Asr: Quran and Hadith

References from the Quran and hadith, with the Sunni view (Hanafi, Shafi‘i, Maliki, Hanbali) and the Shia view (Jafari) side by side.

Timing of Asr

Abu Dawud 393, Tirmidhi 149 Jibril led Asr when a shadow equalled its object. The Shafi‘i, Maliki and Hanbali schools start Asr then.
Sahih al-Bukhari 557 The time from Asr to sunset is the shortest part of the day. From this Abu Hanifa held that Asr starts when a shadow is twice its object.
Sahih Muslim 612 The time of Asr lasts until the sun turns yellow.
Sahih al-Bukhari 550 The Prophet ﷺ prayed Asr while the sun was still high and bright.
Sahih Muslim 622 Delaying Asr until the sun turns yellow is the prayer of the hypocrite.

Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih, vol. 1, chapter on prayer times, hadith 2 Imam al-Sadiq: the time of Dhuhr and Asr begins together at midday, Dhuhr before Asr, and lasts until sunset.
Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih, vol. 1, chapter on prayer times, hadith 4 The preferred time of Asr is when the shadow has grown two feet more after the time of Dhuhr.
Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih, vol. 1, chapter on prayer times, hadith 9 Imam al-Baqir: pray Asr while the sun is still white and clear.

Quran 2:238, Sahih Muslim 627 Guard the prayers, and the middle prayer. The Prophet ﷺ called the middle prayer the Asr prayer.
Sahih al-Bukhari 574, Sahih Muslim 635 Whoever prays the two cool prayers (Fajr and Asr) will enter Paradise.
Sahih al-Bukhari 552, Sahih Muslim 626 Whoever misses the Asr prayer, it is as if he has lost his family and his wealth.
Sahih al-Bukhari 553 Whoever leaves the Asr prayer, his deeds are lost.

Quran 2:238 Guard the prayers, and the middle prayer.
Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih, vol. 1, chapter on prayer times, hadith 9 Imam al-Baqir warned that whoever neglects Asr is deprived of good in Paradise.

4 fard rak‘ahs; 4 sunnah before are recommended but not stressed.
Abu Dawud 1271, Tirmidhi 430 May Allah have mercy on one who prays four rak‘ahs before Asr.
Sahih al-Bukhari 350, Sahih Muslim 685 Prayer was first prescribed as two rak‘ahs; it stayed so when travelling, which is why travellers pray Asr as 2.

4 obligatory rak‘ahs, with 8 nafilah rak‘ahs before them.
Wasa’il al-Shi‘a, vol. 4, p. 46 The daily prayers are 51 rak‘ahs, 17 obligatory and 34 nafilah.
Quran 4:101 When travelling there is no blame in shortening the prayer, so Asr becomes 2.

Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com. Jafari sources are named by book, volume and chapter.

Last updated: Tuesday, 6 October 2026