zuhar and asar prayer

[Warda]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

"A'udhu bilLahi min ash-Shaytan ir-Rajim"

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

ASALATU WASALAMU ALAYKA YA RASULLALLAH Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam

ALLAHAHUMMA SALLE ALA SAYEDENA MUHAMMADIN WA ALA ALEHE WA ASAHABHE WASALLEM


I have read that Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him , sometimes offer zuhar and asar prayer together.

Can we do this?
If yes, at what time we should offer this prayer(between zuhar and asar or at the time of asar)

jazakallaha

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


All Praise be to Allah who is the Lord of the Worlds, and may Endless Blessings be showered upon His Most Beloved, and Final Messenger of Islam, Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam


Jazak'allah for your question. Although it has appeared that the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam had prayed the Zuhar and Asr salah together, it was due to unforeseen circumstances such as war. Therefore this should not make it permissible for a person to pray or combine their Zuhar and Asr salah just because they feel like it. One should take precaution in performing his/her salah on time. The Qur'an al kareem states :

''Indeed prayer has been made obligatory at fixed times for the muslims.'' [Surah an-Nisa 4 : 103]

The above verse of the Qur'an clearly states that every prayer has its appointed time, and it is within the appointed times that the prayers must be performed. Because the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam had performed Zuhar and Asr prayers together, it does not set a precedent to us to neglect the appointed times and then perform these salah together. But in the time of extreme hardship or unforseen or extenuating circumstances, whereby the Zuhar prayer cannot be performed at the prescribed time, then to pray it at any other time, or with Asr prayer, is the permissibility the said hadith gives rise to.



Wallahu A'lamu Biththawaab


M. Waseem Ashrafi