Abu Dawud

403. Commentary:
➊ «اِنَّ شِدَّةَ الحَرِّ مِنْ فَيحِ جَهَنَّمَ» That is, "The intensity of heat is from the flare of Hell or of its kind." Since the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not provide an explanation for this statement, in our view, it is better to take it upon its apparent meaning, whereas some scholars have considered it a metaphor or simile. The evidence for taking it upon its apparent and real meaning is the hadith in which it is stated that "The Fire complained to its Lord, so it was granted two breaths: one in the winter and one in the summer." [صحيح مسلم، حديث : 217]

➋ «أَبْرِدُوا بِالصَّلَاةِ» That is, "Perform the prayer at a cooler time." By this is meant the time after the sun has passed its zenith, when the winds begin to blow and the intensity of the heat starts to decrease, and at that time Hell also becomes somewhat cooler. If one were to take the meaning as the time of complete coolness, then sometimes even at the time of ‘Asr or after it, coolness is not found. From the practices of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and the noble Companions, this is the meaning of the hadith that becomes clear. See: [نيل الاوطار]

And according to the majority, this matter is considered as recommendation and guidance, while some have also understood it to be obligatory. «ولله أعلم .» The clear evidence for reconciling between hastening and delaying (ta‘jil wa ibrad) and for the aforementioned meaning in combining the two is that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), on the occasion of jihad, if he did not begin fighting in the early part of the day, would wait for the sun to decline. And he described that time as the time when the winds blow, divine help descends, and it is suitable for fighting. The text is: «كَانَ إِذَا لَمْ يُقَاتِلْ فِي أَوَّلِ النَّهَارِ، انْتَظَرَ حَتَّى تَهُبَّ الأَرْوَاحُ، وَتَحْضُرَ الصَّلَوَاتُ» [صحيح بخاري، حديث : 3160 – قال فى الفتح : 6/ 365 – فى رواية ابن ابى شيبة ”ونزول الشمس“ وهو بالمعنى، وزاد فى رواية الطبري ”ويطيب القتال“ وفي رواية ابن أبى شيبة ”وينز ل النصر“]