The Timing of Salah (Prayer), the Beginning, the End and the Outstanding Phases

كُنْتُ قَاعِداً عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَنَا وَ حُمْرَانُ بْنُ أَعْيَنَ فَقَالَ لَهُ حُمْرَانُ مَا تَقُولُ فِيمَا يَقُولُ زُرَارَةُ وَ قَدْ خَالَفْتُهُ فِيهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَا هُوَ قَالَ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ مَوَاقِيتَ الصَّلَاةِ كَانَتْ مُفَوَّضَةً إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص هُوَ الَّذِي وَضَعَهَا فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَمَا تَقُولُ أَنْتَ قُلْتُ إِنَّ جَبْرَئِيلَ ع أَتَاهُ فِي الْيَوْمِ الْأ

“I once was sitting in the presence of abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), and Humran ibn ’A‘yan was also present. Humran asked him (the Imam), ‘What do you say about the words of Zurarah with which I do not agree?’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), asked, ‘What are they?’ Humran said, ‘Zurarah says that the time for Salah (prayer) was delega

إِنَّ مِنَ الْأَشْيَاءِ أَشْيَاءَ مُوَسَّعَةً وَ أَشْيَاءَ مُضَيَّقَةً فَالصَّلَاةُ[2] مِمَّا وُسِّعَ فِيهِ تُقَدَّمُ مَرَّةً وَ تُؤَخَّرُ أُخْرَى وَ الْجُمُعَةُ مِمَّا ضُيِّقَ فِيهَا فَإِنَّ وَقْتَهَا يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ سَاعَةُ تَزُولُ وَ وَقْتَ الْعَصْرِ فِيهَا وَقْتُ الظُّهْرِ فِي غَيْرِهَا.

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Of the things certain ones are of a longer timing and others are of shorter timing. Salah (prayer) is of longer timing. It can be performed earlier and later. Friday Salah (prayer) is of a short timing. On Friday its time is a Sa‘ah which then vanish. The time for al-‘Asr Salah (prayer) o

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ لِكُلِّ صَلَاةٍ وَقْتَانِ وَ أَوَّلُ الْوَقْتِ أَفْضَلُهُ وَ لَيْسَ لِأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ آخِرَ الْوَقْتَيْنِ وَقْتاً إِلَّا فِي عُذْرٍ مِنْ غَيْرِ عِلَّةٍ.

‘For every Salah (prayer) there are two kinds of timings; the beginning of time is the outstanding one, and no one has the right to call the end of two kinds of timings as a time, without good reason, and for no reason.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ لِكُلِّ صَلَاةٍ وَقْتَانِ أَوَّلُ الْوَقْتِ أَفْضَلُهُمَا.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘For every Salah (prayer) there are two kinds of timings and the outstanding one is the beginning of time.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ وَقْتُ كُلِّ صَلَاةٍ أَوَّلُ الْوَقْتِ أَفْضَلُ أَوْ أَوْسَطُهُ أَوْ آخِرُهُ فَقَالَ أَوَّلُهُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يُحِبُّ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ مَا يُعَجَّلُ.

“I once said to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), ‘I pray to Allah to keep you well, of the timing for Salah (prayer), what portion is better? Is it the beginning, the middle or the end of time?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is the beginning of it; the Messenger of Allah has said, “Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, loves of good things

إِنَّ فَضْلَ الْوَقْتِ الْأَوَّلِ عَلَى الْآخِرِ كَفَضْلِ الْآخِرَةِ عَلَى الدُّنْيَا.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The outstanding quality of the beginning of the time for Salah (prayer) is like the outstanding quality of the next life compared to the worldly life.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ لَفَضْلُ الْوَقْتِ الْأَوَّلِ عَلَى الْأَخِيرِ خَيْرٌ لِلرَّجُلِ مِنْ وَلَدِهِ وَ مَالِهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The outstanding quality of the beginning of time for Salah (prayer) compared with the end of time for Salah (prayer) is better for a man than his children and belongings.’”

قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع‌ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَ الْوَقْتِ أَبَداً أَفْضَلُ فَعَجِّلْ بِالْخَيْرِ مَا اسْتَطَعْتَ وَ أَحَبُ‌ الْأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَا دَاوَمَ الْعَبْدُ عَلَيْهِ وَ إِنْ قَلَّ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘You must note that the beginning of time always is better, so act faster for the good as much as you can. The most beloved of deeds in the sight of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, is that which a servant continues even if it is very little.’”

قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ص‌ مَنِ اهْتَمَّ بِمَوَاقِيتِ الصَّلَاةِ لَمْ يَسْتَكْمِلْ لَذَّةَ الدُّنْيَا.

The one who is attentive with the timings of the prayer, would never indulge into the pleasures of the world.'