64/29. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4111 — Missed Asr at Khandaq
The Ghazwa of Al-Khandaq or Al-Ahzab Battle
قَالَ مُوسَى بْنُ عُقْبَةَ كَانَتْ فِي شَوَّالٍ سَنَةَ أَرْبَعٍ.
Hadith About the Middle Prayer and the Battle of Khandaq
Sahih Bukhari : 4111
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4111
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ، حَدَّثَنَا رَوْحٌ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ عَبِيدَةَ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ يَوْمَ الْخَنْدَقِ " مَلأَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ بُيُوتَهُمْ وَقُبُورَهُمْ نَارًا كَمَا شَغَلُونَا عَنْ صَلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى حَتَّى غَابَتِ الشَّمْسُ ".
'Ali Narrated from:
On the day of Al-Khandaq (i.e. Trench), the Prophet (ﷺ) said '(Let) Allah fill their (i.e. the infidels') houses and graves with fire just as they have prevented us from offering the Middle Prayer (i.e. `Asr prayer) till the sun had set."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4111In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 155USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 437
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4111
This Hadith about the middle prayer at Khandaq shows the pain caused when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and the believers were kept busy from prayer. Ali رضي الله عنه narrated that on the day of Al-Khandaq, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that the enemies had kept them from the middle prayer, identified in the translation as Asr, until the sun had set. The wording shows how serious the matter was. The explanation should not go beyond the text into added rulings. The clear teaching is that prayer held a great place, and being prevented from it during battle was a grave hardship for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
What we learn from this hadith
- The middle prayer is identified here as Asr in the translation.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was deeply affected by being kept from the prayer.
- The enemy pressure continued until the sun had set.
- The Hadith shows the high place of prayer even in hardship.
