2/5. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 410 — Guard the Middle Prayer
The Time For 'Asr Prayer
Guard the Middle Prayer and Asr Prayer
Sunan Abi Dawud : 410
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 410
حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي يُونُسَ، مَوْلَى عَائِشَةَ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا - أَنَّهُ قَالَ أَمَرَتْنِي عَائِشَةُ أَنْ أَكْتُبَ لَهَا مُصْحَفًا 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 } ثُمَّ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ سَمِعْتُهَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Abu Yunus Narrated from:
'Aishah commanded me to write for her come passage from the Qur'an. She also added: When you reach the following verse, inform me:"Be guardian of your prayers and of the midmost prayer" (2:238). When I reached it, I informed her. She asked me to write:"Be guardians of your prayers, and of the midmost prayer, and of the 'Asr prayer, and stand up with devotion of Allah" (2:238). 'Aishah then said: I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
[1] Al-Baqarah 2:238.[2] Meaning that it was recited this way, and others reported similarly. In a narration recorded by Muslim (1427) it is clear that this wording was abrogated by what is recited today.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 410In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 20English translation : Book 2, Hadith 410
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 410
This report centers on guarding the prayers, especially the midmost prayer and Asr. Abu Yunus says that Aishah asked him to write a passage from the Qur'an for her. When he reached the verse, "Be guardian of your prayers and of the midmost prayer," she asked him to write the added wording mentioning the Asr prayer, then said she heard it from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم. For search terms like guard your prayers and middle prayer hadith, this narration is focused on careful attention to prayer. The text does not explain every legal detail of recitation or written copies. It reports Aishah's instruction and her statement that she heard that wording from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
What we learn from this hadith
- The report stresses guarding the prayers.
- Aishah linked the midmost prayer with the Asr prayer in this narration.
- The wording is tied to what she said she heard from the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- The teaching points to care and attention in prayer.
