Salah (Prayers)
Fard Prayers:
Asr: Daily Afternoon Prayer
Overview
The Asr (Arabic: عصر) prayer is the afternoon daily prayer recited by practising Muslims. It is the third of the five daily prayers (Salah).
Time
Once the Zohr prayer time is over, around mid afternoon, to the late evening, just before the setting of the sun.
Number of Rakahs
• 4 Fard
• 4 Sunnah before the 4 Fard
Importance
Missing Asr salah is equated with losing ones wealth, as mentioned in the hadith below.
Video - How to pray
Hadith quotes
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said 'He who misses his Asr Salah (i.e. reads it after its specified time) is as if he has lost his wife, children and all his wealth.’ (Sahih Muslim)Sahih Muslim
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said, "He who offers the dawn (Fajr) prayers will come under the Protection of Allah. O son of Adam! Beware, lest Allah should call you to account in any respect from (for withdrawing) His Protection.''Sahih Muslim, Narrated by Jundub bin Sufyan
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said, "There are angels who take turns in visiting you by night and by day, and they all assemble at the dawn (Fajr) and the afternoon (`Asr) prayers. Those who have spent the night with you, ascend to the heaven and their Rubb, Who knows better about them, asks: `In what condition did you leave My slaves?' They reply: `We left them while they were performing Salah and we went to them while they were performing Salah.'''Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, Narrated by Abu Hurairah