Fath al-Rabbani

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) that a questioner came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and asked about the times of prayers. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did not give him any answer and ordered Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him). So when dawn broke, he established the Fajr prayer at that time, when it was near that people could recognize each other. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) ordered him, so he gave the Iqamah for Zuhr after the sun had declined, while someone was saying: Has the time of midday come or not? In any case, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) knew better than all of them. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) ordered him and he established the Asr prayer when the sun was still high. Then he ordered him and he gave the Iqamah for Maghrib at the time of sunset. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) ordered him and he established the Isha prayer at the time of the disappearance of twilight. Then on the next day, he delayed the Fajr prayer so much that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) finished it, someone was saying: The sun has risen, or it is about to rise. He delayed Zuhr until it was close to the time of Asr prayer of the previous day. Then he delayed Asr so much that when he finished it, someone was saying: The sun has turned yellow. Then he delayed the Maghrib prayer so much that it reached just before the disappearance of twilight, and he delayed the Isha prayer until the first third of the night. Then he called the questioner and said: The time is between these two times.