This is established by the hadith of Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, recorded in the two Sahihs and elsewhere, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, “forbade prayer after Fajr until the sun rises, and after ‘Asr until the sun sets.” (1) What is meant by his statement, “until it sets,” is: until it begins to set.

“And when it begins to set until it is complete …”

His statement, “And when it begins to set until it is complete,” means: when it begins its setting until it has fully set. This is the fifth period. That is, when the sun’s disc draws near to setting, it appears clearly visible, large, and broad; then, once its first part begins to disappear, the prohibited time begins and continues until the sun has completely set. This is due to the statement in the hadith of ‘Uqbah: “when the sun inclines toward setting until it sets.”

However, what appears to be meant by “inclines” is that it leans toward setting. This inclination should be understood as equivalent to its height at sunrise—that is, the height of a spear. Thus, when there remains until sunset the height of a spear, the prohibited time mentioned in the hadith of ‘Uqbah begins. But it is authentically established in the Sahih from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “When the sun’s upper rim disappears, delay the prayer until it has set.” (2)

Thus, in detail, these are five periods.

In summary, however, they are three:

From Fajr until the sun has risen to the height of a spear; when it stands at the zenith; and from the ‘Asr prayer until the sun has completely set.