We used to pray the `Asr prayer and after that if someone happened to go to the tribe of Bani `Amr bin `Auf, he would find them still praying the `Asr (prayer).

We were with Buraida in a battle on a cloudy day and he said, "Offer the `Asr prayer early as the Prophet said, "Whoever leaves the `Asr prayer, all his (good) deeds will be annulled."

I was with Buraida on a cloudy day and he said, "Offer the `Asr prayer earlier as the Prophet said, 'Whoever leaves the `Asr prayer will have all his (good) deeds annulled." (See Hadith No. 527 and 528)

Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever could get one rak`a (of the Fajr prayer) before sunrise, he has got the (morning) prayer and whoever could get one rak`a of the `Asr prayer before sunset, he has got the (`Asr) prayer."

`Umar came cursing the disbelievers (of Quraish) on the day of Al-Khandaq (the battle of Trench) and said, "I could not offer the `Asr prayer till the sun had set. Then we went to Buthan and he offered the (`Asr) prayer after sunset and then he offered the Maghrib prayer.

`Umar bin Al-Khattab came on the day of Al-Khandaq after the sun had set and he was abusing the infidels of Quraish saying, "O Allah's Apostle! I was unable to offer the (`Asr) prayer till the sun was about to set." The Prophet said, "By Allah, I have not offered this (i.e. `Asr) prayer." So we came down along with the Prophet to Buthan where he performed ablution for the prayer and then we performed the ablution for it. Then he offered the `Asr prayer after the sun had set, and after it he offered the Maghrib prayer.

Allah's Apostle said, "Your period (i.e. the Muslims' period) in comparison to the periods of the previous nations, is like the period between the `Asr prayer and sunset. And your example in comparison to the Jews and the Christians is like the example of a person who employed some laborers and asked them, 'Who will work for me till midday for one Qirat each?' The Jews worked for half a day for one Qirat each. The person asked, 'Who will do the work for me from midday to the time of the `Asr (prayer) for one Qirat each?' The Christians worked from midday till the `Asr prayer for one Qirat. Then the person asked, 'Who will do the work for me from the `Asr till sunset for two Qirats each?' " The Prophet added, "It is you (i.e. Muslims) who are doing the work from the `Asr till sunset, so you will have a double reward. The Jews and the Christians got angry and said, 'We have done more work but got less wages.' Allah said, 'Have I been unjust to you as regards your rights?' They said, 'No.' So Allah said, 'Then it is My Blessing which I bestow on whomever I like. "

On the day of the Khandaq `Umar came, cursing the disbelievers of Quraish and said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have not offered the `Asr prayer and the sun has set." The Prophet replied, "By Allah! I too, have not offered the prayer yet. "The Prophet then went to Buthan, performed ablution and performed the `Asr prayer after the sun had set and then offered the Maghrib prayer after it."

I heard Abu Ash-sha'tha' Jabir saying, "I heard Ibn `Abbas saying, 'I offered with Allah's Apostle eight rak`at (of Zuhr and `Asr prayers) together and seven rak`at (the Maghrib and the `Isha' prayers) together.' " I said, "O Abu Ash-shatha! I think he must have prayed the Zuhr late and the `Asr early; the `Isha early and the Maghrib late." Abu Ash-sha'tha' said, "I also think so." (See Hadith No. 518 Vol. 1).

Whenever the Prophet come to me after the `Asr prayer, he always prayed two rak`at.

that he heard Abu Umama saying: We prayed the Zuhr prayer with `Umar bin `Abdul `Aziz and then went to Anas bin Malik and found him offering the `Asr prayer. I asked him, "O uncle! Which prayer have you offered?" He said 'The `Asr and this is (the time of) the prayer of Allah s Apostle which we used to pray with him."

Allah's Apostle used to offer the `Asr prayer when the sunshine had not disappeared from my chamber.

The Prophet said, "Your life in comparison to the lifetime of the past nations is like the period between the time of `Asr prayer and sunset. Your example and the example of the Jews and Christians is that of person who employed laborers and said to them, "Who will work for me till the middle of the day for one Qirat (a special weight)?' The Jews did. He then said, "Who will work for me from the middle of the day till the `Asr prayer for one Qirat each?" The Christians worked accordingly. Then you (Muslims) are working from the `Asr prayer till the Maghrib prayer for two Qirats each. They (the Jews and the Christians) said, 'We did more labor but took less wages.' He (Allah) said, 'Have I wronged you in your rights?' They replied, 'No.' Then He said, 'This is My Blessing which I give to whom I wish."

On the day of Al-Khandaq (the trench), `Umar bin Al-Khattab went to the Prophet and said, "O Allah's Apostle! By Allah, I could not pray (the `Asr) till the sun had set." `Umar told this to the Prophet at the time when a fasting person had done Iftar (taken his meals). The Prophet then went to Buthan and I was with him. He performed ablution and offered the `Asr prayer after the sun had set and then the Maghrib prayer.

On the day of Al-Ahzab (i.e. Clans) the Prophet said, "None of you Muslims) should offer the `Asr prayer but at Banu Quraiza's place." The `Asr prayer became due for some of them on the way. Some of those said, "We will not offer it till we reach it, the place of Banu Quraiza," while some others said, "No, we will pray at this spot, for the Prophet did not mean that for us." Later on It was mentioned to the Prophet and he did not berate any of the two groups.

Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever misses the `Asr prayer (intentionally) then it is as if he lost his family and property."

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 he walked quickly and entered his house.

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 .

On the day of Al-Khandaq (the battle of trench.) `Umar bin Al-Khattab came cursing the disbelievers of Quraish after the sun had set and said, "O Allah's Apostle I could not offer the `Asr prayer till the sun had set." The Prophet said, "By Allah! I, too, have not prayed." So we turned towards Buthan, and the Prophet performed ablution and we too performed ablution and offered the `Asr prayer after the sun had set, and then he offered the Maghrib prayer.

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

I asked Anas bin Malik, "Tell me what you remember from Allah's Apostle (regarding these questions): Where did he offer the Zuhr and `Asr prayers on the day of Tarwiya (8th day of Dhul- Hijja)?" He relied, "(He offered these prayers) at Mina." I asked, "Where did he offer the `Asr prayer on the day of Nafr (i.e. departure from Mina on the 12th or 13th of Dhul-Hijja)?" He replied, "At Al- Abtah," and then added, "You should do as your chiefs do."

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 offered the Zuhr, `Asr, Maghrib and the `Isha' prayers and slept for a while at a place called Al-Muhassab and then rode to the Ka`ba and performed Tawaf round it .

Imam Muslim said: Ashja'i narrated it from Sufyan al-Thauri, who narrated it from al-Aswad b. Qais, who narrated it from 'Uqba, who narrated it from al-Bara' b. 'Azib who said: We recited with the Prophet (may peace be upon him) (the above-mentioned verse like this, i. e. instead of Salat al- Wusta, Salat al-'Asr) for a certain period. as It has been mentioned (in the above-quoted hadith).

"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."

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "There is no prayer after the morning prayer till the sun rises, and there is no prayer after the `Asr prayer till the sun sets."

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 the Zuhr, `Asr, Maghrib and `Isha' prayers and slept for a while at a place called Al-Mahassab and then he rode towards the Ka`ba and performed Tawaf (al-Wada`).

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.

My father said, "The Prophet used to recite Al-Fatiha along with another Sura in the first two rak`at of the Zuhr and the `Asr prayers and at times a verse or so was audible to us."

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).