Al-Baqarah Verse 238

Observe the ˹five obligatory˺ prayers—especially the middle prayer[[ As mentioned in several authentic sayings of Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ), the middle prayer is the afternoon prayer, ’Aṣr.]]—and stand in true devotion to Allah.

Be mindful of the prayers, especially the middle prayer; and stand before Allah in complete devotion.

Be you watchful over the prayers, and the middle prayer; and do you stand obedient to God.

Take care to do your prayers, praying in the best way, and stand before God in devotion.

Guard the prayers, and the middle prayer, and stand up to Allah truly devout.

Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the Middle Prayer; and stand before Allah in a devout (frame of mind).

Take great care of your Prayers, especially of a Prayer that has excellent qualities of Salat and stand before Allah like devoted servants.

Be wakeful of your service of prayer, and the midmost service; and honour God by standing before Him in devotion.

Guard all your prayers, and the middle prayer; and stand with reverence before Allah.

Be watchful of your prayers, and [especially] the middle prayer, and stand in obedience to Allah;

Be ever mindful and protective of the prescribed Prayers, and the middle Prayer, and stand in the presence of God in utmost devotion and obedience.

Be watchful over the Prayers especially the middle (and most excellent) Prayer (which comes in the midst of rush of work and business), and do stand up before Allâh truly obedient (and in all humility).

Observe/guard on the prayers, and the prayers the middle, and stand/call to God obeying/worshipping humbly .

Guard all your prayers, and the middle prayer; and stand with reverence before Allah.

Observe prayers, especially the middle (afternoon) prayer, and stand you before Allah with full attention and devotion.

Guard strictly (five obligatory) As-Salawat (the prayers) especially the middle Salat (i.e. the best prayer - 'Asr). And stand before Allah with obedience [and do not speak to others during the Salat (prayers)].

Guard the prayers and the most excellent prayer, and stand up truly obedient to Allah.

Attend constantly to prayers and to the middle prayer and stand up truly obedient to Allah.

Be guardians of your prayers, and of the midmost prayer, and stand up with devotion to Allah.

Pay due attention to your prayers, especially the middle prayer and stand up while praying, in obedience to God.

And preserve the prayers and the middle prayer, and stand obedient to Allah.

Guard strictly (five obligatory) As-Salawat (the prayers) especially the Middle Salah. And stand before Allah with obedience.

Be ever mindful of prayers, especially the middle prayer; and stand up before God in submissive devotion.

Guard your prayers, and the middle prayer, and stand before God in devotion.

Maintain the, five, prayers, by performing them at their appointed times, and the middle prayer, either that of the afternoon, or the morning, or the midday, or another prayer (there are many opinions on this matter); God has singled it out for mention because of its merit; and stand, in prayer, submissive to God, li Lllhi qnitn; some have said that this means `obedience', on account of the Prophet (s) saying, `Wherever the [expression] qunt [`submission'], appears in the Qur'n, it denotes obedience', as reported by Ahmad [b. Hanbal] and others; it is also said to mean `in silence' [skitn], on the basis of a hadth of Zayd b. Arqam, in which he said, `We used to speak to each other sometimes during prayer, but when this was revealed, we were commanded to be silent and were forbidden to talk', as reported by the two Shaykhs [Bukhr and Muslim].

Allah says;

حَافِظُواْ عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ والصَّلَةِ الْوُسْطَى

Guard strictly (five obligatory) As-Salawat (the prayers) especially the Middle Salah. And stand before Allah with obedience.

Allah commands that the prayer should be performed properly and on time.

It is reported in the Two Sahihs that Ibn Mas`ud said,

"I asked the Prophet, `Which deed is the dearest (to Allah)?'

He replied;

الصَّلَةُ عَلى وَقْتِها

To offer the prayers at their fixed times.

I asked, `What is the next (in goodness)?'

He replied;

الْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِ الله

To participate in Jihad (religious fighting) in Allah's cause."

I again asked, `What is the next (in goodness)?'

He replied;

بِرُّ الْوَالِدَيْن

To be good and dutiful to your parents.

Abdullah then added,

"The Prophet told me these words, and had I asked more, the Prophet would have told me more."
The Middle Prayer

Furthermore, Allah has specifically mentioned the Middle prayer, which is the Asr prayer according to the majority of the scholars among the Companions, as At-Tirmidhi and Al-Baghawi have stated.

Al-Qadi Al-Mawardi added that the majority of the scholars of the Tabi`in also held this view.

Al-Hafiz Abu Umar bin Abdul-Barr said that this is also the opinion of the majority of the scholars of the Athar (i.e., the Hadith and the statements of the Salaf).

In addition, Abu Muhammad bin Atiyah said that this is the Tafsir (of the Middle prayer) of the majority of scholars.

Al-Hafiz Abu Muhammad Abdul-Mu'min bin Khalaf Ad-Dumyati stated in his book on the Middle prayer that;

it is the Asr prayer and mentioned that this is the Tafsir of Umar, Ali, Ibn Mas`ud, Abu Ayyub, Abdullah bin Amr, Samurah bin Jundub, Abu Hurayrah, Abu Sa`id, Hafsah, Umm Habibah, Umm Salamah, Ibn Abbas and Aishah.

This is also the Tafsir of Ubaydah, Ibrahim An-Nakhai, Razin, Zirr bin Hubaysh, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ibn Sirin, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Kalbi, Muqatil, Ubayd bin Abu Maryam, and others.
The Proof that the `Asr Prayer is the Middle Prayer

Imam Ahmad reported that Ali narrated that Allah's Messenger said during the battle of Al-Ahzab (the Confederates);

شَغَلُونَا عَنِ الصَّلَةِ الْوُسْطَى صَلَةِ الْعَصْرِ مَلََ اللهُ قُلُوبَهُم وَبُيُوتَهم نَارًا

They (the disbelievers) busied us from performing the Middle prayer, the Asr prayer, may Allah fill their hearts and houses with fire.)

He performed the Asr prayer between Maghrib and Isha.

Muslim and An-Nasa'i recorded this Hadith.

In addition, the Two Sheikhs, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi An-Nasa'i and several other collectors of the Sunan recorded this Hadith using different chains of narrators to Ali.

The Hadith about the battle of Al-Ahzab, when the Mushriks prevented Allah's Messenger and his Companions from performing the Asr prayer, has been narrated by several other Companions. We only mentioned the narrations that stated that the Middle prayer is the Asr prayer.

Furthermore, Muslim reported similar wordings for this Hadith from Ibn Mas`ud and Al-Bara bin Azib.

In addition, Imam Ahmad reported that Samurah bin Jundub said that Allah's Messenger said;

صَلَةُ الْوسْطَى صَلَةُ الْعَصْر

The Middle prayer is the Asr prayer.

In another narration, Allah's Messenger mentioned;

حَافِظُواْ عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ والصَّلَةِ الْوُسْطَى
(Guard strictly (five obligatory) As-Salawat (the prayers) especially the Middle Salah) and stated that it is the `Asr prayer.

In another narration, Allah's Messenger said;

هِيَ الْعَصْر

It is the Asr prayer.

and Ibn Jafar mentioned that the Prophet was then being asked about the Middle prayer.

At-Tirmidhi reported this Hadith and said, "Hasan, Sahih."

In addition, Abu Hatim bin Hibban reported in his Sahih that;

Abdullah said that Allah's Messenger said;

صَلَةُ الْوسْطَى صَلَةُ الْعَصْر

The Middle prayer is the Asr prayer.

At-Tirmidhi reported that Ibn Mas`ud narrated that Allah's Messenger said;

صَلَةُ الْوسْطَى صَلَةُ الْعَصْر

The Asr prayer is the Middle prayer.

At-Tirmidhi then stated that this Hadith is of a Hasan Sahih type.

Muslim reported the Hadith in his Sahih and his wordings are;

شَغَلُونَا عَنِ الصَّلَةِ الْوسْطَى صَلَةِ الْعَصْر

They (disbelievers) busied us from performing the Middle prayer, the Asr prayer.

These texts emphasize the fact (that the Asr prayer is the Middle prayer).

What further proves this fact is that, in an authentic Hadith, Allah's Messenger emphasized the necessity of preserving the Asr prayer, when he said, as Ibn Umar narrated;

مَنْ فَاتَتْهُ صَلَةُ الْعَصْرِ فَكَأَنَّمَا وُتِرَ أَهْلَهُ وَمَالَه

Whoever misses the Asr prayer will be like who has lost his family and money.

It is reported in the Sahih that Buraydah bin Al-Husayb said that the Prophet said;

بَكِّرُوا بِالصَّلَةِ فِي يَوْمِ الْغَيْمِ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ تَرَكَ صَلَةَ الْعَصْرِ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُه

On a cloudy day, perform the (Asr) prayer early, for whoever misses the Asr prayer, will have his (good) deeds annulled.
The Prohibition of speaking during the Prayer

Allah said;

وَقُومُواْ لِلّهِ قَانِتِينَ



And stand before Allah with obedience.

meaning, with humbleness and humility before Him (i.e., during the prayer).

This command indicates that it is not allowed to speak during the prayer, as speaking contradicts the nature of the prayer. This is why the Prophet refused to answer Ibn Mas`ud when he greeted him while he was praying and said afterwards;

إِنَّ فِي الصَّلَةِ لَشُغْلً

The prayer makes one sufficiently busy.

i.e., by the various actions of the body, tongue and heart involved during the prayer.

Muslim reported that the Prophet said to Muawiyah bin Hakam As-Sulami when he spoke during the prayer;

إِنَّ هذِهِ الصَّلَةَ لَا يَصْلُحُ فِيهَا شَيْءٌ مِنْ كَلَمِ النَّاسِ إنَّمَا هِي التَّسْبِيحُ وَالتَّكْبِيرُ وَذِكْرُ الله

The ordinary speech people indulge in is not appropriate during the prayer. The prayer involves only Tasbih (praising Allah), Takbir (saying Allahu Akbar, i.e., Allah is the Most Great) and remembering Allah.

Imam Ahmad reported that Zayd bin Arqam said,

"One used to address his friend about various affairs during the prayer. Then when this Ayah was revealed;
وَقُومُواْ لِلّهِ قَانِتِينَ
(And stand before Allah with obedience), we were ordered to refrain from speaking."

The Group (i.e., the Hadith collections), except Ibn Majah, reported this Hadith.
The Fear Prayer

Allah said;

فَإنْ خِفْتُمْ فَرِجَالاً أَوْ رُكْبَانًا فَإِذَا أَمِنتُمْ فَاذْكُرُواْ اللّهَ كَمَا عَلَّمَكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُواْ تَعْلَمُونَ