"Sayyar bin Salamah, narrated to us, he said: 'I heard my father ask Abu Barzah about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' I said: 'Did you really hear him?' He said: 'As I can hear you now.' He said: 'I heard my father ask about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' He said: 'He would not mind if he delayed it - meaning 'Isha' until midnight, and he did not like to sleep before it or speak after it.'" Shu'bah said: "Then I met him later on and asked him. He said: 'He used to pray Zauhr when the sun had passed its zenith, and (he would pray) 'Asr and a man could walk to the farthest point in Al-Madinah and the sun would still be clear and hot. And Maghrib, I do not know the time he mentioned.' After that I met him and asked him, and he said: 'He used to pray Fajr then after the prayer a man could regarding it, sitting next to him, look at the face of someone he knew and he could recognize it.' He said: 'And he used to recite in it between sixty and one hundred (verses).'"
The Book of the Times (of Prayer) - Sunan an-Nasa'i 495
This narration from Abu Barzah al-Aslami provides profound insight into the prayer timings and practices of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), demonstrating both the flexibility and spiritual gravity of Islamic worship.
The 'Isha' Prayer: Midnight Boundary
The Prophet would delay 'Isha' until midnight without concern, indicating the permissible timeframe extends until this point. This reflects the Shariah's consideration for people's circumstances while maintaining the prayer's obligation.
His dislike for sleeping before 'Isha' teaches us to prioritize this obligation over worldly rest. His avoidance of speech after it shows the importance of preserving the prayer's spiritual atmosphere and preparing for rest with remembrance of Allah.
Zhuhr and 'Asr Timings
Zhuhr was prayed immediately after the sun passed its zenith, demonstrating the preference for praying at the beginning of its time. The description of 'Asr timing - where one could walk to Medina's farthest point with the sun still clear and hot - indicates the early 'Asr period, preserving the golden mean between haste and delay.
Fajr Prayer: Recognition and Recitation
The Fajr prayer was performed during true dawn when there was sufficient light to recognize faces, confirming it was the proper time rather than the false dawn. The recitation of 60-100 verses shows the considerable length of Fajr prayer, emphasizing its importance and the tranquility it brings to the start of the day.
Scholarly Observations
This hadith demonstrates the meticulous transmission chain and verification process, as seen when Shu'bah met the narrator later for confirmation. The variations in Maghrib timing recollection show the human element in narration while preserving the essential rulings.
The overall teaching emphasizes praying each prayer in its preferred time while allowing necessary flexibility, maintaining the balance between strict adherence and practical consideration that characterizes the Prophetic way.