Harmonising contradictory narrations (the time for Salat al-Asr) - Part 4

In this blog, we will look at why there are different lengths of time provided for Asr prayers i.e. why it sometimes says one cubit, two cuts or more…

Firstly, let’s refer to the second hadith in the blog before my break i.e. the muwathaq narration of Dharih al-Mahaarabi from Abu Abdullah (AS) who said: “People asked Abu Abdullah (AS) whilst I was present…some of the people said: ‘we pray the first [of the two i.e. Dhuhr] if it [the shadow] is at two feet and Asr when it is at four feet’. Abu Abdullah (AS) said: ‘half of that is better for me’” (1).

This suggests that it is best to complete the Nafila prayers in the time it takes for the shadow to reach one foot, and that is a clear way of harmonizing between the narrations that say 2 feet (or 1 cubit) and those that say 4 feet (or 2 cubits) i.e. by attributing it to the difference in levels of what is best. The best would be to pray Nafila prayers at midday so that they can be completed and the shadow would be one foot. Then the Farida prayer is legislated at that time. After completing that, the time for Nafila of Asr begins, after which time comes the Farida time for Asr, and that is at two feet.

And if that is not possible, then the best is to complete the Nafila of Dhuhr at when the shadow is at two feet, then Dhuhr, and two feet after that for the Nafila of Asr, so that its Farida is prayed when the shadow is at 4 feet (from the beginning of midday). It is as if he (AS) wanted to widen in his explanation the best time by providing different levels of what is best.

And there are some narrations that back up this view such as the sahih narration of Zurara: “If your shadow reaches a cubit from midday, then begin your Farida and leave the Nafila. And if your shadow reaches two cubits, then pray the farida and leave the Nafila.” (2). This shows that the shadow reaching one cubit (i.e. two feet) is the last time for the Fadila of Dhuhr i.e. you cannot pray Nafila after that (Qada of Nafila is possible though). Similarly with Asr and two cubits.

As for the definition of it being a fathom or the shadow being the length of someone or twice his length, these narrations require more discussion, due to the opinion in them that they may be to do with the end of the time of prayer, and discussion on that will come later. For example: the narration of Ahmad ibn Amr from Abu al-Hasan (AS) who said: “I asked him about the time for Dhuhr and Asr. And he said: ‘the time for Dhuhr is when the sun reaches midday until the shadow reached one fathom; and the time of Asr is one and a half fathoms to two fathoms.” (3) There are many similar such narrations.


In the next blog, we will look at exceptions to this rule.


(1) Wasa’il, 4:133, Chapters on time, chapter 8, hadith 22
(2) Wasa’il, 4:133, Chapters on time, chapter 8, hadith 3
(3) Wasa’il, 4:133, Chapters on time, chapter 8, hadith 9