4/34. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 452b — Thirty Verses in Zuhr Prayer
The Recitation For Zuhr And 'Asr
Thirty Verses in Zuhr Prayer and Shorter Asr Recitation
Sahih Muslim : 452b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 452b
حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ بْنُ فَرُّوخَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الصِّدِّيقِ النَّاجِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَقْرَأُ فِي صَلاَةِ الظُّهْرِ فِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ الأُولَيَيْنِ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَةٍ قَدْرَ ثَلاَثِينَ آيَةً وَفِي الأُخْرَيَيْنِ قَدْرَ خَمْسَ عَشَرَةَ آيَةً أَوْ قَالَ نِصْفَ ذَلِكَ وَفِي الْعَصْرِ فِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ الأُولَيَيْنِ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَةٍ قَدْرَ قِرَاءَةِ خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ آيَةً وَفِي الأُخْرَيَيْنِ قَدْرَ نِصْفِ ذَلِكَ .
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri Narrated from:
The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite in every rak'ah of the first two rak'ahs of the noon prayer about thirty verses and in the last two about fifteen verses or half (of the first rak'ah) and in every rak'ah of the 'Asr prayer of the first two rak'ahs about fifteen verses and in the last two verses half (of the first ones).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 452bIn-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 177USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 911
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 452b
This hadith explains the length of recitation in Zuhr and Asr prayer by giving an estimate in verses. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reports that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to recite in each of the first two rak'ahs of Zuhr about thirty verses. In the last two rak'ahs, the recitation was about fifteen verses, or half of that. In Asr, each of the first two rak'ahs was about fifteen verses, and the last two were about half of that. For users searching thirty verses in Zuhr prayer, Asr prayer recitation hadith, or Prophet’s prayer length, this narration gives a simple comparison. It shows that the prayer had order, with longer recitation at the start and shorter recitation later.
What we learn from this hadith
- The first two rak'ahs of Zuhr are estimated at about thirty verses each.
- The last two rak'ahs of Zuhr were shorter in this report.
- The first two rak'ahs of Asr were about fifteen verses each.
- The narration shows a clear difference between earlier and later rak'ahs.
