The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led us in the 'Asr prayer at (the place known as) Mukhammas, and then said: This prayer was presented to those gone before you, but they lost it, and he who guards it has two rewards in store for him. And no prayer is valid after till the onlooker appears (by onlooker is meant the evening star).
The Book of Prayer - Travellers
Sahih Muslim 830 a
Hadith Text
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led us in the 'Asr prayer at (the place known as) Mukhammas, and then said: This prayer was presented to those gone before you, but they lost it, and he who guards it has two rewards in store for him. And no prayer is valid after till the onlooker appears (by onlooker is meant the evening star).
Commentary on the Time of 'Asr
The Prophet (ﷺ) emphasizes the importance of performing the 'Asr prayer in its prescribed time. The phrase "no prayer is valid after till the onlooker appears" establishes the prohibition of offering 'Asr prayer after its time has expired, which begins with the appearance of the evening star (Venus) at sunset. This indicates the 'Asr time concludes at sunset, not before.
Spiritual Significance
The statement "this prayer was presented to those gone before you, but they lost it" refers to previous nations who neglected their prescribed prayers. The double reward mentioned for guarding the 'Asr prayer signifies both fulfilling the obligation and overcoming the negligence of earlier communities, demonstrating the ummah's superiority in maintaining divine commandments.
Legal Ruling
Scholars derive from this hadith that the time for 'Asr prayer begins when the sun declines from its zenith and ends at sunset. Deliberately delaying 'Asr until its time expires is prohibited, though one who misses it must make it up as qada. The "onlooker" (evening star) serves as a natural indicator for prayer times in absence of precise timekeeping.