In this blog, we are focusing on what is meant by a foot or cubit (as everyone has a different size).
Consider the muwathaq narration of Isma’il al-Ju’fa from Abu Ja’far (AS):
• ‘He said: ‘The messenger of Allah (SAW) when the shadow of the wall was a cubit, he used to pray Dhuhr; and when it was two cubits, he used to pray Asr.’ I said: ‘Walls differ in size – some are short and others tall’. He said: The wall of the mosque of the messenger of Allah (SAW) used to be a fathom. (قامة) (1)
Based on this, if the wall is taller or shorter than one fathom, it is important to notice its shadow to ensure that the relationship between a foot and a fathom which is a seventh; like the relationship between a cubit to a fathom is two sevenths.
For those interested, the three terms are:
• Foot (قدم) = 1/7 of the shadow
• Cubit (ذراع) = 2/7 of the shadow
• Fathom (مثل or قامة) = the length of the shadow
Therefore, the time for Asr is at 2/7 or 4/7 of the length of the shadow.
In the next blog, we will look at the rulings of the various scholars on this topic.
(1) Wasa’il, 4:133, Chapters on time, chapter 8, hadith 10
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