The Time of Noon and Afternoon Salah (Prayer)

“I once said to abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), that ’Umar ibn Hanzalah has reported to us from you about timing (for Salah (prayer)). Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, ‘If so, he does not fabricate things to call them to be from us.’ I (the narrator) then said that he quotes your statement. It says, ‘The first Salah (prayer) that Allah made obligatory on His Holy prophet was al-Dhuhr Salah (prayer). Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has said, “Perform Salah (prayer) from the time of declining of the sun toward the west at noontime” (17:78), so when the sun declines toward the west at noontime, there is no other obstacle except your Nafl (optional Salah (prayer)). This time continues until the shadow of an object becomes equal to its length and that is the end of this time. When the shadow of an object becomes equal to its length, it is the time for al-‘Asr Salah (prayer) which continues until the shadow of an object becomes double its length and that is evening.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He has spoken the truth.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When the sun declines toward the west at noontime, it is time for al-Dhuhr Salah (prayer) except that there is Nafl (optional Salah (prayer) before al-Dhuhr Salah (prayer). It is up to you to spend a longer time for it or a short one.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘When can I perform al-Dhuhr Salah (prayer)?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Perform the eight Rak‘at (the optional Salah (prayer) when the sun declines (toward the west at noontime), then perform al-Dhuhr. Thereafter perform your optional Salah (prayer) for a longer or short time, then perform al-‘Asr Salah (prayer).”’

“We would measure the sun in al-Madinah by the yards. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘Allow me to show you a way clearer than this. When the sun declines toward the west at noontime, it is the time for al-Dhuhr Salah (prayer), except for the optional Salah (prayer) before it, which is up to you to make it longer or shorter.’” Sa‘id has narrated from Musa al-Hassan from al-Hassan ibn al-Husayn al-Lu’lu’i from Safwan ibn Yahya from al-Harith ibn al-Mughirah al-Nadriy and ‘Umar ibn Hanzalah: In a similar Hadith it is said, ‘It is up to you to make the optional one light thereafter, or make it longer, thereafter is the time (for al-Dhuhr).”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when the sun declines (toward the west at noontime), it is the time for two Salah (prayer) except that this is before that.” “Also Sa‘d has narrated from al-Husayn ibn Sa’eed and Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Barqiy and al- ‘Abbas ibn Ma’ruf all from al-Qasim and Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Barqiy from al-Qasim: “In a similar Hadith it is said, Time for al-Dhuhr and al- ‘Asr together has come’ and in addition, it is said that you are in the time for both of them (al-Dhuhr and al- ‘Asr Salah (prayer)) until it is sunset.”

“Once, when I also was present, a human being asked abu ‘Abdullah (a.s.), ‘ I may enter a Masjid when certain persons of our people perform al- ‘Asr and others perform al-Dhuhr Salah (prayer).’ He (the Imam) said, ‘ I have commanded them to do so; were they to perform at one time they would have been recognized and caught by their necks.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abdullah (a.s.), about the meaning of Hadith that says, ’Perform al- Dhuhr Salah (prayer) when the sun is equal to one length or two, one yard or two or one step or two steps from this and from there. When is it and how is it? At certain times is half of one step.’ He (the Imam) said that in the Hadith is it said, ‘ An object’s shadow’ and not the shadow of an object’ is because the shadow of an object may appear in different sizes, sometimes longer and sometimes shorter, but an object is an object all the time and it does not change. Hadith has said that it is one yard or two yards, one step or two steps.” Thus one yard or two yards have become explanation of one length or two lengths during the time when an object’s shadow is of the size of one yard and two object’s shadows of the size of two yards. Therefore one object’s or two objects’ shadows and one yard or two yards are in agreement with each other in times as understood one, explaining the other and supported thereby. At a given time, for example at one O’clock, when an object’s shadow is of the size of one yard the time (for Salah (prayer)) is one yard of an object’s shadow and the object is a yard of the shadow. When an object’s shadow is less or more, the time is measured in yards or two yards. This is the explanation of one length and a yard or two yards.’” (The theme of Hadith is obvious; it only may need a little thinking to grasp it fully.)

“He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘When you complete al-Dhuhr Salah (prayer), it is time for al- ‘Asr Salah (prayer) except that before it there is Nafl (optional Salah (prayer) and it is up to you to make it lengthy or a short one.’”