A Day in the Life of Prophet Muhammad(SAW)

Asr: Mid-Afternoon

When the adhan for Asr prayer was called, the Prophet would

wait until the people have gath ered. He encouraged people to

voluntarily pray four rak 'ahs before the obligatory prayer. He used

to say: "May God bestow His mercy on the one who prays four

rak 'ahs before Asr." When the people had gathered, he would come

out of his home to lead the prayer. He used to offer it at the

beginning of its time range, when the sun was still high. Anas

reports: "No one was ever more expeditious in offering the Asr

prayer than God's messenger (peace be upon him) . " In this prayer

his reading of the Qur'an was about half as much as he used to read

in Zuhr prayer.

When he finished his prayer, the Prophet turned to his

companions. If he had something to say to them, he would say it.

Once he turned to them after finishing Asr prayer and said: "I am

not sure whether I should tell you something or not." They said:

"Mes senger o f God, if it is something good, please tell us, and if it

is otherwise, then God and His messenger know best." He said:

"Any Muslim who does the ablutions God requires of him and

ensures that he does them well and in full, then performs these five

obligatory prayers, then these prayers ensure his forgiveness of any

sin he might have committed in between them."

One day the Prophet offered the Asr prayer and stood up to

address them. In his talk he said: "Whoever of you performs his

ablution well then says, 'I bear witness that there is no deity other

than God and that Muhammad is God's servant and mess enger',

shall have all eight doors of heaven open to him. He may enter

through any of them. Any Muslim performs his ablution well then

stands up and offers two rak 'ahs, fully attending to them with his

heart and mind, will surely be admitted into heaven.''

Compared with his talks after Zuhr prayer, tht.: Prophet's talk

after Asr was much shorter. He realized that people were tired and

needed to leave to complete their day's work and to have their

dinner ready. When he had finished Asr prayer, he would go to his

wives. He would visit them all. He would sit close to each one, and

may kiss her or flirt with her without having intercourse with any.  

He ended his round at the home of the one whose tum it was on

that day. He would be staying that night with her.

Sometimes all his wives would gather in the home of the one

whose tum it was on that day. Perhaps that was in winter time

when the days were short and the time between Asr and Maghrib

was too short for the Prophet to visit each one of them at her