Salafi Research Institute SRI
Itihaf ul-Basim Fi Tahqiq Muwatta al-Imam Malik [Talkhis al-Qabisi] Riwayah Abdur Rahman ibn al-Qasim
Tahqiq, Takhrij, Sharh
Muhadith Zubair Ali Zai
Translated Abu Ubaydah
Translated, Checked & Additional Notes
Abu Hibban & Abu Khuzaimah Ansaari
The Time For The Asr Prayer
[122] From Malik from Ishaq Ibn Abdillah Ibn Abi Talha from Anas Ibn Malik (Radi Allahu Anhu) that we used to pray the `Asr prayer and after that if someone happened to go to the tribe of Bani `Amr bin `Auf, he would find them still praying the `Asr (prayer).
[GRADING] – [IT’S CHAIN IS SAHIH]
[REFERENCES] – [AGREED UPON]
Al-Muwatta (Yahya’s narration (1/8 hadith no.9, book 1, chapter 1, hadith no.10), at-Tamhid (1/295) and al-Istidhkar (no.8)
Transmitted by Bukhari (no.548) and Muslim (194/621) from the hadith of Malik
[UNDERSTANDING FROM THE HADITH]
1) It is not a Sharia issue that all the Masjids of a city, town or village perform the Salah at the same time rather the issue is that the Salah should be read at it’s beginning time therefore some Masjids can carry out the Salah at the beginning time and some can perform the Salah slightly after the beginning time on the condition that the sun is raised high and it is bright. It is wrong to delay the Asr Salah and pray it during the makruh time on purpose after the sun has become yellowish (i.e. become dark) and started to set. This has been forbidden.
2) The Messenger of Allah (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) used to pray the Asr Salah at it’s beginning time.
3) The time of Asr starts when the shadow of a person is equivalent to his body and when the shadow becomes twice the length of a person then the most virtuous time to pray Asr is ended. After this anyone who prays the Asr Salah from this time onwards until Magrib may only do so based on having a Sharia compliant excuse such as forgetting to pray Asr or because of sleeping etc.
4) According to the three Imams (Malik, Shafi’i and Ahmad) and Qadhi Abu Yusuf and Muhamad ash-Shaybani and other than them the time for Asr Salah starts when the shadow of a person is equivalent to his body. See al-Awsat of Ibn al-Mundhir (2/329) and al-Kawakib ad-Duri (1/90 marginal notes) and this is correct.
5) Ibn Abbas (Radi Allahu Anhu) narrates that the Prophet (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said, “Jibra’il (Alayhisalam) led me (in Salah) twice at the House….Then he prayed Asr when everything was similar (to the length of) its shadow…. ” (Sunan at-Tirmidhi no.149, and he said, “Hadith Hasan”, and Ibn Khuzaimah authenticated it no.352, and Ibn Hibban no.279, and Ibn al-Jarud no.149, and al-Hakim 1/193, and other than them and Naymawi the Taqlidi said it was hasan in Athar as-Sunan no.194)
6) From one saying of Abu Hurairah (Radi Allahu Anhu) he said, “When the shadow of everything is twice as long as it is then pray Asr.” this does not mean that the most virtuous time to pray Asr is until the shadow of everything is twice as long as it is. See at-Ta’liq al-Mumjad (pg no.41 marginal notes no.9) and al-Awsat of Ibn al-Mundhir (2/328 hadith no.948 from Umar (Radi Allahu Anhu) and it’s chain is Sahih)
7) Also see hadith no.132
