This chapter singles out two of the daily prayers, Fajr at dawn and 'Asr in the afternoon, and gathers the rewards the Prophet attached to guarding them. They fall at busy, easily missed times, and so holding to them carries special weight.
Across these reports you will see promises of Paradise, safety from the Fire, and Allah's own protection for the one who keeps these prayers. Angels are described gathering at these very hours, making Fajr and 'Asr quiet markers of where a believer's heart truly is.
Hadith 1047
Abu Musa (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Abu Zuhair 'Umarah Ruwaibah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي زهير عمارة بن رؤيبة رضي الله عنه قال، سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "لن يلج النار أحد صلى قبل طلوع الشمس وقبل غروبها" (11) ((رواه مسلم)).
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: "He who performs Salat (prayers) before the rising of the sun and before its setting, will not enter the Hell." [Muslim].
In plain words
The one who prays before sunrise and before sunset, meaning Fajr and 'Asr, is promised safety from the Fire.
Jundub bin Sufyan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن جندب بن سفيان رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "من صلى الصبح فهو في ذمة الله فانظر يابن آدم، لا يطلبنك الله من ذمته بشيء" . ((رواه مسلم)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who offers the dawn (Fajr) prayers will come under the Protection of Allah. O son of Adam! Beware, lest Allah should call you to account in any respect from (for withdrawing) His Protection." [Muslim].
In plain words
Whoever prays the dawn prayer is under Allah's protection, so the hadith warns against doing anything that would forfeit that care.
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "يتعاقبون فيكم ملائكة بالليل، وملائكة بالنهار، ويجتمعون في صلاة الصبح وصلاة العصر، ثم يعرج الذين باتوا فيكم، فيسألهم الله -وهو أعلم بهم-: كيف تركتم عبادي؟ فيقولون تركناهم وهم يصلون، وأتيناهم وهم يصلون" ((متفق عليه)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "There are angels who take turns in visiting you by night and by day, and they all assemble at the dawn (Fajr) and the afternoon ('Asr) prayers. Those who have spent the night with you, ascend to the heaven and their Rubb, Who knows better about them, asks: 'In what condition did you leave My slaves?' They reply: 'We left them while they were performing Salat and we went to them while they were performing Salat."' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Angels take turns watching over people and gather at Fajr and 'Asr, then report back to Allah that they found His servants in prayer, honouring those present at these times.
Jarir bin 'Abdullah Al-Bajali (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
- وعن جرير بن عبد الله البجلي رضي الله عنه قال: كنا عند النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فنظر إلى القمر ليلة البدر فقال: "إنكم سترون ربكم كما ترون هذا القمر، لاتضامون في رؤيته، فإن استطعتم أن لا تغلبو على صلاة قبل طلوع الشمس، وقبل غروبها فافعلوا" ((متفق عليه)). ((وفي رواية: "فنظر إلى القمر ليلة أربع عشرة")).
We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he looked at the full moon and observed, "You will see your Rubb in the Hereafter as you see this moon having no difficulty in seeing it. So try your best to perform the prayers before the rising of the sun and that before its setting." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Just as the full moon is seen clearly, the believers will see their Lord in the Hereafter, so strive to keep the prayers before sunrise and before sunset.