Asr prayer

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Asr prayer
Afternoon sun
Official name	صلاة العصر، الصلاة الوسطى، صلاة العشي، صلاة الآصال
Also called	Afternoon prayer
Observed by	Muslims
Type	Islamic
Significance	A Muslim prayer offered to Allah at the afternoon hour of the day.
Observances	Fard
Begins	Afternoon
Ends	Sunset
Frequency	Daily
Related to	Salah, Wazifa, Five Pillars of Islam

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The Asr prayer (Arabic: صلاة العصر ṣalāt al-ʿaṣr, "afternoon prayer") is one of the mandatory five daily Islamic prayers.

The Asr prayer consists of four obligatory cycles, rakat. An additional four rakat sunna prayer is recommended to be performed before the obligatory prayer.^[1] As with Zuhr prayer, if it is performed in congregation, the imam is silent except when announcing the takbir,^[2] i'tidal,^[3] and taslim.^[4]

The period of Asr prayer begins approximately when the sun is halfway down from noon to sunset (various schools of thought of Islam differ on the starting point; some say that it begins when the shadow of an object equals its actual length plus its shadow during noon, others say that the actual length must be doubled).^{[citation needed]} Asr prayer ends at sunset.

The middle prayer mentioned in the Quran 2:238, is interpreted by Islamic scholars as being either the Asr prayer or the Fajr prayer. Muslims are commanded to protect the middle prayer, meaning that it should be performed at all costs.^[5]

The five daily prayers collectively are one pillar of the Five Pillars of Islam in Sunni Islam, and one of the ten Practices of the Religion (Furū al-Dīn) according to Shia Islam.

Al-Asr is also the title of the 103rd sura of the Qur’ān.^[6]

The Asr prayer consist of four obligatory rakats, along with two or four sunnah rakats preceding it. Although, according to some madh'habs, it may be reduced to two rakaʿāts when travelling.^[7]

According to the Ja'fari and Zaydi schools of thought the time period within which the Asr prayer must be recited is the following:

• Time begins: once the Dhuhr prayer (mid-day daily prayer) has been recited.^[8]
• Time ends: at the beginning of the setting of the Sun.

However, it is very important to recite the prayer as soon as the time begins. Letter 52 of Nahj al-Balagha contains instruction of Ali to his governors on the timings of salat, "The Asr prayers can be performed till the sun is still bright and enough time of the day is left for a person to cover a distance of six miles."

The time period within which the Asr prayer must be recited is the following:

• Time begins: The Sunni schools differ on when the time begins. The Maliki, Shafi`i, and Hanbali schools say it is at the time when the length of any object's shadow equals the length of the object itself plus the length of that object's shadow at noon. The dominant opinion in the Hanafi school says it begins when the length of any object's shadow is twice the length of the object plus the length of that object's shadow at noon.^[9]
• Time ends: Once the sun has completely set below the horizon. However, it is frowned upon (and sinful in the Maliki school) to delay the prayer without a legitimate excuse to the point of the day in which the sun turns a pale red or orange color as it begins to set, though it would still be considered to have been prayed on time.

The Islamic prophet Muhammad said, "He who observes Al-Bardayn (i.e., Fajr and ‘Asr prayers) will enter Jannah."^[10]

In another hadith: Muhammad said 'He who misses his Asr Salat (i.e. performs it after its specified time) is as if he had lost his wife, children and all his wealth.’ (Sahih Muslim)

• Dhikr
• Tasbih
• Mincha
• Other salah:
  • Fajr prayer (Morning)
  • Zuhr prayer (Mid-noon)
  • Maghrib prayer (Sunset)
  • Isha prayer (Night)