Bukhari

11.

Benefit:

The time for «عَشِي» lasts from immediately after the sun passes its zenith (zawal) until sunset (maghrib). Qasim bin Muhammad rahimahullah, the grandson of Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu and the jurist of Madinah, by this statement intends to refute those who habitually perform the Zuhr prayer immediately after zawal. Even the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would perform Zuhr only after spending some time following the sun’s decline. Ibn Mas’ud radi Allahu anhu states:

«كَانَتْ قَدْرُ صَلَاةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الصَّيْفِ ثَلاثَةَ أَقْدَامِ إِلى خَمْسَةِ أَقْدَامٍ وَفِي الشَّتَاءِ خَمْسَةَ أَقْدَامٍ إِلى سَبْعَةِ أَقْدَامٍ»

“The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would perform the Zuhr prayer in summer when the shadow (after the sun’s decline) would reach three to five steps, and in winter when it would reach five to seven steps.”

[ابوداود: 400، نسائي: 504، اس كي سند صحيح هے]

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Statement regarding the time of Jumu‘ah

Benefit:

Since Jumu‘ah is a substitute for the Zuhr prayer, its time is exactly the same as Zuhr, that is, from the sun’s decline (zawal) until the shadow becomes equal to the object’s length. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and the Rightly Guided Caliphs radi Allahu anhum would perform Jumu‘ah at the earliest time. The noble Companions radi Allahu anhum were so eager and diligent in preparing for and hastening to attend Jumu‘ah that they would even delay their midday meal and siesta (qaylulah) until after Jumu‘ah.

[صحيح بخاري: 939، صحيح مسلم: 859]

Anas radi Allahu anhu says that the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would perform Jumu‘ah when the sun had declined. [صحيح بخاري: 904] Salamah bin Akwa‘ radi Allahu anhu says that we would perform Jumu‘ah with the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam when the sun had declined. [صحيح مسلم: 860]