Narrative regarding the Prophet’s Time for Zuh’r Prayers during Summers and Winters

روي أنه كان قدر صلاة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الظهر في الصيف ثلاثة أقدام إلى خمسة أقدام وفي الشتاء خمسة أقدام إلى سبعة أقدام.

It is narrated that the approximate time of the Prophet’s Zuh’r prayers was [when the shadows were] three to five feet long during summers and five to seven feet long during winters¹.

General Notes:

1. Although, apparently, it would seem that the prayer was offered earlier during summers and later during winters. However, in view of the other narratives, it is clear that Prophet (pbuh) would generally delay Zuh’r prayers during summers and would offer them earlier during winters. It is generally held that this apparent contradiction is only due to the differences in the position of the sun in Medinah during summers and winters, implying that in Medinah, five to seven feet long shadows, in winters appeared before the time when three to five feet long shadows would appear during summers.

Notes on the Text of the Narrative

This narrative or a part of it with some variations has been reported in Abu Dawood (narrative no. 400), Nissaiy (narrative no. 503), Nissaiy’s Sunan Al-Kubraa (narrative no. 1492), Bayhaqiy (narrative no. 1588) and Ibn Abi Shaybah (narrative no. 3289). The preferred text is the one reported in Nissay’s, narrative no. 503.

The word “الظهر” (i.e., Al-Zuh’r) has been omitted in Abu Dawood’s narrative no. 400.

In Ibn Abi Shaybah’s narrative no. 3289, the subject matter of the narrative has been presented differently and has not even been ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh). The referred narrative reads as:

قال عبد الله: إن أول وقت الظهر أن تنظر إلى قدميك فتقيس ثلاثة أقدام إلى خمسة أقدام وإن أول وقت الآخر خمسة أقدام إلى سبعة أقدام. أظنه قال في الشتاء.

‘`Abd Allah ibn Mas`ood said: [For] the starting time of Zuh’r, look at you feet and estimate three to five feet [of shadow]. And the other starting time [i.e., for the starting time in winter], is five to seven feet [of shadows]. [The narrator says:] I think he said: [The other starting time, related to prayers] in winters.’

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