Allah's Apostle never missed two rak`at before the Fajr prayer and after the `Asr prayer openly and secretly.

Once the Prophet offered the `Asr prayer and then hurriedly went to his house and returned immediately. I (or somebody else) asked him (as to what was the matter) and he said, "I left at home a piece of gold which was from the charity and I disliked to let it remain a night in my house, so I got it distributed . "

The Prophet used to pray the `Asr prayers at a time when the sunshine was still inside my chamber and no shadow had yet appeared in it.

That Allah's Apostle used to offer the `Asr prayer while the sun was still shining in her Hujra (i.e. her dwelling place).

Allah's Apostle used to offer the `Asr prayers at a time when the sunshine was still inside my chamber and no shadow had yet appeared in it.

By Allah, Who took away the Prophet. The Prophet never missed them (two rak`at) after the `Asr prayer till he met Allah and he did not meet Allah till it became heavy for him to pray while standing so he used to offer most of the prayers while sitting. (She meant the two rak`at after `Asr) He used to pray them in the house and never prayed them in the mosque lest it might be hard for his followers and he loved what was easy for them .

I was sent to Aisha by Ibn `Abbas, Al-Miswar bin Makhrama and `Abdur-Rahman bin Azhar . They told me to greet her on their behalf and to ask her about the offering of the two rak`at after the `Asr prayer and to say to her, "We were informed that you offer those two rak`at and we were told that the Prophet had forbidden offering them." Ibn `Abbas said, "I along with `Umar bin Al-Khattab used to beat the people whenever they offered them." I went to Aisha and told her that message. `Aisha said, "Go and ask Um Salama about them." So I returned and informed them about her statement. They then told me to go to Um Salama with the same question with which t sent me to `Aisha. Um Salama replied, "I heard the Prophet forbidding them. Later I saw him offering them immediately after he prayed the `Asr prayer. He then entered my house at a time when some of the Ansari women from the tribe of Bani Haram were sitting with me, so I sent my slave girl to him having said to her, 'Stand beside him and tell him that Um Salama says to you, "O Allah's Apostle! I have heard you forbidding the offering of these (two rak`at after the `Asr prayer) but I have seen you offering them." If he waves his hand then wait for him.' The slave girl did that. The Prophet beckoned her with his hand and she waited for him. When he had finished the prayer he said, "O daughter of Bani Umaiya! You have asked me about the two rak`at after the `Asr prayer. The people of the tribe of `Abdul-Qais came to me and made me busy and I could not offer the two rak`at after the Zuhr prayer. These (two rak`at that I have just prayed) are for those (missed) ones.

'Ubaidullah was asked about Al Mahassab. 'Ubaidullah narrated: Nafi` said, 'Allah's Apostles, `Umar and Ibn `Umar camped there." Nafi` added, "Ibn `Umar used to offer the Zuhr and `Asr prayers at it (i.e. Al-Mahassab)." I think he mentioned the Maghrib prayer also. I said, "I don't doubt about `Isha' (i.e. he used to offer it there also), and he used to sleep there for a while. He used to say, 'The Prophet used to do the same.' "

We used to pray the `Asr and after that if one of US went to Quba' he would arrive there while the sun was still high.

offered four rak`at of Zuhr prayer with the Prophet (p.b.u.h) at Medina and two rak`at at Dhul-Hulaifa. (i.e. shortened the `Asr prayer).

My father said, "The Prophet in Zuhr prayers used to recite Al-Fatiha along with two other Suras in the first two rak`at: a long one in the first rak`a and a shorter (Sura) in the second, and at times the verses were audible. In the `Asr prayer the Prophet used to recite Al-Fatiha and two more Suras in the first two rak`at and used to prolong the first rak`a. And he used to prolong the first rak`a of the Fajr prayer and shorten the second.

The Prophet (p.b.u.h) offered four rak`at of Zuhr prayer at Medina and two rak`at of `Asr prayer at Dhul-Hulaifa. Narrated Aiyub: "A man said: Anas said, "Then he (the Prophet passed the night there till dawn and then he offered the morning (Fajr) prayer, and mounted his Mount and when it arrived at Al-Baida' he assumed Ihram for both `Umra and Hajj."

My father said, "Allah's Apostle said, 'Whoever prays the two cool prayers (`Asr and Fajr) will go to Paradise.' "

Allah's Apostle forbade the offering of two prayers: -1. after the morning prayer till the sunrises. -2. after the `Asr prayer till the sun sets.

`Aisha (addressing me) said, "O son of my sister! The Prophet never missed two prostrations (i.e. rak`at) after the `Asr prayer in my house."

"The Prophet prayed eight rak`at for the Zuhr and `Asr, and seven for the Maghrib and `Isha prayers in Medina." Aiyub said, "Perhaps those were rainy nights." Anas said, "May be."

We used to offer the `Asr prayer with the Prophet and slaughter a camel, the meat of which would be divided in ten parts. We would eat the cooked meat before sunset.

The Prophet offered four rak`at of the Zuhr prayer in Medina and two rak`at of the `Asr prayer in Dhul-Hulaifa and I heard them (the companions of the Prophet) reciting Talbiya together loudly to the extent of shouting.

The Prophet offered a four-rak`at Zuhr prayer at Medina and then offered a two rak`at `Asr prayer at Dhul-Hulaifa and I heard the companions of the Prophet reciting Talbiya aloud (for Hajj and `Umra) altogether.

That Kuraib, the freed slave of Ibn `Abbas told him that Ibn `Abbas, `Abdur-Rahman bin Azhar and Al-Miswar bin Makhrama sent him to `Aisha saying, "Pay her our greetings and ask her about our offering of the two-rak`at after `Asr Prayer, and tell her that we have been informed that you offer these two rak`at while we have heard that the Prophet had forbidden their offering." Ibn `Abbas said, "I and `Umar used to beat the people for their offering them." Kuraib added, "I entered upon her and delivered their message to her.' She said, 'Ask Um Salama.' So, I informed them (of `Aisha's answer) and they sent me to Um Salama for the same purpose as they sent me to `Aisha. Um Salama replied, 'I heard the Prophet forbidding the offering of these two rak`at. Once the Prophet offered the `Asr prayer, and then came to me. And at that time some Ansari women from the Tribe of Banu Haram were with me. Then (the Prophet ) offered those two rak`at, and I sent my (lady) servant to him, saying, 'Stand beside him and say (to him): Um Salama says, 'O Allah's Apostle! Didn't I hear you forbidding the offering of these two rak`at (after the `Asr prayer yet I see you offering them?' And if he beckons to you with his hand, then wait behind.' So the lady slave did that and the Prophet beckoned her with his hand, and she stayed behind, and when the Prophet finished his prayer, he said, 'O the daughter of Abu Umaiya (i.e. Um Salama), You were asking me about these two rak`at after the `Asr prayer. In fact, some people from the tribe of `Abdul Qais came to me to embrace Islam and busied me so much that I did not offer the two rak`at which were offered after Zuhr compulsory prayer, and these two rak`at (you have seen me offering) make up for those."

Anas bin Malik said, "The Prophet offered four rak`at of the Zuhr prayer in Medina and two rak`at of `Asr prayer at Dhul-Hulaifa." I think that the Prophet passed the night there till morning.

"The Prophet forbade praying after the Fajr prayer till the sun rises and after the `Asr prayer till the sun sets."

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

Some people told me the same narration (as above).

Yahya related to me from Malik that Abu'z-Zubayr al-Makki said, "I saw the House deserted both after subh and asr, with no-one doing tawaf."

Malik said, "If someone does some of his circuits and then the subh or asr prayer is begun, he should pray with the imam and then complete the rest of his circuits but should not pray at all until the sun has either risen or set "

He added, "There is no harm in delaying the two rakas until after he has prayed maghrib."

Malik said, "There is no harm in someone doing a single tawaf after subh or after asr, not to do more than one group of seven circuits, and then as long as he delays the two rakas until after the sun has risen, as Umar ibn al-Khattab did, or he delays them until after the sun has set if it is after asr. Then when the sun has set he can pray them if he wants, or, if he wants, he can delay them until after he has prayed maghrib. There is no harm in that."

Allah's Apostle forbade two kinds of sales, two kinds of dresses, and two prayers. He forbade offering prayers after the Fajr prayer till the rising of the sun and after the `Asr prayer till its setting. He also forbade "Ishtimal-Assama [??] " and "al-Ihtiba" in one garment in such a way that one's private parts are exposed towards the sky. He also forbade the sales called "Munabadha" and "Mulamasa." (See Hadith No. 354 and 355 Vol. 3).

I offered the `Asr prayer with the Prophet and after finishing the prayer with Taslim he got up quickly and went to some of his wives and then came out. He noticed the signs of astonishment on the faces of the people caused by his speed. He then said, "I remembered while I was in my prayer that a piece of gold was Lying in my house and I disliked that it should remain with us throughout the night, and so I have ordered it to be distributed."

I asked Anas bin Malik, "Tell me something you have observed about the Prophet concerning where he offered the Zuhr prayer on the Day of Tarwiya (8th Dhul-Hijja)." Anas replied, "He offered it at Mina." I said, "Where did he offer the `Asr prayer on the Day of Nafr (day of departure from Mina)?" He replied, "At Al-Abtah," and added, "You should do as your leaders do."

Once Allah's Apostle went to Al-Batha' at noon, performed the ablution and offered' a two rak`at Zuhr prayer and a two-rak`at `Asr prayer while a spearheaded stick was planted before him and the passersby were passing in front of it. (After the prayer), the people got up and held the hands of the Prophet and passed them on their faces. I also took his hand and kept it on my face and noticed that it was colder than ice, and its smell was nicer than musk.