Written by: Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai
"Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Gabriel (peace be upon him) led me in prayer at the Ka'bah twice…. Then he performed the Asr prayer when the shadow of everything was equal to its length…." [Jami' al-Tirmidhi: 1/38, 39 Hadith 149, and he said: "The Hadith of Ibn Abbas is Hasan (good)."]
The chain of this narration is Hasan (good).
◈ It has been declared authentic by Ibn Khuzaymah [Hadith 352], Ibn Hibban [Hadith 279], Ibn al-Jarud [Hadith 149], and al-Hakim [vol. 1, p. 193].
◈ Ibn Abdul Barr, Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi, and al-Nawawi among others have also declared it authentic. [Nayl al-Maqsood in the commentary on Sunan Abi Dawood Hadith 393]
◈ Imam Baghawi and Nimawi Hanafi have declared it Hasan (good). [Athar al-Sunan p. 89 Hadith 194]
➊ This narration and other blessed Hadiths prove that the time for Asr starts when the shadow of everything becomes equal to its length. In comparison, there is not a single authentic or Hasan narration that proves the time for Asr starts at two lengths.
➋ The time for Asr starts at one length, which is the stance of the three Imams (Malik, Shafi'i, Ahmad) and Qadi Abu Yusuf, Muhammad bin al-Hasan al-Shaybani, among others. Refer to the beneficial book by Rashid Ahmed Gangohi "Al-Kawkab al-Durri" [vol. 1 p. 90, margin] and al-Awsat by Ibn al-Mundhir [2/329].
➌ A narration in Sunan Abi Dawood states:
"You perform the Asr prayer late until the sun becomes clear and white." [1/65 Hadith 408]
This narration is extremely weak in terms of its chain of transmission. Both Muhammad bin Yazid al-Yamani and his teacher Yazid bin Abdul Rahman are unknown. See Taqreeb al-Tahdheeb [6404, 7747].
Therefore, presenting such a weak narration against the authentic Hadiths of one length is extremely wrong and condemnable.
➍ The statement of Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him):
"When it becomes two lengths, perform Asr."
This means that the "best" time to perform Asr prayer can extend until it becomes two lengths. Refer to: [Al-Ta'leeq al-Mumajjad, p. 41, margin: 9] and [previous Hadith: 6], [Al-Hadith: 24 p. 65].
➎ It is mentioned in a Hadith:
"The Jews worked until midday, the Christians worked from midday until Asr, and the Muslims worked from Asr until Maghrib, so the Muslims were given double reward." [See Sahih al-Bukhari: 557]
Some people use this to argue for performing the Asr prayer late, but the double reward for Muslims (compared to all the Jews and Christians collectively before the Prophet (peace be upon him)) is in comparison to the total.
It should be noted that according to the Deobandi "Permanent Timetable of Prayer" for Hazro, the details of the two longest and shortest days of the year (according to Hazro time) are as follows:
Hadith:
عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: أمني جبريل عند البيت مرتين….ثم صلى العصر حين كان كل شئ مثل ظله….. إلخ
"Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Gabriel (peace be upon him) led me in prayer at the Ka'bah twice…. Then he performed the Asr prayer when the shadow of everything was equal to its length…." [Jami' al-Tirmidhi: 1/38, 39 Hadith 149, and he said: "The Hadith of Ibn Abbas is Hasan (good)."]
The chain of this narration is Hasan (good).
◈ It has been declared authentic by Ibn Khuzaymah [Hadith 352], Ibn Hibban [Hadith 279], Ibn al-Jarud [Hadith 149], and al-Hakim [vol. 1, p. 193].
◈ Ibn Abdul Barr, Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi, and al-Nawawi among others have also declared it authentic. [Nayl al-Maqsood in the commentary on Sunan Abi Dawood Hadith 393]
◈ Imam Baghawi and Nimawi Hanafi have declared it Hasan (good). [Athar al-Sunan p. 89 Hadith 194]
Benefits:
➊ This narration and other blessed Hadiths prove that the time for Asr starts when the shadow of everything becomes equal to its length. In comparison, there is not a single authentic or Hasan narration that proves the time for Asr starts at two lengths.
➋ The time for Asr starts at one length, which is the stance of the three Imams (Malik, Shafi'i, Ahmad) and Qadi Abu Yusuf, Muhammad bin al-Hasan al-Shaybani, among others. Refer to the beneficial book by Rashid Ahmed Gangohi "Al-Kawkab al-Durri" [vol. 1 p. 90, margin] and al-Awsat by Ibn al-Mundhir [2/329].
➌ A narration in Sunan Abi Dawood states:
"You perform the Asr prayer late until the sun becomes clear and white." [1/65 Hadith 408]
This narration is extremely weak in terms of its chain of transmission. Both Muhammad bin Yazid al-Yamani and his teacher Yazid bin Abdul Rahman are unknown. See Taqreeb al-Tahdheeb [6404, 7747].
Therefore, presenting such a weak narration against the authentic Hadiths of one length is extremely wrong and condemnable.
➍ The statement of Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him):
"When it becomes two lengths, perform Asr."
This means that the "best" time to perform Asr prayer can extend until it becomes two lengths. Refer to: [Al-Ta'leeq al-Mumajjad, p. 41, margin: 9] and [previous Hadith: 6], [Al-Hadith: 24 p. 65].
➎ It is mentioned in a Hadith:
"The Jews worked until midday, the Christians worked from midday until Asr, and the Muslims worked from Asr until Maghrib, so the Muslims were given double reward." [See Sahih al-Bukhari: 557]
Some people use this to argue for performing the Asr prayer late, but the double reward for Muslims (compared to all the Jews and Christians collectively before the Prophet (peace be upon him)) is in comparison to the total.
It should be noted that according to the Deobandi "Permanent Timetable of Prayer" for Hazro, the details of the two longest and shortest days of the year (according to Hazro time) are as follows:
- 22 June: Noon 12:11, First shadow 3:56 (difference 3:45), Sunset 7:24 (difference 3:28)
- 22 December: Noon 12:08, First shadow 2:47 (difference 2:39), Sunset 5:05 (difference 2:18)