Therefore, O Muhammad, bear with what they say and hymn the praise of thy Lord before the rising and before the setting of the sun (i.e., the Fajr, Zuhr, and ‘Asr prayers).
Establish worship at the going down of the sun until the dark of night (i.e., the Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib and ‘Ishâ’ prayers) and (the recital of) the Qur’an at dawn. Lo! (the recital of) the Qur’an at dawn is ever witnessed. [Surah Al-Isra, Verse 78]
The Zuhr prayer, also known as the noon prayer, is an obligatory prayer that Muslims perform between fajr and asr. The word Zuhr is derived from the Arabic language and translates to noon, hence the name of the prayer. The Zuhr prayer serves as an excellent way for Muslims to take a break from their worldly activities and return to their Lord for guidance and strength. Moreover, the time at which Zuhr is performed is an extremely significant time for a Muslim because the Prophet PBUH said the following:
“This is the hour when the gates of heaven are opened, and I prefer that my good deeds ascend at that time.” [Riyad as-Salihin 1117]
The Rakats of Zuhr Prayer
The Zuhr Prayer consists of a total of twelve rakats:
- Four Sunnah Rakats
- Four Fard Rakats
- Two Sunnah Rakats
- Two Nafl Rakats
All rakats of Zuhr prayer hold significant importance and allow a Muslim to gain numerous rewards and blessings from Allah SWT. One should strive to perform all these rakats in the given order. On the Day of Judgment, the first thing people will be asked about is their prayers. Allah SWT will instruct the angels to examine whether the prayers were performed correctly. If the prayers are complete and flawless, they will be recorded as such.
However, if they are lacking, Allah SWT will say to his angels to see if his servants perform some optional prayers. If there are optional prayers, they will be used to make up for the shortcomings in the obligatory prayers. Similarly, all other actions will be evaluated in this way. [Sunan Abi Dawud, 864]
But if the time comes to an end, one should perform the fard and then move on to the sunnah rakats and then the nafl rakats.
The Sunnah and Nafl Rakats of Zuhr
The Sunnah and nafl rakats of Zuhr are extremely blessed prayers that are performed before and after the four fard rakats. Several hadiths emphasize the importance of these prayers.
Umm Habibah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “Whoever consistently performs four Rak’ah before the Zuhr prayer and four Rak’ah after it, Allah will protect them from the Fire of Hell.” [ Riyad as-Salihin 1116]
Aisha RA reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “Whoever regularly performs twelve Rak’ah of Sunnah prayers, a house will be built for them in Paradise. These include four Rak’ah before the Zuhr prayer, two Rak’ah after the Zuhr prayer, two Rak’ah after the Maghrib prayer, two Rak’ah after the ‘Isha’ prayer, and two Rak’ah before the Fajr prayer.’’ [Sunan Ibn Majah, 1140]
Aisha RA reported that “if the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) missed the four Rak’ah that are performed before the Zuhr prayer, he would make them up by performing them after the two Rak’ah that follow the Zuhr prayer.’’ [Sunan Ibn Majah, 1158]
Why the Zuhr Prayer?
The Zuhr prayer has a significant impact on a Muslim’s day, both spiritually and practically. It is a perfect time to take a break from daily activities and tasks and return to the Lord. Spiritually, it provides a break from the hustle of daily activities, provides one with tranquility and serenity, serves as a midday reminder of one’s faith, and offers time for reflection. Practically, it instills discipline and time management and helps us create a balance between our dunya and akhirah. And if one is offering the prayer in a congregation, it fosters a sense of unity among Muslims, which helps in restoring motivation and discipline.
Delaying The Zuhr Prayer Due To Severe Heat
Many hadiths state that the Prophet PBUH used to delay the Zuhr prayer if the weather was extremely hot, and he also told the people to do as such. The reason for this, as stated in the hadiths, is that the severity of the heat is due to the increase in the heat of hellfire.
Abu Dhar narrated that while the Prophet PBUH was traveling, he advised to delay the Zuhr prayer until the weather became cooler. He repeated this advice until the shadows of the hills lengthened. He explained that the reason for delaying the prayer was that intense heat is a sign of the increased heat of Hell. [Sahih al-Bukhari, 3258]
Zuhr During A Journey
Anas bin Malik narrated that whenever the Prophet (PBUH) began a journey before noon, he would delay the Zuhr prayer until the time of the ‘Asr prayer and then combine both prayers. However, if it was already past noon, he would perform the Zuhr prayer first and then continue with his journey. [Sahih al-Bukhari, 1110]
Although there have been instances where the Prophet PBUH delayed the Zuhr prayer, it should be kept in mind that he only did so out of necessity. Delaying the Zuhr prayer just because one is feeling lazy or has any other reason that is not valid under the Shariah (such as doing worldly work) will be considered sinful.
Joining The Prayers
There have been some instances where the Prophet PBUH has joined the Zuhr and Asr prayers together. Such as,
Mu’adh bin Jabal narrated that during the Battle of Tabuk, if the Prophet PBUH intended to depart before the sun had declined, he would delay the Zuhr prayer so that he could pray it together with the ‘Asr prayer. If he intended to depart after the sun’s decline, he would hasten the ‘Asr prayer to combine it with the Zuhr prayer and then continue the journey.
However, there are other reasons, also in Islamic law, for which a person can combine the Zuhr and Asr prayers.
- A traveler can combine prayers as long as his journey is not disliked or prohibited.
- A sick person who faces hardship and turmoil, if he doesn’t join his prayers, can combine them.
- A woman who is suffering from Istihadah (irregular bleeding) can combine her prayers because Istihadah is also considered a form of sickness.
- A person who can’t work out the time, such as a blind or underground person.
- A person who is unable to purify or to Tayammum for every prayer.
- A person who constantly suffers from nosebleeds.
- A person who is incontinent and constantly passes urine or Madhy.
- For someone who is breastfeeding, the difficulty arises from managing frequent impurities, making it challenging to purify oneself for every prayer.
- One who has a legitimate reason that makes it permissible not to pray Jum’ah and prayers in congregation, such as one who fears for his life or his wealth.