Explanation of the author's statement: "...And hastening it is better, except in intense heat, even if he prays alone..."

The Shaykh : He said "And hastening it is better". Hastening the Zuhr prayer is better because it is the first [prayer], due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: Also, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged beginning the prayer at the start of its time. Ibn Mas'ud asked him: "Which deed is most beloved to Allah?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Prayer at its time is the most beloved deed to Allah." Even if some scholars say "at its time" means the time prescribed by the Shari'ah, we say that even according to this view, hastening the prayer is better. Second, we say this is faster in clearing the debt [of worship], because a person does not know what may befall him. He may be energetic and able at the beginning of the time, making worship easy for him, and then he may fall ill and prayer becomes difficult for him, or he may even die. So this is faster in clearing the debt, and whatever is faster in clearing the debt is more preferable. Thus, hastening it is better, as indicated by the evidence from the athar and by reasoning. He said: "Except in intense heat". In intense heat, it is better to delay it, because that is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in his saying: . So it is better to delay it. And because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was on a military expedition, and the mu'adhdhin wanted to call the adhan, so he said, "Wait for the coolness." Then he wanted to call the adhan, so he said, "Wait for the coolness." Then he wanted to call the adhan, so he said, "Wait for the coolness." Then he wanted to call the adhan, so he allowed him when the shadow of the hill equaled [the object]. He allowed him, meaning it was near the time of 'Asr. Because when its shadow equals [the object], what remains of this shadow is only the shadow of the zenith. And the shadow of the zenith in summer days and intense heat—is it long or short? Very short. But I don't know, by Allah, some of you don't know this thing.

The questioner : We don't know.

The Shaykh : Okay, the shadow of the zenith. I told you that it must be a shadow from the northern side of the standing object, because the sun is in the south. If it is in the south, there must be a shadow, even if the sun has not reached the zenith, because it moves from behind. For example, I am now in the south, behind my back, it moves from behind me, so there must be a shadow in front of me, isn't that so? This is called the shadow of the zenith. This is not considered, it is not considered anything. So his saying in the hadith narrated by al-Bukhari: means that the shadow of the zenith is not counted. Because if the shadow of the zenith were counted, the time of Zuhr would have ended. Yes, the time of Zuhr would have ended. In any case, he ordered him to wait for the coolness until the shadow became the length of the standing object, but added to it the shadow of the zenith. Yes. Then he prayed. It is necessary in intense heat to wait for the coolness until this time, meaning until near the time of 'Asr. And some scholars said, rather, until the standing objects have a shadow to take shelter in. But this is not precise, because if the building is tall, here, the shadow to take shelter in is found nearby. And if the person is in a low place, it is the opposite. When will people have a shadow to walk in? In any case, the most correct thing is that the shadow of the object is equal to it, but added to it the shadow of the zenith, meaning it is near the time of 'Asr. And this is what achieves the waiting for the coolness. As for what people used to do before, after the sun passed the zenith by about half an hour, and some by about an hour, and then they say this is waiting for the coolness, we say this is not waiting for the coolness, this is heating. Why? Because it is known that the heat is most intense about an hour after the zenith. This is when the heat of the air and the heat of the sun are most intense. So if we assume, for example, that the sun passes the zenith at twelve and 'Asr is at four and a half, approximately, I think, and let us assume this does not contradict the assumption, until when is the waiting for the coolness? Until four, until four, approximately four hours. Is it two hours, not one hour or half an hour? Okay, he said: "Except in intense heat". He said: "Even if he prays alone". "Even if" indicates a difference of opinion, because some scholars say that waiting for the coolness is only for one who prays in congregation. And some added if his home is far such that he is harmed by going to the prayer. Do you understand now? There are two conditions. Some say waiting for the coolness is for one who prays in congregation absolutely. Some say for one who prays in congregation if his home is far, meaning if the homes are far from the mosque. And all this is a condition for what the Sharī' [the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)] made general. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . And the address is for everyone, and it is not our right to condition what the Sharī' made general. And the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not attribute that to the hardship of going to the prayer. He said, "Intense heat is from the scorching heat of Jahannam." And this happens to one who prays in congregation and to one who prays alone. Okay, and do women fall under this? Yes, women fall under this, because it is recommended for them to wait for the coolness in the Zuhr prayer in intense heat. Okay, he says.