Dhuhr and `Asr Prayers (Ahadith 725-729)

Salam,
Bismillah.

Volume 1, Book 12, Number 725:

Narrated Jabir bin Samura:

Sa’d said, “I used to pray with them a prayer similar to that of Allah’s Apostle (the prayer of Zuhr and ‘Asr) reducing nothing from them. I used to prolong the first two Rakat and shorten the last two Rak’at.” ‘Umar said to Sa’d “This was what we thought about you.”

Volume 1, Book 12, Number 726:

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Abi Qatada:

My father said, “The Prophet in Zuhr prayers used to recite Al-Fatiha along with two other Suras in the first two Rakat: a long one in the first Rak’a and a shorter (Sura) in the second, and at times the verses were audible. In the ‘Asr prayer the Prophet used to recite Al-Fatiha and two more Suras in the first two Rakat and used to prolong the first Rak’a. And he used to prolong the first Rak’a of the Fajr prayer and shorten the second.

Volume 1, Book 12, Number 727:

Narrated Abu Ma’mar:

I asked Khabbab whether the Prophet used to recite the Qur’an in the Zuhr and the ‘Asr prayers. He replied in the affirmative. We said, “How did you come to know that?” He said, “From the movement of his beard.”

Volume 1, Book 12, Number 728:

Narrated Abu Ma’mar:

I asked Khabbab bin Al-Art whether the Prophet used to recite the Qur’an in the Zuhr and the ‘Asr prayers. He replied in the affirmative. I said, “How did you come to know that?” He replied, “From the movement of his beard.”

Volume 1, Book 12, Number 729:

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Abi Qatada:

My father said, “The Prophet used to recite Al-Fatiha along with another Sura in the first two Rakat of the Zuhr and the ‘Asr prayers and at times a verse or so was audible to us.”

• First rak`ah of prayer is the longest, second is shorter, third and fourth are even shorter.
• In sirri prayers, a part of Qur’an has to be recited after al-Fatihah  in the first two rak`aat.
• While reciting ‘silently’, a verse or two can be recited out aloud (not too loud, just a bit louder than otherwise, so the person next to you can hear). It keeps you awake and focused in the prayers as well.
• Be good observers and listeners. Leave something good and authentic for generations to come after you, like the Sahaba did. If Ibn `Abbas and Ibn `Umar (and others) didn’t notice each and every thing about the Prophet (SAW), we might have been having problems following the Sunnah with confidence today. We might have not been sure which finger to use while doing the mash of ears during wudu. True story.

Wassalam.