Firstly, the term “middle prayer” is mentioned in both the Quran and the Sunnah. Allah says in the Quran: “Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the Middle Prayer, and stand before Allah in a devout (frame of mind).” [Al-Baqarah, 2:238]. It is also mentioned in the authentic Hadith, as narrated by Muslim and others, that during the Battle of the Trench, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “They distracted us from the middle prayer, the Asr prayer.”
Secondly, scholars have differed in defining the essence of the middle prayer, and among their opinions are:
1- That it is the Fajr prayer: This is what is narrated from Imam Malik, Imam Shafi’i, and others, and they used as evidence what is narrated from Ibn Abbas that he prayed the morning prayer in the mosque of Basra, and he made qunut before Ruku and said: “This is the middle prayer that Allah mentioned in His book,” and he recited the verse: “Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the Middle Prayer, and stand before Allah in a devout (qunut) (frame of mind).” [Al-Baqarah, 2:238]. Imam Ibn Kathir said in his interpretation: Ibn Abi Hatim narrated it from Ibn Umar, Abu Umamah, Anas, Abu Al-Aliyah, Ubayd bin Umair, Ata, Mujahid, Jabir bin Zaid, Ikrimah, and Al-Rabi’ bin Anas. Ibn Jarir narrated it from Abdullah bin Shaddad bin Al-Had also, and it is the one that Al-Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, used as evidence by saying: “And stand before Allah in a devout (qunut) (frame of mind),” and the Qunut for him is in the Fajr prayer. Al-Dimyati transmitted it from Umar, Mu’adh, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar, and Aisha, in a disagreement among them, as well as from Abu Musa, Jabir, Anas, Abu Al-Sha’tha’, Tawus, Ata, Ikrimah, and Mujahid.
Similarly, Imam Ibn Jarir Al-Tabari narrated several narrations in his interpretation from Ibn Abbas and collected from the companions that it is the Fajr prayer.
2- That it is the Dhuhr prayer: Supporters of this opinion used as evidence what Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawud narrated from Zaid bin Thabit that he said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to pray Dhuhr at Al-Hijr ( high temperature) , and no prayer was more severe on the Prophet’s companions than this, so the verse was revealed: “Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the Middle Prayer, and stand before Allah in a devout (frame of mind).” And he (Zaid bin Thabit) also said: “Before it (the Dhuhr prayer) are two prayers, and after it are two prayers.” Likewise, Al-Tayalisi narrated with his chain of transmission that they asked Usama bin Zaid about the middle prayer, and he said: “It is the Dhuhr prayer; the Prophet used to pray it at Al-Hijr.” In a narration from Imam Ahmad, Usama said: “It (the middle prayer) is Dhuhr. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to pray Dhuhr at Al-Hijr, and there would be nothing behind him but a row or two, while the people were engaged in their speech and trade. So Allah revealed: “Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the Middle Prayer, and stand before Allah in a devout (frame of mind).” [Quran 2:238]. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Men will either stop neglecting it (the middle prayer) or Allah will burn their houses down.”
3- It is said that it is the Asr prayer. Al-Tirmidhi and Al-Baghawi, may Allah have mercy on them, said: “This is the opinion of most of the scholars among the Companions and others.” Al-Qadi Al-Mawardi said: “This is the opinion of the majority of the Tabi’in.” Abu Umar Ibn Abdul Barr said: “This is the opinion of most of the Ahl al-Athar.” Abu Muhammad Ibn Atiyyah said in his interpretation: “This is the opinion of the majority of the people.” Al-Hafiz Abu Muhammad Abdul Mu’min Ibn Khallaf Al-Dimyati said in his book titled “Kashf Al-Mughatta fi Tabayyun Al-Salat Al-Wusta”: He supported that it is the Asr prayer, and he narrated it from Umar, Ali, Ibn Masud, Abu Ayyub, Abdullah bin Amr, Samurah bin Jundub, Abu Hurairah, Abu Sa’eed, Hafsah, Umm Habibah, and Umm Salamah. And it is narrated as authentic from Ibn Umar, Ibn Abbas, and Aisha. And Ubaidah, Ibrahim Al-Nakha’i, Zur bin Hubaysh, Sa’id bin Jubayr, Ibn Sirin, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Al-Dahhak, Al-Kalbi, Muqatil, Ubaid bin Abi Maryam, and others followed this opinion, and it is the Madhab (school of law) of Ahmad bin Hanbal. Al-Qadi Al-Mawardi said: “And Al-Shafi’i.” Ibn Manzur said: “This is the correct opinion of Abu Hanifa, Abu Yusuf, and Muhammad, and Ibn Habib Al-Maliki chose it, may Allah have mercy on them.” And they used as evidence:
What was narrated by the two Sheikhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim), and the authors of the Sunan (Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhi, Al-Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah), and Imam Ahmad through multiple chains of transmission, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said on the day of Al-Ahzab: “They have kept us from the middle prayer, the Asr prayer. May Allah fill their hearts and homes with fire.” Then he (peace be upon him) prayed it between Maghrib and Isha, which supports their opinion.
Likewise, what was narrated by Ahmad with its chain of transmission from Samurah, that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “The middle prayer is the Asr prayer.” Similarly, the hadith that was narrated by Ahmad and Muslim with their chains of transmission from Abu Yunus, the freed slave of Aisha, who said: “Aisha ordered me to write a copy of the Quran for her. She said: ‘Whenever you reach this verse: “Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the Middle Prayer” , inform me.’ When I reached it, I informed her, and she dictated to me: ‘Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the Middle Prayer, and the Asr prayer, and stand before Allah in a devout (frame of mind).’ She said: ‘I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).’ And the addition here is for the purpose of explanation (tafsir).
4- That it is the Maghrib prayer: Ibn Abi Hatim narrated this opinion from Ibn Abbas. And Ibn Jarir reported this opinion from Qubaysah bin Dhuayb, and it was also narrated from Qatadah with a different view. Ibn Kathir said in his interpretation: “Some of them said that the reason for this opinion is that it is in the middle of the numbers between four and two, and that it is the obligatory Witr prayer, and also because of the virtues mentioned in it.”
5- That it is the Isha prayer: Al-Wahidi chose this opinion in his interpretation.
6- It is said that it is not specified and that it is one of the five daily prayers and is ambiguous among them, just as the Night of Decree is ambiguous in terms of being in the lunar year, month of Ramadan or nights of the last ten days of Ramadan. This opinion is attributed to Sa’id bin Al-Musayyib, Shurayh Al-Qadi, Nafi’ the freed slave of Ibn Umar, Al-Rabi’ bin Khuthaym, and it is also narrated from Zaid bin Thabit. Imam Al-Haramayn Al-Juwayni chose this opinion at the end of his book.
Al-Fakhr Al-Razi justified this by saying: “And the purpose of considering it ambiguous is to be prepared at all times, just as the Night of Decree in Ramadan, the hour of acceptance of prayers on Friday, the Greatest Name of Allah, the time of death for accountable individuals are all ambiguous. Also, the night on which the plague descends from the sky is ambiguous, and people are always cautious of it and are ready. Similarly, Allah has reserved the knowledge of the Hour, which will come suddenly without warning.
7- It is also said that it is:
– The Friday prayer
– The Witr prayer
– The congregational prayer
What we consider to be the most likely opinion is what the Hanafi scholars and others among the majority of Imams have concluded, that it is the Asr prayer. This is based on the evidence that states that Asr is the middle prayer, and also what is mentioned in the reminder to perform the Asr prayer.
And among the evidence for this opinion is what is mentioned in the authentic hadith, narrated by Al-Zuhri from Salim, from his father, that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever misses the Asr prayer, it is as if he has lost his family and property”. And in another authentic hadith, narrated by Buraidah bin Al-Hasib, from the Prophet (peace be upon him) who said: “Hasten to observe the prayer in the cloudy day, for the neglect of the Asr prayer nullifies one’s deeds”.
Even though what Al-Fakhr Al-Razi (may Allah have mercy on him) concluded, which is that it is ambiguous and not specified, may also be a valid aspect.
And Allah knows best.
Fatwa by Dr. Khālid Naṣr