two rak'ahs. Mujahid said: that is, an obligatory duty whose time Allah has appointed for them.

The times of the Prayer have been explained in hadith. Ahmad ibn Abd Allah al-Salihi informed us: Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn al-Hasan al-Hayri informed us; Hajib ibn Ahmad al-Tusi informed us; Abu Bakr Abd Allah ibn Hashim informed us; Waki' narrated to us; Sufyan informed us, from Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Harith, from Ayyash ibn Abi Rabi'ah al-Zuraqi, from Hakim ibn Hakim, from Abbad ibn Hunayf, from Nafi' ibn Jubayr ibn Mut'im, from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Gabriel led me in prayer at the Sacred House on two occasions. He led me in the Maghrib Prayer when the fasting person breaks his fast; he led me in the Isha Prayer when the twilight had disappeared; and he led me in the Fajr Prayer when food and drink become forbidden to the fasting person. On the following day, he led me in the Dhuhr Prayer when the shadow of everything was equal to its length; he led me in the Asr Prayer when the shadow of everything was twice its length; he led me in the Maghrib Prayer when the fasting person breaks his fast; he led me in the Isha Prayer during the first third of the night; and he led me in the Fajr Prayer when daylight had spread. Then he turned to me and said, ‘O Muhammad, these are the times of the prophets before you. The time is what lies between these two times.’” (1)

Ahmad ibn Abd Allah al-Salihi informed us: Abu Bakr ibn al-Hasan al-Hiri informed us; Waki' informed us; Hajib ibn Ahmad informed us; Abd Allah ibn Hisham narrated to us; Waki' narrated to us; Badr ibn Uthman narrated to us; Abu Bakr ibn Abi Musa al-Ash'ari narrated to us, from his father, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: A man came to him and asked him about the times of the Prayer. He did not answer him at all. Then he instructed Bilal to give the call to prayer, and then instructed him to commence the Prayer when dawn broke, and he prayed. He then instructed him to commence the Dhuhr Prayer, while someone remarked, “The sun has passed its zenith—or perhaps it has not,” though he knew better than they did. He then instructed him to commence the Asr Prayer while the sun was high, bright, and clear. He then instructed him to commence the Maghrib Prayer when the sun had set. He then instructed him to commence the Isha Prayer when the twilight had disappeared.

He said: The next day, he prayed the Fajr Prayer while someone remarked, “The sun has risen—or perhaps it has not.” He prayed the Dhuhr Prayer close to the time at which he had prayed Asr the previous day. He prayed the Asr Prayer while someone remarked, “The sun has turned red.” He prayed the Maghrib Prayer before the red twilight had disappeared, and he prayed the Isha Prayer during the first third of the night. Then he said, “Where is the one who asked about the time?” The man said, “I am here, O Messenger of Allah.” He said, “The time lies between these two times.” (2)

“And do not weaken in pursuit of the enemy. If you are suffering, then they too are suffering as you are suffering; but you hope from Allah that which they do not hope for. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (104)”

His statement, Exalted is He: “And do not weaken in pursuit of the enemy,” to the end of the verse. The reason for its revelation was that, when Abu Sufyan and his companions returned on the day of