2/5. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 409 — Asr as the Middle Prayer
The Time For 'Asr Prayer
Asr Prayer as the Middle Prayer in Hadith
Sunan Abi Dawud : 409
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 409
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ زَكَرِيَّا بْنِ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ، وَيَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ، عَنْ عَبِيدَةَ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، - رضى الله عنه - أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ يَوْمَ الْخَنْدَقِ " حَبَسُونَا عَنْ صَلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ مَلأَ اللَّهُ بُيُوتَهُمْ وَقُبُورَهُمْ نَارًا " .
'Ali Narrated from:
'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying on the day of Battle of Khandaq (Trench). They (the unbelievers) prevented us from offering the middle prayer i.e. 'Asr prayer. May Allah fill their houses and their graves with Hell-fire.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 409In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 19English translation : Book 2, Hadith 409
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 409
This hadith shows the serious place of the Asr prayer. Ali reports that on the day of Khandaq, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said that they had been prevented from offering the middle prayer, meaning the Asr prayer. The words are strong because the delay came through being held back by the enemy. For readers searching for middle prayer Asr hadith, the text gives the identification directly: the middle prayer is named as Asr here. The hadith does not speak about a normal day at home or a small delay. It speaks about a hard situation in battle and shows how deeply the missed Asr prayer mattered to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
What we learn from this hadith
- The hadith identifies the middle prayer here as Asr.
- Being prevented from Asr was treated as a serious matter.
- The setting mentioned is the day of Khandaq.
- The wording shows the Prophet's صلى الله عليه وسلم concern for prayer even in hardship.
