I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: He who observes prayer before the rising of the sun and its setting, i.e. the dawn prayer and the afternoon prayer, would not enter the (Hell) fire. A person belonging to Basra said to him: Did you yourself hear it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? He said: Yes. The person (from Basra) said: I bear witness that I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ); my ears heard it and my heart retained it.
Hadith Commentary: The Excellence of Dawn and Afternoon Prayers
This narration from Sahih Muslim 634 a, found in "The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer," carries profound spiritual significance regarding the merit of two specific prayers: Fajr (dawn) and 'Asr (afternoon).
The Two Protected Prayers
The Prophet (ﷺ) specifically mentions "the prayer before sunrise" (Fajr) and "the prayer before sunset" ('Asr) because these are the two prayers that occur during times of transition - from night to day and day to night. Scholars explain that safeguarding these prayers demonstrates consistent devotion, as they require extra effort when people are either resting or engaged in worldly activities.
Imam An-Nawawi comments that the guarantee against Hellfire is for those who consistently perform these prayers at their proper times with the necessary conditions of purity, direction, and devotion, not merely occasional observance.
Spiritual Protection Through Prayer
The tremendous reward mentioned - protection from Hellfire - indicates the elevated status of these two prayers. Classical scholars note that Fajr prayer is witnessed by angels, while 'Asr prayer is described in other narrations as "the middle prayer" whose observance Allah particularly emphasizes.
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali explains that these two prayers serve as spiritual bookends to the day, protecting the believer from heedlessness and maintaining their connection with Allah throughout their daily activities.
Chain of Transmission Verification
The exchange between the narrator and the Basran man demonstrates the meticulous care the Companions took in verifying Prophetic traditions. The Basran's insistence on direct hearing and the narrator's emphatic confirmation ("my ears heard it and my heart retained it") reflects the rigorous standards of hadith transmission that ensure authenticity.
This verification process is characteristic of Sahih Muslim, where multiple chains of transmission are often provided to establish a narration's authenticity beyond doubt.