Why asar prayer time different for shafi and hanafi Muslim?

Answer 1

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.

Answer

The differences between Imam Abu Hanifa (RA) & Imam Shafee (RA) in regards to the beginning of Asr Salah is based on their respective interpretations of the Quran and Hadith of the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam.

There were differences also between the companions of the Prophet on the beginning of Asr Salah thus, one should not assume the differences also between the great Imams as something wrong or deviated.

There are many hadiths which prove both Imam Abu Hanifa (RA) & Imam Shafee (RA) judgment on this issue:

1. Abdullah Bin Rafii Radiallahu Anhu asked Saaiduna Abu Hurayrah Radiallahu Anhu regarding the times of prayers. Saaiduna Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu replied, "I will tell you: When the length of your shadow (from the sun) is equal to your height then perform the Zuhr salah. When the length of your shadow becomes twice your height, perform the Asr salah...' (Malik Muwatta - Book 1, Number 1.1.9 )

2. Saaiduna Abdullah Ibn Abbas Radiallahu anhu narrates that The Prophet of Allah Salallahu Alahi Wasalam said: Jibraael Alayhi Wasalam led me in prayer at the House (i.e. the Ka'bah). He prayed the noon prayer (Zuhr) with me when the sun had passed the meridian to the extent of the thong of a sandal; he prayed the afternoon prayer (Asr) with me when the shadow of everything was as long as itself; he prayed the sunset prayer (Maghrib) with me when one who is fasting breaks the fast; he prayed the night prayer (Ishaa) with me when the twilight had ended; and he prayed the dawn prayer (Fajr) with me when food and drink become forbidden to one who is keeping the fast. On the following day he prayed the noon prayer with me when his shadow was as long as himself; he prayed the afternoon prayer with me when his shadow was twice as long as himself; he prayed the sunset prayer at the time when one who is fasting breaks the fast; he prayed the night prayer with me when about the third of the night had passed; and he prayed the dawn prayer with me when there was a fair amount of light. Then turning to me he said: Muhammad, this is the time observed by the Prophets before you, and the time is anywhere between two times.' (Sunan Tirmizi p.38 v.1)

3. Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi from the mawla of Abdullah ibn Umar that Umar ibn al-Khattab wrote to his governors, saying, "The most important of your affairs in my view is the prayer. Whoever protects it and observes it carefully is protecting his deen, while whoever is negligent about it will be even more negligent about other things." Then he added, "Pray dhuhr any time from when the afternoon shade is the length of your forearm until the length of your shadow matches your height. Pray asr when the sun is still pure white, so that a rider can travel two or three farsakhs before the sun sets. Pray maghrib when the sun has set. Pray isha any time from when the redness in the western sky has disappeared until a third of the night has passed - and a person who sleeps, may he have no rest, a person who sleeps, may he have no rest. And pray subh when all the stars are visible and like a haze in the sky." (Malik Muwatta - Book 1, Number 1.1.6 )

Only Allah Knows Best

Answer 2

The variation in Asr prayer time between Shafi and Hanafi Muslims is mainly due to differences in their interpretation of the hadiths and scholarly opinions on when the time for Asr prayer begins. The Hanafi school of thought considers Asr prayer time to start later in the day, while the Shafi school of thought considers it to start earlier. These differences stem from varying methods of calculating when the shadow of an object is equivalent to its length.