Delaying Asr Prayer Is Not Recommended – It Should Be Performed at Its Earliest Time

Hadith​

Anas bin Malik (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to perform the Asr prayer while the sun was still high and bright. A person would go to Al-‘Awali (the outskirts of Madinah) and reach there while the sun was still high."

[Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih Muslim]

• Authentication & References:
  • Sahih al-Bukhari: 550
  • Sahih Muslim: 621

Key Lessons & Rulings Derived from This Hadith​

Performing Asr at Its Earliest Time:

• The preferred time for Asr prayer is as soon as its time starts, while the sun is still bright and high in the sky.
• The Prophet (ﷺ) consistently prayed Asr early, ensuring it was performed before the sun began to weaken in intensity.

Delaying Asr Prayer Is Not Recommended:

• Scholars emphasize performing Asr at its earliest time.
• Delaying it until the sun starts turning yellow is only allowed in cases of necessity, but it is not the preferred time for prayer.
• Missing Asr completely is a grave loss, as it is referred to as "Salat al-Wusta" (The Middle Prayer), and its neglect leads to great spiritual harm.

Sun as an Indicator of Time:

• The sun has been a natural timekeeper for centuries.
• It never fails in its duty, teaching us that just as the sun sets at the end of the day, human life will also come to an end one day.
• The daily cycle of the sun reminds us of the importance of time management and punctuality in worship.

Traveling for Work, Trade, or Education Is Permissible:

• The hadith mentions traveling to Al-‘Awali (outskirts of Madinah) for work or business.
• This shows that going to cities for trade, education, or other needs is permissible and has been practiced since ancient times.

Reference Source:
This content has been extracted from the book "Diya al-Islam fi Sharh al-Imam bi Ahadith al-Ahkam" by Sheikh Taqi al-Din Abi al-Fath, translated by Maulana Mahmood Ahmad Ghaznfar.