the entry of their time, and that he should not pray while in doubt. Abū Ṭālib has transmitted a statement that points to this; he said: On a cloudy day, one delays the Zhuhr until he does not doubt that it has arrived, and he hastens the ʿAṣr, and he delays the Maghrib until he knows that it is the darkness of the night, and he hastens the ʿIshāʾ.

Section: As for the ʿAṣr, hastening it is recommended in every case. This is narrated from ʿUmar, Ibn Masʿūd, ʿĀʾishah, Anas, Ibn al-Mubārak, the people of Medina, al-Awzāʿī, al-Shāfiʿī, and Isḥāq. It is narrated from Abū Qilābah and Ibn Shubrumah that they both said: The ʿAṣr was only named 'ʿAṣr' so that it might be pressed (tuʿṣar), meaning that delaying it is better. The scholars of opinion (aṣḥāb al-raʾy) said: The best is to perform it at the end of its preferred time, because of what Rāfiʿ ibn Khadīj narrated, that the Prophet, peace and blessings of God be upon him, used to command the delaying of the ʿAṣr. And from ʿAlī ibn Shaybān, who said: We came to the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him, and he used to delay the ʿAṣr as long as it was white and clear. Reported by Abū Dāwūd. And because it is the last of the two combined prayers, it is recommended to delay it, like the ʿIshāʾ prayer. Our evidence is what we mentioned from the hadith of Abū Barzah, and Rāfiʿ ibn Khadīj said: We used to pray the ʿAṣr prayer with the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him, then a camel would be slaughtered, divided into ten parts, then cooked, and eaten as well-cooked meat