Narrative regarding the Fixation of the Time-Range for each Prayers

روي أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: أمني جبريل عليه السلام عند البيت مرتين. فصلى الظهر في الأولى منهما حين زالت الشمس وكان الفيء مثل الشراك ثم صلى العصر حين كان كل شيء مثل ظله ثم صلى المغرب حين وجبت الشمس وأفطر الصائم ثم صلى العشاء حين غاب الشفق ثم صلى الفجر حين برق الفجر وحرم الطعام على الصائم وصلى المرة الثانية الظهر حين كان ظل كل شيء مثله لوقت العصر بالأمس ثم صلى العصر حين كان ظل كل شيء مثليه ثم صلى المغرب لوقته الأول ثم صلى العشاء الآخرة حين ذهب ثلث الليل ثم صلى الصبح حين أسفرت الأرض. ثم التفت إلي جبريل فقال: يا محمد هذا وقت الأنبياء من قبلك، والوقت فيما بين هذين الوقتين.

It is narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said: 'Gabriel (pbuh) led me twice¹ in [five] prayers, in the vicinity of the Bayet Allah. On the first day, Gabriel offered Zuhr prayers at the time when the sun starts its descent [immediately after midday] the time when the shadows of things are no longer than a shoe lace². Then he offered `Asr prayers at the time when the shadows of things stretch in length to match the height of the thing<sup>3</sup>. Then he offered Maghreb prayers at the time when the sun falls [below the horizon]: the time when a person ends his fast<sup>4</sup>. Then he offered `Ishaa prayers at the end of dusk⁵. Then he offered Fajr prayers when the dawn breaks: when a fasting person practices restraint from eating food. On the second occasion, Gabriel offered Zuhr prayers when the shadows of things lengthen to equal to the actual height of things - at the same time, when he had offered the `Asr prayers during the previous day. Then he offered `Asr prayers at the time when the shadows of things were twice the length of the thing itself. Then he offered Maghreb prayers at the same time as he had offered these prayers on the first day. Then he offered `Ishaa prayers when one-third of the night had expired. Then he offered the morning prayers when the earth had brightened up [before sunrise]. The Gabriel turned to me and said: “Muhammad, this is the time of prayers of the prophets before you. Within the two time limits set forth [during the two days] is the prescribed time for each prayer”.'

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General Notes:

1. As is clear from the narrative that follows, the Arch Angel led the Prophet (pbuh) in prayers twice to physically demonstrate the time range for each prayer. During the first day, the prayers were offered at their respective initial times while during the second day, the prayers were offered at their respective expiry times.

2. That is, when the shadows of things are extremely small. This is the time when the sun has just started its descent after noon.

3. This is the time when the sun is midway between the top of the sky and the horizon.

4. That is, when the sun has fully set.

5. That is, when the redness of the twilight completely disappears.

Notes on the Text of the Narrative

This narrative or a part of it, with some variations, has been reported in Tirmidhi (narrative no. 149), Nasaiy (narrative no. 513 and 526), Abu Dawood (narrative no. 393), Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal (narrative no. 3081, 3322, 11267 and 14578), Ibn Hibban (narrative no. 1472 and 1494), Ibn Khuzaymah (narrative no. 325 and 352) Nasaiy's Sunan Al-Kubraa (narrative no. 1493, 1507 and 1508) Bayhaqiy (narrative no. 1575, 1582, 1583, 1589, 1590, 1597, 1598, 1599, 1601, 1618, 1625, 1641, 1937), Abu Ya`laa (narrative no. 2750). The preferred text, except where otherwise specified, is the one reported in Tirmidhi, narrative no.149.

Some of the narratives (as, for instance, the narratives reported in Bukhariy and Muslim) do not mention that Gabriel came to the Prophet (pbuh) twice for this purpose.

In some narratives, as for instance in Nasaiy narrative no. 513, it is reported that during the referred incident, the Prophet (pbuh) followed Gabriel and the other people followed the Prophet (pbuh). Thus, Nasaiy's narrative no. 513 includes the words “أن جبريل أتى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يعلمه مواقيت الصلاة فتقدم جبريل ورسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خلفه والناس خلف رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم” (i.e. “that Gabriel came to the Prophet to inform him about the prescribed time for prayers. Thus, Gabriel led the prayers and the Prophet (pbuh) followed him while the people followed the Prophet (pbuh)”).

The words “حين زالت الشمس” (i.e., “when the sun starts its descent”) have been reported in Nasaiy, narrative no. 513. In some narratives, however, as for instance in Ibn Khuzaymah, narrative no. 325, the phrase “حين زالت الشمس وكان الفيء مثل الشراك” (i.e., “when the sun starts its descent and when the shadows of things are no longer than a shoe lace”) has been reported as “حين مالت الشمس قدر الشراك” (i.e., when the sun had only bent as much as a shoe lace”) and as “حين زالت الشمس على مثل قدر الشراك” (i.e., “when the such had only descended as much as a shoe lace”) in Abu Ya`laa, narrative no. 2750, while in Bayhaqiy, narrative no. 1583, the same phrase has been reported as “حين مالت الشمس فكانت بقدر الشراك” (i.e., “When the sun had started tilting, when its tilt was only as much as a shoe lace”).

In Bayhaqiy, narrative no. 1575, there is an addition of the words “أربعا” (i.e., “four [rak`ahs]”), after mentioning Zuhr, `Asr and `Ishaa prayers, “ثلاثا” (i.e., “three [rak`ahs]”) after mentioning the Maghreb prayers and “ركعتين” (i.e., “two rak`ahs) after mentioning the Fajr prayers, signifying the number of Rak`ahs which the Prophet (pbuh) offered with Gabriel in each prayer.

The words “حين كان كل شيء مثل ظله” (i.e., “when the shadows of things stretch in length to match the height of the thing”) have alternatively been reported as “حين كان الظل مثل شخصه” (i.e., “when the shadows were equal to the person of that shadow”) in Nasaiy, narrative no. 513 and as “كان فيء الرجل مثله” (i.e., “when the shadow of a person was equal to his height”) in Nasaiy, narrative no. 526 and as “حين كان الفيء قامة” (i.e., “when the shadows were equal to a man's height”) in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 11267 and as “حين صار ظل كل شيء بقدره” (i.e., “when the shadow of everything becomes equal to [the height of] that thing”) in Bayhaqiy, narrative no. 1589 and as “حين صار الظل مثل قامة شخص الرجل” (i.e., “when the shadow becomes equal to the height of the man”) in Bayhaqiy, narrative no. 1599.

The words “وجبت الشمس” (i.e., “the sun falls”) have been replaced with “غابت الشمس” (i.e., “the sun vanishes”) in Nasaiy, narrative no. 526 and with “حين غربت الشمس” (i.e., “when the sun sets”) in Bayhaqiy, narrative no. 1601.

The words “وأفطر الصائم” (i.e., “when a fasting person ends his fast”) have been omitted in some narratives.

In Bayhaqiy, narrative no. 1589, the words “ثم صلى العشاء” (i.e., “then he offered `Ishaa“) have been reported as “وصلى العتمة وهي العشاء” (i.e., “and he offered the `Atamah, that is, the `Ishaa“), which indicates that “عتمة” (meaning 'a part of the night' or 'night') was another name for the `Ishaa prayers.

The word “برق” (i.e. “to appear” or “to shine”) has been replaced with “انشق” (i.e. “to break”) in Nasaiy, narrative no. 513 and with “سطع” (i.e., “to spread”, as in 'spread of light') in Nasaiy, narrative no. 526.

The words “وحرم الطعام على الصائم” (i.e., “when food becomes prohibited for a fasting person”) have been omitted in some narratives.

The words “حين كان طل كل شيء مثله” (i.e., “when the shadows of things lengthen to equal to the actual height of things”) have been replaced by “حين كان ظل الرجل مثل شخصه” (i.e., “when the shadow of a person was equal to his physical height”) in Nasaiy, narrative no. 513 and by “حين كان فيء الرجل مثله” (i.e., “when the shadow of a person was equal to that person”) in Nasaiy, narrative no. 526. While in Bayhaqiy, narrative no. 1589, the sentence has been rephrased as “فأخر الظهر إلي قدر ظله” (i.e., “then he delayed offering the Zuhr prayers till the time that shadows became equal to physical structures”).

The words “حين كان ظل كل شيء مثليه” (i.e., “when the shadows of things become twice the length of the thing itself”) have been replaced with “حين كان طل الرجل مثل شخصيه” (i.e., “when the shadow of a person was twice that of his physical height”) in Nasaiy, narrative no. 513 and with “حين كان فيء الرجل مثليه” (i.e., “when the shadow of a person was twice in length of the person's height”) in Nasaiy, narrative no. 526 and with “و الظل قامتان” (i.e., “while the shadow was twice the height [of the thing]” in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 11267 and with “حين كان كل شيء مثلي ظله” (i.e., “when everything was double the length of its shadow”) in Abu Ya`laa, narrative no. 2750, which is clearly a mistake of one or more of the narrators. While in Bayhaqiy, narrative no. 1589, the sentence has been rephrased as “وأخر العصر إلي قدر ظله مرتين” (i.e., “and he delayed `Asr till the time that shadows became double the height of physical structures”).

The words “حين ذهب ثلث الليل” (i.e., “when one-third of the night had expired”) have been replaced in Nasaiy, narrative no. 513, with “فنمنا ثم قمنا ثم نمنا ثم قمنا فأتاه فصنع كما صنع بالأمس فصلى العشاء” (i.e., “then we slept for a while and woke up then we fell asleep again and woke up again and then he came to the Prophet and did what he had done the previous day then he offered `Ishaa“) and with “ثلث الليل الأول” (i.e., “the first one-third part of the night”) in Nasaiy, narrative no. 526 and with “ثم أعتم بالعشاء” (i.e., “then he prepared for `Ishaa“) in Bayhaqiy, narrative no. 1589. While in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 14578, the words “حين ذهب نصف الليل أو قال ثلث الليل” (i.e., “when half or one-third of the night had expired”) express the narrator's doubt regarding the time.

In Nasaiy, narrative no. 513, the words “حين أسفرت الأرض” (i.e., “when the earth had brightened up”) have been replaced with “حين امتد الفجر وأصبح والنجوم بادية مشتبكة” (i.e., “when the light had spread and it was morning but the stars were still slightly visible”) and with “حين أسفر جدا” (i.e., “when it had brightened up significantly”) in Nasaiy, narrative no. 526.

In some narratives, as in Nasaiy's narrative no. 513, The words “هذا وقت الأنبياء من قبلك” (i.e., “this is the time [of prayers] of the prophets before you”) have been omitted.

In Nasaiy, narrative no. 513, the words “والوقت فيما بين هذين الوقتين” (i.e., “within the two time limits set forth is the prescribed time for each prayer”) have been replaced with “ما بين هاتين الصلاتين وقت” (i.e., “between the prayers offered during the two days is the prescribed time for that particular prayer”), with “ما بين هذين وقت كله” (i.e., “within these two limits is the time [for that prayer]”) in Nasaiy, narrative no. 526, with “هذا وقتك ووقت النبيين قبلك” (i.e., “This is the prescribed time of prayers for you as well as the that of the prophets before you”) in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 3322, with “الصلاة فيما بين هذين الوقتين” (i.e., “prayer is to be offered between these two times”) in Ahmad ibn Hanbal, narrative no. 11267 and with “الصلاة ما بين صلاتك أمس وصلاتك اليوم” (i.e., “prayers are to be offered between the time that these prayers were offered yesterday and the time when they were offered today”) in Nasaiy's Sunan al-Kubraa, narrative no. 1493 and with “ما بين هذين كله وقت” (i.e., “all that lies within these two times is the prescribed time of the prayer”) in Bayhaqiy, narrative no. 1598 and with “ما بين الصلاتين وقت” in Bayaqiy, narrative no. 1599.

In an alternative reporting, as, for instance, is given in Abu Dawood narrative no. 394, the same implication is conveyed in the following words:

روي أنه كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم صلى الظهر حين تزول الشمس وربما أخرها حين يشتد الحر ورأيته يصلي العصر والشمس مرتفعة بيضاء قبل أن تدخلها الصفرة فينصرف الرجل من الصلاة فيأتي ذا الحليفة قبل غروب الشمس ويصلى المغرب حين تسقط الشمس ويصلى العشاء حين يسود الأفق وربما أخرها حتى يجتمع الناس وصلى الصبح مرة بغلس ثم صلى مرة أخرى فأسفر بها ثم كانت صلاته بعد ذلك التغليس حتى مات ولم يعد إلى أن يسفر.

It is narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) offered Zuhr prayers when the sun started its descent [immediately after the midday] and sometimes, when the day was extremely hot, he would delay offering it. And I saw him offering `Asr while the sun was still shining white, high in the sky before turning yellow. If a person would set out for Dhu al-Haleefah after offering his prayers, he could reach his destiny before sunset. And he would offer Maghreb at the time when the sun went down [from the horizon]. And he would offer `Ishaa prayers when the horizon had completely blackened and sometimes he would delay it till the time that people would gather for the prayers. And he offered the morning prayers while it was still dark and, at another instance, he waited till the time that it had brightened up. Nevertheless, after this one time he would always offer the morning prayers while it was still dark and never delayed it till light had spread.

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