The following is an excerpt from a longer post titled: The Sustainer of the Worlds (رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ)
Establishing Prayer
Q98:5 lists establishing prayer as one of the key commands of the right religion. Surah alMomineen (The Believers) and alMa’arij (The Ways of Ascent) list the salient characteristics of the believers. One of the characteristics is that they are those who guard their prayers (root: ص ل و):
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ
And they who carefully maintain their prayers -
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ
And those who [carefully] maintain their prayer:
The Middle Prayer & The Declining Sun
حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ
فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ فَرِجَالًا أَوْ رُكْبَانًا فَإِذَا أَمِنتُمْ فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَمَا عَلَّمَكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْلَمُونَ
Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient.
And if you fear [an enemy, then pray] on foot or riding. But when you are secure, then remember Allah [in prayer], as He has taught you that which you did not [previously] know.
According to the ayah from Surah alBaqarah quoted above, Muslims are required to especially guard the middle prayers. Late afternoon is a very busy time for most people across most businesses and professions. There is debate regarding whether Asr (the late afternoon prayer) is or not the middle prayer.
Prayer Timings
As we read in Surah alIsra:
سُنَّةَ مَن قَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَا وَلَا تَجِدُ لِسُنَّتِنَا تَحْوِيلًا
أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ اللَّيْلِ وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا
وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَىٰ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا
وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِي مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ وَأَخْرِجْنِي مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ وَاجْعَل لِّي مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلْطَانًا نَّصِيرًا
[That is Our] established way for those We had sent before you of Our messengers; and you will not find in Our way any alteration.
Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur'an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed.
And from [part of] the night, pray with it as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.
And say, "My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance and to exit a sound exit and grant me from Yourself a supporting authority."
Prayer Timings of the People of the Book
Notice in Q17:77, it is stated that it is the ‘established way’ and that there is never any change or alteration in it. I understand that this ayat is linked with the ayaat preceding and following it. So, the people of the Book must have also been enjoined prayers similarly. In Daniel we read:
10 And Daniel, when he hath known that the writing is signed, hath gone up to his house, and the window being opened for him, in his upper chamber, over-against Jerusalem, three times in a day he is kneeling on his knees, and praying, and confessing before his God, because that he was doing [it] before this.
The Jews believe they are required to pray thrice daily as a practice received from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Christians also identify three to seven times of prayers from the scriptures, even though they believe they are not ‘duty-bound’ to pray them.
Solomon & the Missed Prayer
The Quran, Surah Saad, relates the loss Prophet-King Solomon suffered due to his negligence of the prayer, his repentance and how his repentance was accepted, appreciated and magnificently rewarded:
وَوَهَبْنَا لِدَاوُودَ سُلَيْمَانَ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ
إِذْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْعَشِيِّ الصَّافِنَاتُ الْجِيَادُ
فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَن ذِكْرِ رَبِّي حَتَّىٰ تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ
رُدُّوهَا عَلَيَّ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًا بِالسُّوقِ وَالْأَعْنَاقِ
وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا سُلَيْمَانَ وَأَلْقَيْنَا عَلَىٰ كُرْسِيِّهِ جَسَدًا ثُمَّ أَنَابَ
قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَهَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لَّا يَنبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِّن بَعْدِي إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ
فَسَخَّرْنَا لَهُ الرِّيحَ تَجْرِي بِأَمْرِهِ رُخَاءً حَيْثُ أَصَابَ
وَالشَّيَاطِينَ كُلَّ بَنَّاءٍ وَغَوَّاصٍ
وَآخَرِينَ مُقَرَّنِينَ فِي الْأَصْفَادِ
هَٰذَا عَطَاؤُنَا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِكْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ
وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِندَنَا لَزُلْفَىٰ وَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ
And We blessed David with Solomon—what an excellent servant ˹he was˺! Indeed, he ˹constantly˺ turned ˹to Allah˺.
˹Remember˺ when the well-trained, swift horses were paraded before him in the evening*.
He then proclaimed, “I am truly in love with ˹these˺ fine things out of remembrance for my Lord,” until they** went out of sight.
˹He ordered,˺ “Bring them back to me!” Then he began to rub down*** their legs and necks.
And indeed, We tested Solomon, placing a ˹deformed˺ body on his throne, then he turned ˹to Allah in repentance˺.
He prayed, “My Lord! Forgive me, and grant me an authority that will never be matched by anyone after me. You are indeed the Giver ˹of all bounties˺.”
So We subjected to him the wind, blowing gently at his command to wherever he pleased.
And ˹We subjected to him˺ every builder and diver of the jinn,
and others bound together in chains.
˹Allah said,˺ “This is Our gift, so give or withhold ˹as you wish˺, never to be called to account.”
And he will indeed have ˹a status of˺ closeness to Us and an honourable destination!
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And to David We gave Solomon. An excellent servant, indeed he was one repeatedly turning back [to Allah ].
[Mention] when there were exhibited before him in the afternoon* the poised [standing] racehorses.
And he said, "Indeed, I gave preference to the love of good [things] over the remembrance of my Lord until the sun** disappeared into the curtain [of darkness]."
[He said], "Return them to me," and set about striking*** [their] legs and necks.
And We certainly tried Solomon and placed on his throne a body; then he returned.
He said, "My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower."
So We subjected to him the wind blowing by his command, gently, wherever he directed,
And [also] the devils [of jinn] - every builder and diver
And others bound together in shackles.
[We said], "This is Our gift, so grant or withhold without account."
And indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a good place of return.
[Al-Quran 38:30-40, Translator: Saheeh International]
[Al-Quran 38:30-40, Translator: Saheeh International]
* بِالْعَشِيِّ words with the same root are mostly translated as night / evening, and only in this ayat as afternoon by some translators. Compare different ayaat's translation here. Compare 50+ English translations of ayat 31 here.
** حَتَّىٰ تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ does not contain the word sun, but translators assume it from the context. Compare 50+ English translations here.
*** مَسْحًا means to wipe or gently pass hand, not strike. So I understand that this ayat is stating that he resumed enjoying the horses in spite of realising that the prayer had been missed. Note that the very next ayat states that it was after he was tried that he returned and repented. Compare 50+ English translations here.
*** مَسْحًا means to wipe or gently pass hand, not strike. So I understand that this ayat is stating that he resumed enjoying the horses in spite of realising that the prayer had been missed. Note that the very next ayat states that it was after he was tried that he returned and repented. Compare 50+ English translations here.
In a State of Loss
Asr is the name of the late afternoon Muslim prayer. Surah alAsr warns us:
وَالْعَصْرِ
إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ
إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ
By the declining day,
Lo! man is a state of loss,
Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
How to Guard Prayers when in Danger
Surah anNisa elaborates on Q2:239 regarding guarding prayers even when in danger. It allows shortening prayer if there is fear of being attacked:
وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَقْصُرُوا مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَن يَفْتِنَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنَّ الْكَافِرِينَ كَانُوا لَكُمْ عَدُوًّا مُّبِينًا
4:102 وَإِذَا كُنتَ فِيهِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَهُمُ الصَّلَاةَ فَلْتَقُمْ طَائِفَةٌ مِّنْهُم مَّعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ فَإِذَا سَجَدُوا فَلْيَكُونُوا مِن وَرَائِكُمْ وَلْتَأْتِ طَائِفَةٌ أُخْرَىٰ لَمْ يُصَلُّوا فَلْيُصَلُّوا مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا حِذْرَهُمْ وَأَسْلِحَتَهُمْ وَدَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْ تَغْفُلُونَ عَنْ أَسْلِحَتِكُمْ وَأَمْتِعَتِكُمْ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيْكُم مَّيْلَةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِن كَانَ بِكُمْ أَذًى مِّن مَّطَرٍ أَوْ كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰ أَن تَضَعُوا أَسْلِحَتَكُمْ وَخُذُوا حِذْرَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا
فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُمُ الصَّلَاةَ فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِكُمْ فَإِذَا اطْمَأْنَنتُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَّوْقُوتًا
وَلَا تَهِنُوا فِي ابْتِغَاءِ الْقَوْمِ إِن تَكُونُوا تَأْلَمُونَ فَإِنَّهُمْ يَأْلَمُونَ كَمَا تَأْلَمُونَ وَتَرْجُونَ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَرْجُونَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
When ye travel through the earth, there is no blame on you if ye shorten your prayers, for fear the Unbelievers May attack you: For the Unbelievers are unto you open enemies.
When thou (O Messenger) art with them, and standest to lead them in prayer, Let one party of them stand up (in prayer) with thee, Taking their arms with them: When they finish their prostrations, let them Take their position in the rear. And let the other party come up which hath not yet prayed - and let them pray with thee, Taking all precaution, and bearing arms: the Unbelievers wish, if ye were negligent of your arms and your baggage, to assault you in a single rush. But there is no blame on you if ye put away your arms because of the inconvenience of rain or because ye are ill; but take (every) precaution for yourselves. For the Unbelievers Allah hath prepared a humiliating punishment.
When ye pass (Congregational) prayers, celebrate Allah's praises, standing, sitting down, or lying down on your sides; but when ye are free from danger, set up Regular Prayers: For such prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times.
And slacken not in following up the enemy: If ye are suffering hardships, they are suffering similar hardships; but ye have Hope from Allah, while they have none. And Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.
And Allah knows best!
May Allah guide us all.
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Please also read https://islamqa.info/en/129636
Reposted with corrections
Last updated on: May 22, 2024
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