Bukhari

Hadith Commentary: However, for the Ummah, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade performing supererogatory (nafl) prayers after the ‘Asr prayer.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
It is understood from the narration of Umm Salamah radi Allahu anha that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed these two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr only once in her house, whereas from the hadith of ‘A’ishah radi Allahu anha it is apparent that he continued to perform them regularly. The way to reconcile these is that the first time, he performed these two rak‘ahs as make-up (qada’), as is clarified in the hadith of Umm Salamah radi Allahu anha, that these two rak‘ahs were those after the Zuhr prayer which could not be performed due to being preoccupied. (Sunan al-Nasa’i, al-Mawaqit, Hadith: 580) And in the house of ‘A’ishah radi Allahu anha, he would perform them regularly as a particular practice, as is clarified in the above hadith.

(2)
Some of the noble Companions radi Allahu anhum would perform two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr considering them a Sunnah. ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu would prohibit them and would be strict with them, lest other people use this as a pretext for the permissibility of prayer until sunset.

(3)
From this action of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Imam Ibn Hazm rahimahullah has concluded that the hadiths prohibiting prayer at these times are abrogated. However, in our view, the stronger opinion is that the hadiths of prohibition are definitive (muhkam), and the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr because, due to the arrival of the delegation of ‘Abd al-Qays, he was unable to perform the two Sunnah of Zuhr, so he performed those two Sunnah after ‘Asr. And it was his practice that when he began an action, he would persist in it thereafter; on this basis, he made it his habit to perform two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr, and this action was specific to him alone. Performing two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr is not a prescribed (masnun) act for the Ummah, as is being suggested by some people of knowledge. And Allah knows best.

Explanation:
From this, it is also understood that this prayer was included among the special characteristics (khasa'is) of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

Hadith Commentary:
From this, it is also understood that this prayer was included among the special characteristics (khasa'is) of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
From this hadith, it is understood that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to always perform two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr. Whereas, it is narrated from several Companions (radi Allahu anhum) that he performed them only once, but the narrations mentioning a single performance are weak, and the narrations indicating regular performance are strong; therefore, preference will be given to the latter. Multiple explanations have been offered regarding this action of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), for example: this was a particularity (khasiyyah) of his, it was to demonstrate permissibility, or that whenever he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed an action once, he would maintain it regularly, etc. Furthermore, the meaning of “always performing” does not imply that from the time the prayer was made obligatory, he was always diligent in performing these rak‘ahs, but rather, after the incident of the delegation of ‘Abd al-Qays, he maintained their performance. And Allah knows best.

(2)
The actions of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) are of two types: One type is those which he performed as a model and example; these are part of the Shari‘ah, and it is necessary for the Ummah to follow such actions. The second type is those actions which are considered specific to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam); these are not a model or example for the Ummah. Performing two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr and then maintaining them falls under the category of particularities, as is evident from multiple narrations. Thus, it is narrated from ‘A’ishah (radi Allahu anha) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to perform them before ‘Asr (i.e., after Dhuhr), but due to some preoccupation or forgetfulness, if he could not perform them, he would perform them after ‘Asr, and then he maintained this practice. And whenever he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) started a prayer, he would maintain it. (Sahih Muslim, al-Salat, Hadith: 1934(835)) It is also narrated from ‘A’ishah (radi Allahu anha) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) himself would perform them after ‘Asr, but he would prohibit others from doing so. (Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Tatawwu‘, Hadith: 1280) Umm Salamah (radi Allahu anha) narrates that when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr in her house, she said: O Messenger of Allah! Previously, you never made a habit of performing them? He replied: “Some wealth had come to me, and I became so occupied in its distribution that I could not perform the two rak‘ahs after Dhuhr, so I have performed them now.” She said: O Messenger of Allah! If we are unable to perform these two rak‘ahs for some reason, can we perform them later? He replied: “No.” (Musnad Ahmad: 315/6) The purport of these narrations is that performing the two Sunnah of Dhuhr after ‘Asr and then maintaining this practice was a particularity of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), and it is not a model or example for the Ummah.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:
From these ahadith, it is established that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to perform two rak‘ahs daily after ‘Asr. However, in other ahadith, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade prayer after ‘Asr.

The reconciliation of these ahadith is found in the authentic hadith of Sunan Abi Dawud, in which it is stated that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade prayer after ‘Asr except in the condition that the sun is still high. From this, it is understood that after ‘Asr, as long as the sun remains high, one may perform supererogatory (nafl) prayers, especially the two rak‘ahs that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to perform. However, when the sun is no longer high, then performing prayer is prohibited, except for those prayers that have a specific reason, such as qada’ (making up a missed prayer),
tahiyyat al-wudu’ (greeting of ablution),
tahiyyat al-masjid (greeting of the mosque),
salat al-kusuf (prayer at the time of eclipse),
salat al-tawaf (prayer after circumambulation), etc. Without a specific reason, supererogatory prayers are not permissible. The reason for the general prohibition of prayer after ‘Asr was so that those who are unaware would not continue to perform voluntary prayers even after the sun has set.

1279. Commentary:
This perpetuity was a distinctive characteristic of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and the origin of these rak‘ahs began with making up the missed Sunnah prayers of Zuhr. See the hadith in Sunan Abi Dawud: [1273]

575. Commentary: This has been described as something specific to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), but this does not appear to be correct, because some of the Companions (sahabah) and Followers (tabi'in) also performed these units of prayer. For example, it is reported regarding Ibn al-Zubayr (radi Allahu anhuma) that he too used to perform two units (rak‘ahs) after ‘Asr.

579. Commentary: The explanation for the two units (rak‘ahs) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed after ‘Asr is that, on one occasion, due to being occupied, he missed the Sunnah prayers that are performed after Dhuhr, so he made them up, and thereafter, in accordance with his noble habit, he continued to perform them regularly. This hadith is also an evidence for those scholars who say that any prayer with a specific cause (sabab) can be performed during the prohibited times, just as the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) made up the two rak‘ahs of Dhuhr after ‘Asr. As for the addition at the end of the narration in Musnad Ahmad: «افنقضیھما اذا فاتتا؟ قال : (لا)» “Should we also make up these two rak‘ahs when we miss them?” He replied: “No.” — this addition is weak in its chain of transmission and not a valid proof. See: [الموسوعة الحدیثیة ، مسندالإمام أحمد : 44؍277]

Therefore, a missed prayer can be performed after ‘Asr. This is not a unique characteristic (khususiyyah) of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) alone, because the aforementioned wording is weak. Furthermore, as long as the sun is bright and shining, voluntary (nafl) prayers may be performed without restriction, as has been detailed previously. And Allah knows best.

Benefit:
It is established from this hadith that performing two rak‘ahs after the ‘Asr prayer is Sunnah, and whoever considers this to be something specific (i.e., exclusive or unique) must provide evidence for it. There is also proof from the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in) regarding performing two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr; for details, refer to al-Muhalla by Ibn Hazm (2/34–40). The reason for these two rak‘ahs is mentioned in Sahih Muslim (Book of Prayer, Chapter: The Prayer of Travelers and Its Shortening, Hadith: 835), where one day, Sayyidah Umm Salamah (radi Allahu anha) asked the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) why he performed two rak‘ahs after the ‘Asr prayer. In response, the Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: I used to perform these two rak‘ahs after the Zuhr prayer, but some wealth came to me and it occupied me, so I am now performing those same two rak‘ahs.