Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz one day deferred the prayer. 'Urwa b. Zubair came to him and informed him that one day as Mughira b. Shu'ba was in Kufa (as its governor), he deferred the prayer, Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari came to him and said: What is this, O Mughira? Did you know that it was Gabriel who came and said prayer and (then) the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said the prayer (along with him), then (Gabriel) prayed and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) also prayed, then (Gabriel) prayed and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) also prayed, then (Gabriel) prayed and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed (along with him). then Gabriel prayed and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) also prayed (along with him) and then said: This is how I have been ordered to do. 'Umar (b. 'Abd al-'Aziz) said. O 'Urwa be mindful of what you are saying that Gabriel (peace be upon him) taught the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) the times of prayer. Upon this 'Urwa said: This is how Bashir b. Abu Mas'ud narrated on the authority of his father
The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer - Sahih Muslim 610b
This narration from Sahih Muslim contains profound wisdom regarding the sanctity of prayer times and the divine origin of the prescribed prayer schedule.
Historical Context & Significance
The incident with Mughira b. Shu'ba demonstrates that even governors and rulers are subject to correction regarding prayer times. Abu Mas'ud's courageous admonition shows the importance of enjoining good and forbidding evil.
Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz's initial hesitation reveals the careful scrutiny early scholars applied to hadith transmission, while 'Urwa's confident response shows the reliability of this particular chain of narration.
Divine Regulation of Prayer Times
The core teaching establishes that prayer times were not determined by human reasoning but were divinely ordained through Angel Gabriel's direct instruction to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).
The five daily prayers correspond to the five times Gabriel led the Prophet in prayer, establishing an unbroken celestial connection in our daily worship schedule.
Scholarly Commentary
Classical scholars emphasize that deferring prayers beyond their prescribed times without valid excuse constitutes negligence in religious duty.
The narration underscores the principle that prayer times are fixed and immutable, reflecting the perfection of divine wisdom in regulating the believer's daily life.