5/31. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 614a — Prayer Times Between Two Limits
The times of the five prayers
Hadith About Prayer Times: The Time Is Between These Two
Sahih Muslim : 614a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 614a
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا بَدْرُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي مُوسَى، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ أَتَاهُ سَائِلٌ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ مَوَاقِيتِ الصَّلاَةِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْهِ شَيْئًا - قَالَ - فَأَقَامَ الْفَجْرَ حِينَ انْشَقَّ الْفَجْرُ وَالنَّاسُ لاَ يَكَادُ يَعْرِفُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُ فَأَقَامَ بِالظُّهْرِ حِينَ زَالَتِ الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَائِلُ يَقُولُ قَدِ انْتَصَفَ النَّهَارُ وَهُوَ كَانَ أَعْلَمَ مِنْهُمْ ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُ فَأَقَامَ بِالْعَصْرِ وَالشَّمْسُ مُرْتَفِعَةٌ ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُ فَأَقَامَ بِالْمَغْرِبِ حِينَ وَقَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُ فَأَقَامَ الْعِشَاءَ حِينَ غَابَ الشَّفَقُ ثُمَّ أَخَّرَ الْفَجْرَ مِنَ الْغَدِ حَتَّى انْصَرَفَ مِنْهَا وَالْقَائِلُ يَقُولُ قَدْ طَلَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ أَوْ كَادَتْ ثُمَّ أَخَّرَ الظُّهْرَ حَتَّى كَانَ قَرِيبًا مِنْ وَقْتِ الْعَصْرِ بِالأَمْسِ ثُمَّ أَخَّرَ الْعَصْرَ حَتَّى انْصَرَفَ مِنْهَا وَالْقَائِلُ يَقُولُ قَدِ احْمَرَّتِ الشَّمْسُ ثُمَّ أَخَّرَ الْمَغْرِبَ حَتَّى كَانَ عِنْدَ سُقُوطِ الشَّفَقِ ثُمَّ أَخَّرَ الْعِشَاءَ حَتَّى كَانَ ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الأَوَّلُ ثُمَّ أَصْبَحَ فَدَعَا السَّائِلَ فَقَالَ " الْوَقْتُ بَيْنَ هَذَيْنِ " .
Abu Musa Narrated from:
A person came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for inquiring about the times of prayers. He (the Holy Prophet) gave him no reply (because he wanted to explain to him the times by practically observing these prayers).He then said the morning player when it was daybreak, but the people could hardly recognise one another. He then commanded and the Iqama for the noon prayer was pronounced when the tan had passed the meridian and one would say that it was midday but he (the Holy Prophet) knew batter than them. He then again commanded and the Iqama for the afternoon prayer was pronounced when the sun was high. He then commanded and Iqama for the evening prayer was pronounced when the sun had sunk. He then commanded and Iqama for the night prayer was pronounced when the twilight had disappeared.He then delayed the morning prayer on the next day (so much so) that after returning from it one would say that the sun had risen or it was about to rise. He then delayed the noon prayer till it was near the time of afternoon prayer (as it was observed yesterday). He then delayed the afternoon prayer till one after returning from it would say that the sun had become red. He then delayed the evening prayer till the twilight was about to disappear. He then delayed the night prayer till it was one-third of the night.He then called the inquirer in the morning and said: The time for prayers is between these two (extremes).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 614aIn-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 227USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1280
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 614a
In this Hadith, a person came to ask the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم about the times of prayer. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not answer him right away with a short statement. Instead, he showed the times through prayer. On the first day, Fajr was prayed when dawn split and people could hardly recognise one another. Dhuhr was prayed after the sun passed the meridian, Asr while the sun was high, Maghrib when the sun had sunk, and Isha when twilight had disappeared. On the next day, the prayers were delayed within their limits. Then the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told the inquirer that the time for prayers is between these two extremes. This is a clear Hadith on Salah timings.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used action to explain the prayer time limits.
- The first day showed earlier times for the prayers.
- The second day showed later times within the prayer windows.
- Prayer time is understood between the two examples shown.
