All the prayer times

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Jibril led me in prayer at the House (of Allah) twice. He led me in the Zuhr prayer when the sun had declined by the length of a sandal strap. Then he led me in the Asr prayer when the shadow of everything was equal to its own length. Then he led me in the Maghrib prayer at the time the fasting person breaks his fast. Then he led me in the Isha prayer when the twilight had disappeared. Then he led me in the Fajr prayer at the time when eating and drinking become forbidden for the fasting person. Then on the next day he led me in the Zuhr prayer when the shadow of everything was equal to its own length. Then he led me in the Asr prayer when the shadow of everything was twice its length. Then he led me in the Maghrib prayer at the time the fasting person breaks his fast. Then he led me in the Isha prayer after a third of the night had passed. Then he led me in the Fajr prayer when it had become light. Then he turned to me and said: 'O Muhammad, this was the time of the prayers of the prophets before you; the time of your prayer is also between these two times.'"

Sayyiduna Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) said: A man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about the times of prayer. He did not give him any answer, but he ordered Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him), and he called the iqamah when dawn had broken, and he led the prayer at that time. Then he called the iqamah at a time when someone would say, "The sun has just declined, or is about to," although he (the Prophet) knew the times better than all of them. Then he had the iqamah called for Asr while the sun was still high. Then he had the iqamah called for Maghrib when the sun had set. Then he had the iqamah called for Isha when the twilight had disappeared. Then on the next day he led the Fajr prayer at a time when someone would say, "The sun has risen, or it has not," although he knew the times better than all of them. Then he led the Zuhr prayer close to the time of the previous day's Asr prayer, and led the Asr prayer when someone would say, "The sun has turned red." Then he led the Maghrib prayer before the twilight disappeared, and led the Isha prayer when the first third of the night had passed. Then he said: "Where is the one who asked about the times of prayer? The time that lies between these two times is the time of prayer."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Every prayer has a first time and a last time. The first time of Zuhr is when the sun declines. The last time of Zuhr is when the time of Asr begins. The first time of Asr is when the time of Asr begins, and its last time is when the sun turns yellow. The first time of Maghrib is when the sun sets, and its last time is when the horizon fades (its twilight disappears). The first time of Isha is when the horizon fades, and its last time is when half the night has passed. The first time of Fajr is when dawn breaks, and its last time is when the sun rises."

Sayyiduna Abu Barzah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform the Zuhr prayer when the sun had declined from the middle of the sky towards the west. He would pray Asr, and afterwards one of us would return to his home at the farthest edge of Madinah while the sun was still shining brightly. The narrator said: I have forgotten what he said about the time of Maghrib. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) considered it recommended to pray Isha somewhat late. He would finish the Fajr prayer when there was enough light for a man to recognise the person sitting beside him. He (peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite from sixty to a hundred verses in Fajr.

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray Zuhr at midday after the sun had declined, Asr while the sun was still clear, and Maghrib after the sun had set. He would pray Isha sometimes late and sometimes early: when he saw that the people had gathered, he prayed early, and if the people were late in coming, he prayed late. And he used to pray the morning prayer in the darkness (before dawn light).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the Fajr prayer. He ordered Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) to call the adhan when dawn broke, and then on the next day to call the adhan when it had become light. Then he said: "Where is the one who asked? The time of Fajr is between these two times."

Abu Qilabah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that a man came to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "I saw in a dream that I was urinating blood." He said: "I think you go to your wife while she is menstruating." He said: "Yes." He said: "Then fear Allah and do not do it again."

Bashir bin Sallam said: Muhammad bin Ali (or a man from the family of Ali) and I went to Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "Teach us how the prayer was with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." He said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed Zuhr when the shadow of everything was equal to a sandal strap. Then he led us in Asr when the shadow of everything was equal to its own length plus the length of a sandal strap. Then he led us in Maghrib when the sun had set. Then he led us in Isha when the twilight had disappeared. Then he led us in Fajr when dawn had broken. Then on the next day he led us in Zuhr when the shadow of everything was equal to its own length. Then he led us in Asr when the shadow of everything was twice its length; he led us in this prayer early enough that a rider travelling at a brisk pace could reach Dhul-Hulayfah before Maghrib. Then he led us in Maghrib when the sun had set. Then he led us in Isha when a third of the night had passed. Then he led us in Fajr in the light.
We asked him: "How should we pray with al-Hajjaj (bin Yusuf), when he delays the prayer?" He said: "Whatever prayer he performs on time, pray it with him; and whatever prayer he delays, pray it yourselves in its time and join him with the intention of a voluntary prayer. This statement of mine is a trust with you. When I die, if al-Hajjaj is able to dig up my grave, let him dig it up."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Jibril came to me and led me in prayer." Then he mentioned five prayers.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The time of Zuhr lasts as long as the time of Asr has not come. The time of Asr lasts as long as the sun has not turned yellow. The time of Maghrib lasts as long as the twilight has not faded, and the time of Isha is until half the night. And the time of Fajr lasts as long as the sun has not risen.

The same is reported through another chain. The narrator said: twice he did not attribute it to the Prophet, then he attributed it, saying: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, and he mentioned the like of the previous narration.

Ali bin Amr said: A letter from Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came to us, in which was written: "Pray Fajr while the stars are shining and visible. Pray Zuhr when the sun has declined from the middle of the sky. Pray Asr while the sun is white and bright. Pray Maghrib when the sun sets." And he gave latitude regarding the Isha prayer.

Nafi' bin Jubayr said: Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to Sayyiduna Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) a letter in which was written: "Pray Zuhr when the sun declines; pray Asr while the sun is white and bright. Pray Maghrib when night and day merge into each other. Pray Isha whenever you wish during the night, and pray Fajr when the light has spread."

Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Zuhr is like its name. Asr is to be prayed while the sun is bright and shining, and Maghrib too is like its name. We used to pray Maghrib with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), then we would come to our homes a mile away, and still we could see things as far as an arrow's flight. He used to pray Isha sometimes early and sometimes late. Fajr is like its name, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray it in the darkness.