The prayer times are as follows:

1. Zuhr (the noon prayer). Its time begins at the sun’s decline (zawāl), meaning its inclination westward from the meridian. This is the dulūk mentioned in the verse, “Establish the prayer at the decline of the sun” (Q 17:78). One recognizes zawāl when a shadow reappears on the eastern side after having vanished from the western side. Zuhr lasts until an object’s shadow equals its own length, and then it ends, for the Prophet said, “The time of Zuhr is from the sun’s decline until a man’s shadow is equal to his height,” reported by Muslim. It is recommended to perform the prayer at the very start of this period, except during intense heat, when it is preferable to postpone it until the temperature eases, because he said, “When the heat becomes severe, cool the prayer by delaying it, for the extreme heat is a breath from Hell.”

2. ʿAṣr (the afternoon prayer). Its time begins immediately after Zuhr ends—that is, when every object’s shadow equals its length—and, according to the sounder of the two scholarly views, continues until the sun turns yellow. Offering it at the beginning of its time is sunnah. This is the “middle prayer” singled out by Allah for special merit: “Guard strictly the prayers, and the middle prayer” (Q 2:238). The hadiths establish that the prayer intended is ʿAṣr.