حَدَّثَنَا
يَزِيدُ , حدَّثَنَا
ابْنِ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ , عَنِ
الزِّبْرِقَانِ , أَنَّ رَهْطًا مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ مَرَّ بِهِمْ
زَيْدُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ وَهُمْ مُجْتَمِعُونَ , فَأَرْسَلُوا إِلَيْهِ غُلَامَيْنِ لَهُمْ يَسْأَلَانِهِ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَى , فَقَالَ : هِيَ الْعَصْرُ , فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلَانِ مِنْهُمْ فَسَأَلَاهُ , فَقَالَ : هِيَ الظُّهْرُ , ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَا إِلَى
أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ فَسَأَلَاهُ , فَقَالَ : هِيَ الظُّهْرُ , إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يُصَلِّي الظُّهْرَ بِالْهَجِيرِ , وَلَا يَكُونُ وَرَاءَهُ إِلَّا الصَّفُّ , وَالصَّفَّانِ مِنَ النَّاسِ فِي قَائِلَتِهِمْ , وَفِي تِجَارَتِهِمْ , فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى : حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلاةِ الْوُسْطَى وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ سورة البقرة آية 238 قَالَ : فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ :
" لَيَنْتَهِيَنَّ رِجَالٌ أَوْ لَأُحَرِّقَنَّ بُيُوتَهُمْ " .
Zabraqan says that once a group of Quraysh passed by Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him). They were all together. They sent their two slaves to Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask, "What is meant by the 'middle prayer' (Salat al-Wusta)?" He replied that it refers to the Asr prayer. Then two men stood up and asked the same question, so he replied that it refers to the Zuhr prayer. Then both of them went to Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked him the same question, and he also said it is the Zuhr prayer, and said that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer the Zuhr prayer during the midday heat, and behind the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) there would be only one or two rows, and people would be busy with siesta or trade. Upon this, Allah Almighty revealed this verse: "Guard strictly the prayers, especially the middle prayer, and stand before Allah with devotion." Then the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Let people stop this behavior, otherwise I will burn their houses down.