❖ The Timing of ʿAṣr Prayer: One Shadow Length or Two? ❖
Adapted from: “Ahkām wa Masāʾil fī Ḍawʾ al-Qurʾān wa al-Ḥadīth”, Volume 2
Even within Ḥanafī jurisprudence, authentic references confirm that Imām Abū Ḥanīfah رحمه الله originally followed the opinion of praying ʿAṣr at one shadow length.
Reference – Durr al-Mukhtār:
It is mentioned that Imām Abū Ḥanīfah later reverted to the one shadow length timing based on the ḥadīth of Jibrīl (AS).
➋ Current Practice in Makkah:
Today, even in the Ḥaramayn, including Makkah, ʿAṣr is performed according to the one shadow length opinion. Therefore, it is advisable for Ḥanafī followers in other countries like India to align their practice accordingly.
➌ Acting with Wisdom and Unity:
If sincere advice is offered and still no change occurs, and if division in the congregation is feared, then it is permissible to pray at the two-shadow time as a matter of strategic unity.
Reference – Fatāwā Thanāʾiyyah, Vol. 1, p. 395, dated 13 Shaʿbān 1311 AH
✔ The preferred time for ʿAṣr is at one shadow length, as per the authentic hadith and the practice of the Prophet ﷺ.
✔ Even Imām Abū Ḥanīfah eventually supported the one-shadow opinion.
✔ However, if avoiding disunity in a shared masjid setting, there is leeway to follow two shadows.
✔ The principle of wisdom, unity, and flexibility is key in such communal matters.
Adapted from: “Ahkām wa Masāʾil fī Ḍawʾ al-Qurʾān wa al-Ḥadīth”, Volume 2
◈ Question:
Some Ḥanafī scholars perform the ʿAṣr prayer after the sun casts a shadow twice the length of an object. However, many Ahl al-Ḥadīth who also attend this mosque perform ʿAṣr at one shadow length. Is there any issue with this difference?❖ Ruling and Clarification
➊ Ḥanafī Position in Classical Texts:Even within Ḥanafī jurisprudence, authentic references confirm that Imām Abū Ḥanīfah رحمه الله originally followed the opinion of praying ʿAṣr at one shadow length.
Reference – Durr al-Mukhtār:It is mentioned that Imām Abū Ḥanīfah later reverted to the one shadow length timing based on the ḥadīth of Jibrīl (AS).
➋ Current Practice in Makkah:
Today, even in the Ḥaramayn, including Makkah, ʿAṣr is performed according to the one shadow length opinion. Therefore, it is advisable for Ḥanafī followers in other countries like India to align their practice accordingly.
➌ Acting with Wisdom and Unity:
If sincere advice is offered and still no change occurs, and if division in the congregation is feared, then it is permissible to pray at the two-shadow time as a matter of strategic unity.
Reference – Fatāwā Thanāʾiyyah, Vol. 1, p. 395, dated 13 Shaʿbān 1311 AH
Summary:
✔ The preferred time for ʿAṣr is at one shadow length, as per the authentic hadith and the practice of the Prophet ﷺ.✔ Even Imām Abū Ḥanīfah eventually supported the one-shadow opinion.
✔ However, if avoiding disunity in a shared masjid setting, there is leeway to follow two shadows.
✔ The principle of wisdom, unity, and flexibility is key in such communal matters.
