it is between Satan’s two horns, then he rises and pecks out four rak‘ahs, remembering Allah only a little.” Yet the Messenger considered him to have caught the prayer within its time. This is the time allowed in cases of necessity, as with someone who wakes from sleep, a menstruating woman whose period ends, an unbeliever who embraces Islam, or someone who regains sanity or consciousness. Anyone who could have prayed earlier, however, sins by delaying it until then and is among those who pray but are heedless of their prayers. Nevertheless, performing it at that time is better than letting it lapse, for letting it lapse is a major sin.

In the two Sahih collections, he is reported to have said:

“Whoever misses the prayer—the ‘Asr prayer—it is as though he has lost his family and his wealth.”

As for someone who prays before sunrise, he incurs no sin. If this applies to someone who has prayed one rak‘ah after sunset, then someone who has prayed one rak‘ah before sunrise, or has prayed it before any part of the sun has risen, is…

As for their statement, “That person performs the second rak‘ah after sunset, at a time when prayer is permitted, unlike the former, who performs the second at a prohibited time,” the reply is:

The discussion concerns both matters. Why do you permit him to pray ‘Asr at a prohibited time, even though the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him,