I heard it from so many Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and one among them is 'Umar b. Khattab, and he is most dear to me among them that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited observing of prayer after the dawn prayer till the sun rose and after the 'Asr till the sun set.
Hadith Text & Context
I heard it from so many Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and one among them is 'Umar b. Khattab, and he is most dear to me among them that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited observing of prayer after the dawn prayer till the sun rose and after the 'Asr till the sun set.
Reference: Sahih Muslim 826 a | Book: The Book of Prayer - Travellers | Author: Sahih Muslim
Prohibition Times Explained
The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade voluntary prayers during three specific times: after Fajr until sunrise, when the sun is at its zenith (midday), and after Asr until sunset. This prohibition preserves the sanctity of obligatory prayers and avoids resemblance to sun-worshippers.
These restrictions apply only to voluntary (nafl) prayers, not to missed obligatory prayers, funeral prayers, or prostration of recitation, which remain permissible during these times according to scholarly consensus.
Wisdom Behind the Prohibition
The wisdom includes preventing imitation of polytheists who worshipped the sun at its rising and setting, maintaining distinction between obligatory and supererogatory worship, and ensuring Muslims do not burden themselves excessively in worship.
Ibn Qudamah states in Al-Mughni: "The prohibition serves to protect the times of obligatory prayers from being confused with voluntary ones, and to prevent excessive worship that may lead to weariness in religious practice."
Scholarly Consensus
All four schools of Islamic jurisprudence agree upon the prohibition of voluntary prayers during these times. Imam Nawawi comments in Sharh Sahih Muslim: "This prohibition is established by numerous authentic narrations and represents the unanimous position of the Muslim community."
The exception for missed obligatory prayers (qada') is based on the principle that fulfilling obligations takes precedence over recommended acts, and making up missed prayers is itself an obligation.