Narrative regarding Seasonal Variations in Prayer Timings

روي أنه كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا اشتد البرد بكر بالصلاة وإذا اشتد الحر أبرد بالصلاة.

It is reported that the Prophet (pbuh) used to offer his prayers early in the severe cold [of winters], while he would cool his prayers [delaying them] during the severe heat [of summers]¹.

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General Notes:

1. It is clear that by fixing a time range for each prayer, the Shari`ah has made a provision for Muslims to organize each of the prayer congregations at any time – within the time range prescribed for that prayer – that is generally considered to be convenient by the collectivity. It is clearly on the basis of this principle of general convenience that the Prophet (pbuh) is reported to vary the timings of prayer congregations during the different seasons.

Notes on the Text of the Narrative:

This narrative or a part of it, with some variations, has been reported in Bukhariy (narrative no. 864), Ibn Khuzaymah (narrative no. 1842) and Bayhaqiy (narrative no. 5468, 5469 and 5470). The preferred text is the one reported in Bukhariy’s narrative no. 864.

In Bayhaqiy’s narrative no. 5470, the same implication, as reported in the given text, is reported in the words: “إذا كان الحر أبرد بالصلاة وإذا كان البرد بكر بالصلاة” (i.e., ‘During summers the Prophet would cool his prayers [delaying them], while during winters he would offer his prayers earlier’).

In a variation of the given narrative, also given in Bukhariy’s narrative no. 864, the same implication is reported with the specification that this was the norm of the Prophet (pbuh) with reference to the Friday prayers.

(This write-up is prepared by the Hadith Cell of Javed Ahmad Ghamidi)