"A man came to the Prophet to ask him about the times for Salat. So he said: 'Stay with us, In sha Allah.' So he ordered Bilal to call the Iqamah when Fajr began, then he ordered him to call the Iqamah when the Sun passed the zenith, then he prayed Zuhr. Then he ordered him to call the Iqamah to pray Asr while the sun was elevated and white. Then he ordered him (to call the Iqamah for) Maghrib when the (top) edge of the sun had set. Then he ordered him to call the Iqamah for Isha when the horizon (twilight) had vanished. Then he ordered him in the morning (to give the call for Fajr prayer), when the light of Fajr glowed. Then he ordered (him to call the Iqamah for) Zuhr, so he waited well until it had cooled. Then he ordered (him to call the Iqamah for) Asr, so he calIed the Iqamah while the sun was later in its position than what it was (the day before). Then he ordered him to delay Maghrib until right before the twilight had disappeared. Then he ordered (him to call the Iqamah for) Isha, so he called the Iqamah when a third of the night had passed. Then he said: 'Where is the one who asked about he times for the Salat?' So the man said, 'It is I.' So he said: 'The times [or the Salat are what are between these two.'"
The Book on Salat (Prayer)
Jami' at-Tirmidhi - Hadith 152
Hadith Text
"A man came to the Prophet to ask him about the times for Salat. So he said: 'Stay with us, In sha Allah.' So he ordered Bilal to call the Iqamah when Fajr began, then he ordered him to call the Iqamah when the Sun passed the zenith, then he prayed Zuhr. Then he ordered him to call the Iqamah to pray Asr while the sun was elevated and white. Then he ordered him (to call the Iqamah for) Maghrib when the (top) edge of the sun had set. Then he ordered him to call the Iqamah for Isha when the horizon (twilight) had vanished. Then he ordered him in the morning (to give the call for Fajr prayer), when the light of Fajr glowed. Then he ordered (him to call the Iqamah for) Zuhr, so he waited well until it had cooled. Then he ordered (him to call the Iqamah for) Asr, so he calIed the Iqamah while the sun was later in its position than what it was (the day before). Then he ordered him to delay Maghrib until right before the twilight had disappeared. Then he ordered (him to call the Iqamah for) Isha, so he called the Iqamah when a third of the night had passed. Then he said: 'Where is the one who asked about he times for the Salat?' So the man said, 'It is I.' So he said: 'The times [or the Salat are what are between these two.'"
Scholarly Commentary
This hadith demonstrates the Prophet's practical teaching methodology. Rather than merely stating prayer times theoretically, he showed them through two days of observation, establishing both the beginning and optimal times for each prayer.
Fajr time begins with the true dawn (vertical light spread), not the false dawn (horizontal light). Zuhr begins when the sun passes its zenith and continues until the shadow of an object equals its length. The Prophet showed both early and delayed Zuhr prayer, with delayed being preferable in heat.
Asr time begins when the shadow equals the object's length and continues until the sun turns pale yellow. The Prophet demonstrated both early and late Asr, with late being recommended when not excessively delayed.
Maghrib begins immediately after sunset and continues until twilight disappears. Isha begins when twilight disappears and continues until midnight or until one-third of the night has passed.
The statement "between these two" refers to the earliest and latest permissible times for each prayer, establishing the flexible time range within which each prayer remains valid.
Legal Rulings
This hadith establishes the five daily prayer times as fundamental Islamic knowledge (farḍ al-kifāyah). Each prayer has a specific time window (waqt) during which it must be performed.
The wisdom behind varying prayer times includes accommodating different circumstances, testing commitment, and maintaining constant remembrance of Allah throughout the day and night.
Scholars derive from this that while prayers have specific times, there are preferred (mustaḥabb) times within those windows for optimal reward.