Abū Muḥammad Ibn Ḥazm al-Ẓāhirī said in his book (1) al-Sīrah (2): “By Allah’s knowledge, had we been present on that occasion we would not have performed the ʿAṣr prayer anywhere but at Banū Qurayẓah, even if that meant delaying it for several days.” This statement conforms to his fundamental principle (3) of adhering strictly to the apparent wording of the texts.

Another group of scholars maintained the opposite: that those who prayed as soon as the time overtook them during the march were the ones in the right. They understood that the Prophet’s purpose was to hasten the march to Banū Qurayẓah, not to postpone the prayer itself. Acting on the proofs indicating the superiority (4) of performing the prayer at its earliest time—and grasping what the Lawgiver intended—they prayed, and for that reason the Prophet ﷺ neither reproached them nor ordered them to repeat the prayer at the time to which it had been deferred that day, as the first group claims. As for those who delayed the prayer, they are excused according to what they understood, and at most they would have been commanded (5) to make it up, which they did. On the view of those who permit delaying the prayer because of the exigencies of battle—as al-Bukhārī concluded, citing the previously mentioned report of Ibn ʿUmar—there is no problem with either the group that delayed or the group that prayed on time. Allah knows best.

Ibn Isḥāq then said (6): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ahead carrying his banner (7) [to Banū Qurayẓah], and the people hastened after it.

Mūsā ibn ʿUqbah relates in his Maghāzī (8), from al-Zuhrī: While the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was in his bath, as they report—and had combed one side of his hair—Gabriel came to him mounted on a mule, wearing his coat of mail. He halted at the door of the mosque, at the place where the biers are set. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out to him, and Gabriel said, “May Allah forgive you! Have you laid aside your arms?” He replied, “Yes.” Gabriel said, “But we have not laid them aside since the enemy descended upon you, and I have pursued them until Allah routed them.” They say that dust could still be seen on Gabriel’s face. Gabriel then said, “Allah has commanded you to fight Banū Qurayẓah. I am heading to them with those angels who are with me to shake their fortresses, so set out with the people.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ followed in Gabriel’s footsteps. He passed by the assembly of Banū Ghanm, who were awaiting him, and asked, “Has a rider just passed by you?” They answered, “Dihyah al-Kalbī passed us on a white horse, beneath him a brocade saddlecloth, and he was wearing a suit of mail.”