حَتَّى ذَهَبَ عَامَّةُ اللَّيْلِ وَحَتَّى نَامَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَصَلَّى فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ لَوَقْتُهَا لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي وَفِي حَدِيثِ عَبْدِ الرَّزَّاقِ لَوْلاَ أَنْ يَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي  

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.  

مَكَثْنَا ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ نَنْتَظِرُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لِصَلاَةِ الْعِشَاءِ الآخِرَةِ فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْنَا حِينَ ذَهَبَ ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ فَلاَ نَدْرِي أَشَىْءٌ شَغَلَهُ فِي أَهْلِهِ أَوْ غَيْرُ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ حِينَ خَرَجَ إِنَّكُمْ لَتَنْتَظِرُونَ صَلاَةً مَا يَنْتَظِرُهَا أَهْلُ دِينٍ غَيْرُكُمْ وَلَوْلاَ أَنْ يَثْقُلَ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لَصَلَّيْتُ بِهِمْ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ الْمُؤَذِّنَ فَأَقَامَ الصَّلاَةَ وَصَلَّى  

None among the people of the earth except you waits for prayer in the night.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ شُغِلَ عَنْهَا لَيْلَةً فَأَخَّرَهَا حَتَّى رَقَدْنَا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقَظْنَا ثُمَّ رَقَدْنَا ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقَظْنَا ثُمَّ خَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ اللَّيْلَةَ يَنْتَظِرُ الصَّلاَةَ غَيْرُكُمْ  

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).  

عَنْ خَاتَمِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ أَخَّرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْعِشَاءَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى شَطْرِ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ كَادَ يَذْهَبُ شَطْرُ اللَّيْلِ ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ صَلَّوْا وَنَامُوا وَإِنَّكُمْ لَمْ تَزَالُوا فِي صَلاَةٍ مَا انْتَظَرْتُمُ الصَّلاَةَ قَالَ أَنَسٌ كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى وَبِيصِ خَاتَمِهِ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ وَرَفَعَ إِصْبَعَهُ الْيُسْرَى بِالْخِنْصَرِ  

We waited for the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon hi n) one night, till it was about midnight. He (the Holy Prophet) came and observed prayer and then turned his face towards us, as it I was seeing the lustre of the silver ring on his finger.  

نَظَرْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَيْلَةً حَتَّى كَانَ قَرِيبٌ مِنْ نِصْفِ اللَّيْلِ ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَصَلَّى ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا بِوَجْهِهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا أَنْظُرُ إِلَى وَبِيصِ خَاتَمِهِ فِي يَدِهِ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ  

" He turned his face towards us."  

حَدَّثَنَا قُرَّةُ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا بِوَجْهِهِ  

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.  

كُنْتُ أَنَا وَأَصْحَابِي الَّذِينَ قَدِمُوا مَعِي فِي السَّفِينَةِ نُزُولاً فِي بَقِيعِ بُطْحَانَ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَكَانَ يَتَنَاوَبُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عِنْدَ صَلاَةِ الْعِشَاءِ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ نَفَرٌ مِنْهُمْ قَالَ أَبُو مُوسَى فَوَافَقْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَا وَأَصْحَابِي وَلَهُ بَعْضُ الشُّغُلِ فِي أَمْرِهِ حَتَّى أَعْتَمَ بِالصَّلاَةِ حَتَّى ابْهَارَّ اللَّيْلُ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 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.  

قُلْتُ لِعَطَاءٍ أَىُّ حِينٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ الْعِشَاءَ الَّتِي يَقُولُهَا النَّاسُ الْعَتَمَةَ إِمَامًا وَخِلْوًا قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ يَقُولُ أَعْتَمَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ الْعِشَاءَ قَالَ حَتَّى رَقَدَ نَاسٌ وَاسْتَيْقَظُوا وَرَقَدُوا وَاسْتَيْقَظُوا فَقَامَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ فَقَالَ الصَّلاَةَ فَقَالَ عَطَاءٌ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَخَرَجَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ الآنَ يَقْطُرُ رَأْسُهُ مَاءً وَاضِعًا يَدَهُ عَلَى شِقِّ رَأْسِهِ قَالَ لَوْلاَ أَنْ يَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لأَمَرْتُهُمْ أَنْ يُصَلُّوهَا كَذَلِكَ قَالَ فَاسْتَثْبَتُّ عَطَاءً كَيْفَ وَضَعَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَدَهُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ كَمَا أَنْبَأَهُ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَبَدَّدَ لِي عَطَاءٌ بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِهِ شَيْئًا مِنْ تَبْدِيدٍ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ أَطْرَافَ أَصَابِعِهِ عَلَى قَرْنِ الرَّأْسِ ثُمَّ صَبَّهَا يُمِرُّهَا كَذَلِكَ عَلَى الرَّأْسِ حَتَّى مَسَّتْ إِبْهَامُهُ طَرَفَ الأُذُنِ مِمَّا يَلِي الْوَجْهَ ثُمَّ عَلَى الصُّدْغِ وَنَاحِيَةِ اللِّحْيَةِ لاَ يُقَصِّرُ وَلاَ يَبْطِشُ بِشَىْءٍ إِلاَّ كَذَلِكَ قُلْتُ لِعَطَاءٍ كَمْ ذُكِرَ لَكَ أَخَّرَهَا النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لَيْلَتَئِذٍ قَالَ لاَ أَدْرِي قَالَ عَطَاءٌ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَهَا إِمَامًا وَخِلْوًا مُؤَخَّرَةً كَمَا صَلاَّهَا النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لَيْلَتَئِذٍ فَإِنْ شَقَّ عَلَيْكَ ذَلِكَ خِلْوًا أَوْ عَلَى النَّاسِ فِي الْجَمَاعَةِ وَأَنْتَ إِمَامُهُمْ فَصَلِّهَا وَسَطًا لاَ مُعَجَّلَةً وَلاَ مُؤَخَّرَةً  

Jabir b. Samura reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ postponed the last 'Isha' prayer.  

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُؤَخِّرُ صَلاَةَ الْعِشَاءِ الآخِرَةِ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to observe prayers like your prayers, but he would delay the prayer after nightfall to a little after the time you observed it, and he would shorten the prayer.  

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُصَلِّي الصَّلَوَاتِ نَحْوًا مِنْ صَلاَتِكُمْ وَكَانَ يُؤَخِّرُ الْعَتَمَةَ بَعْدَ صَلاَتِكُمْ شَيْئًا وَكَانَ يُخِفُّ الصَّلاَةَ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ أَبِي كَامِلٍ يُخَفِّفُ  

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.  

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لاَ تَغْلِبَنَّكُمُ الأَعْرَابُ عَلَى اسْمِ صَلاَتِكُمْ أَلاَ إِنَّهَا الْعِشَاءُ وَهُمْ يُعْتِمُونَ بِالإِبِلِ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Let the bedouin not gain upper band over you In regard to the name of your prayer, i. e. night prayer, for it is mentioned 'Isya' in the Book of Allah (i. e. the Qur'an). (The bedouin call it 'Atama because) they make delay in milling their she-camels.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ تَغْلِبَنَّكُمُ الأَعْرَابُ عَلَى اسْمِ صَلاَتِكُمُ الْعِشَاءِ فَإِنَّهَا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ الْعِشَاءُ وَإِنَّهَا تُعْتِمُ بِحِلاَبِ الإِبِلِ  

The believing women used to pray the morning prayer with the Messenger of Allah and then return wrapped in their mantles. No one could recognise them.  

أَنَّ نِسَاءَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ كُنَّ يُصَلِّينَ الصُّبْحَ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعْنَ مُتَلَفِّعَاتٍ بِمُرُوطِهِنَّ لاَ يَعْرِفُهُنَّ أَحَدٌ  

The believing women observed the morning prayer with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wrapped in their mantles. They then went back to their houses and were unrecognisable, because of the Messenger of Allah's ﷺ praying in the darkness before dawn.  

أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَتْ لَقَدْ كَانَ نِسَاءٌ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَشْهَدْنَ الْفَجْرَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُتَلَفِّعَاتٍ بِمُرُوطِهِنَّ ثُمَّ يَنْقَلِبْنَ إِلَى بُيُوتِهِنَّ وَمَا يُعْرَفْنَ مِنْ تَغْلِيسِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِالصَّلاَةِ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to observe the morning prayer, and the women would go back wrapped in their mantles being unrecognisable because of the darkness before dawn. (Ishaq b. Musa) al-Ansari (one of the transmitters in this chain of narration) narrated" wrapped" (only) in his narration. (No mention was made of mantles.)  

إِنْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَيُصَلِّي الصُّبْحَ فَيَنْصَرِفُ النِّسَاءُ مُتَلَفِّعَاتٍ بِمُرُوطِهِنَّ مَا يُعْرَفْنَ مِنَ الْغَلَسِ وَقَالَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ فِي رِوَايَتِهِ مُتَلَفِّفَاتٍ  

When Hajjaj came to Medina we asked Jabir b. Abdullah (about the timings of prayer as observed by the Holy Prophet). He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray afternoon prayer in the midday heat; the afternoon prayer when the sun was bright; the evening prayer when the sun had completely set; and as for the night prayer, he sometimes delayed and sometimes (observed it) at earlier hours. When he found them (his Companions) assembled (at earlier hours) he (prayed) early. and when he saw them coming late, he delayed the (prayer). and the morning prayer the Messenger of Allah ﷺ observed in the darkness before dawn.  

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُصَلِّي الظُّهْرَ بِالْهَاجِرَةِ وَالْعَصْرَ وَالشَّمْسُ نَقِيَّةٌ وَالْمَغْرِبَ إِذَا وَجَبَتْ وَالْعِشَاءَ أَحْيَانًا يُؤَخِّرُهَا وَأَحْيَانًا يُعَجِّلُ كَانَ إِذَا رَآهُمْ قَدِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَجَّلَ وَإِذَا رَآهُمْ قَدْ أَبْطَئُوا أَخَّرَ وَالصُّبْحَ كَانُوا أَوْ قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يُصَلِّيهَا بِغَلَسٍ  

Hajjaj used to delay the prayers, and so we asked Jabir b. 'Abdullah, and the rest of the hadith is the same.  

كَانَ الْحَجَّاجُ يُؤَخِّرُ الصَّلَوَاتِ فَسَأَلْنَا جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ غُنْدَرٍ  

I heard my father asking Abu Barza (al- Aslami) about the prayer of Messenger of Allah ﷺ I (Shu'ba, one of the narrators) said: Did you hear it (from Abu Barza)? He said: 1 feel as if I am bearing you at this very time. He said: I heard my father asking about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he (Abu Barza) making this reply: He (the Holy Prophet) did not mind delaying-some (prayer) i. e. 'Isya' prayer, even up to the midnight and did not like sleeping before observing it, and talking after it. Shu'ba said: I met him subsequently and asked him (about the prayers of the Holy Prophet) and he said: He observed the noon prayer when the sun was past the meridian, he would pray the afternoon prayer, after which a person would o to the outskirts of Medina and the sun was still bright; (I forgot what he said about the evening prayer) ; I then met him on a subsequent occasion and asked him (about the prayers of the Holy Prophet; and he said: He would observe the morning prayer (at such a time) so that a man would go back and would recognise his neighbour by casting a glance at his face, and he would recite from sixty to one hundred verses in it.  

عَنْ صَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ قُلْتُ آنْتَ سَمِعْتَهُ قَالَ فَقَالَ كَأَنَّمَا أَسْمَعُكَ السَّاعَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبِي يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ صَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ كَانَ لاَ يُبَالِي بَعْضَ تَأْخِيرِهَا قَالَ يَعْنِي الْعِشَاءَ إِلَى نِصْفِ اللَّيْلِ وَلاَ يُحِبُّ النَّوْمَ قَبْلَهَا وَلاَ الْحَدِيثَ بَعْدَهَا قَالَ شُعْبَةُ ثُمَّ لَقِيتُهُ بَعْدُ فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ وَكَانَ يُصَلِّي الظُّهْرَ حِينَ تَزُولُ الشَّمْسُ وَالْعَصْرَ يَذْهَبُ الرَّجُلُ إِلَى أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ وَالشَّمْسُ حَيَّةٌ قَالَ وَالْمَغْرِبَ لاَ أَدْرِي أَىَّ حِينٍ ذَكَرَ قَالَ ثُمَّ لَقِيتُهُ بَعْدُ فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ وَكَانَ يُصَلِّي الصُّبْحَ فَيَنْصَرِفُ الرَّجُلُ فَيَنْظُرُ إِلَى وَجْهِ جَلِيسِهِ الَّذِي يَعْرِفُ فَيَعْرِفُهُ قَالَ وَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ فِيهَا بِالسِّتِّينَ إِلَى الْمِائَةِ  

I heard Abu Barza saying that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not mind some delay in the 'Isha' prayer even up to midnight and he did not like sleeping before (observing it) and talking after it. Shu'ba said: I again met him (Sayyar b. Salama) for the second time and he said: Even up to the third (part) of the night.  

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا بَرْزَةَ يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ يُبَالِي بَعْضَ تَأْخِيرِ صَلاَةِ الْعِشَاءِ إِلَى نِصْفِ اللَّيْلِ وَكَانَ لاَ يُحِبُّ النَّوْمَ قَبْلَهَا وَلاَ الْحَدِيثَ بَعْدَهَا قَالَ شُعْبَةُ ثُمَّ لَقِيتُهُ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى فَقَالَ أَوْ ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ delayed the night prayer till a third of the night had passed and he did not approve of sleeping before it, and talking after it, and he used to recite in the morning prayer from one hundred to sixty verses (and completed the prayer at such hours) when we recognised the faces of one another.  

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا بَرْزَةَ الأَسْلَمِيَّ يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُؤَخِّرُ الْعِشَاءَ إِلَى ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ وَيَكْرَهُ النَّوْمَ قَبْلَهَا وَالْحَدِيثَ بَعْدَهَا وَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ فِي صَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ مِنَ الْمِائَةِ إِلَى السِّتِّينَ وَكَانَ يَنْصَرِفُ حِينَ يَعْرِفُ بَعْضُنَا وَجْهَ بَعْضٍ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: How would you act when you are under the rulers who would delay the prayer beyond its prescribed time, or they would make prayer a dead thing as far as its proper time is concerned? I said: What do you command? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Observe the prayer at Its proper time, and if you can say it along with them do so, for it would be a superetogatory prayer for you. Khalaf (one of the narrators in the above hadith) has not mentioned" beyond their (prescribed) time".  

وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الزَّهْرَانِيُّ وَأَبُو كَامِلٍ الْجَحْدَرِيُّ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ عَنْ أَبِي عِمْرَانَ الْجَوْنِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ أَنْتَ إِذَا كَانَتْ عَلَيْكَ أُمَرَاءُ يُؤَخِّرُونَ الصَّلاَةَ عَنْ وَقْتِهَا أَوْ يُمِيتُونَ الصَّلاَةَ عَنْ وَقْتِهَا قَالَ قُلْتُ فَمَا تَأْمُرُنِي قَالَ صَلِّ الصَّلاَةَ لِوَقْتِهَا فَإِنْ أَدْرَكْتَهَا مَعَهُمْ فَصَلِّ فَإِنَّهَا لَكَ نَافِلَةٌ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ خَلَفٌ عَنْ وَقْتِهَا  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: O Abu Dharr, you would soon find after me rulers who would make their prayers dead. You should say prayer at its prescribed time. If you say prayer at its prescribed time that would be a supererogatory prayer for you, otherwise you saved your prayer.  

لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ إِنَّهُ سَيَكُونُ بَعْدِي أُمَرَاءُ يُمِيتُونَ الصَّلاَةَ فَصَلِّ الصَّلاَةَ لِوَقْتِهَا فَإِنْ صَلَّيْتَ لِوَقْتِهَا كَانَتْ لَكَ نَافِلَةً وَإِلاَّ كُنْتَ قَدْ أَحْرَزْتَ صَلاَتَكَ  

My friend (the Holy Prophet) bade me to hear and obey (the ruler) even if he is a slave having his feet and arms cut off, and observe prayer at its prescribed time. (And further said): It you find people having observed the prayer, you in fact saved your prayer, otherwise (if you join with them) that would be a Nafl prayer for you.  

أَنْ أَسْمَعَ وَأُطِيعَ وَإِنْ كَانَ عَبْدًا مُجَدَّعَ الأَطْرَافِ وَأَنْ أُصَلِّيَ الصَّلاَةَ لِوَقْتِهَا فَإِنْ أَدْرَكْتَ الْقَوْمَ وَقَدْ صَلَّوْا كُنْتَ قَدْ أَحْرَزْتَ صَلاَتَكَ وَإِلاَّ كَانَتْ لَكَ نَافِلَةً