The middle prayer, meaning the middle one among the prayers, or the best, from their saying for the best: the middle one.

And it is singled out and is connected to the prayer because of its virtue, and it is the 'Asr prayer. It is reported from the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, that he said on the day of the Battle of the Confederates, "They distracted us from the middle prayer, the 'Asr prayer. May Allah fill their houses with fire."

This was narrated by Muslim from the narration of Shatir bin Shakal from Ali. The hadith is in the six books, except that the saying "the 'Asr prayer" is only in Muslim. Al-Bukhari narrated it in the chapters on battles, jihad, and tafsir, and in this context from Ibn Mas'ud, who reported that the middle prayer is the 'Asr prayer, as narrated by Al-Tirmidhi. He has a similar narration from Samurah.

And he, peace be upon him, said, "It is the prayer that was neglected by Sulayman bin Dawud until it was concealed by the veil." This was narrated by Ibn Adi in Al-Kamil from Ali, who said, "The middle prayer is the 'Asr prayer, which was neglected by Sulayman bin Dawud until it was concealed by the veil." In its chain is Muqatil bin Sulayman, who is weak. It was narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah from the narration of Abu Ishaq from Al-Harith bin Ali, and it is more likely to be correct. There is also a narration from Ibn Abbas that is reported as a stop at Al-Tabari.

And it is reported from Hafsah that she said to the one who wrote the mushaf for her: When you reach this verse, do not write it until I dictate it to you as I heard the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, reciting it. So she dictated to him: "And the middle prayer is the 'Asr prayer." This was narrated by Al-Tabari through Abu Bishr from Salim from Hafsah, who commanded a man to write a mushaf for her. She said: When you reach this place, inform me. When he reached "Guard strictly your prayers and the middle prayer," she said: Write: the 'Asr prayer. In another narration, she said to him, "Write, for I heard the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, say: Guard strictly your prayers, and the middle prayer is the 'Asr prayer." Thus it is reported by Al-Tabari. It is well-known from Hafsah that she dictated to the scribe: "Guard strictly your prayers, and the middle prayer is the 'Asr prayer." This was also narrated by Malik in Al-Muwatta from Zayd bin Aslam from Amr bin Rafi' who said: I was writing a mushaf for Hafsah and mentioned it. It was narrated by Ibn Hibban from the narration of Ibn Ishaq: Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin Ali and Nafi' bin Amr bin Nafi', the freedman of Umar bin Al-Khattab, both narrated that he used to write the mushafs during the time of the wives of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him. He said: Hafsah commanded me to write a mushaf and said: When you reach this verse of this surah - Al-Baqarah - do not write it until you come to me and I dictate it to you as I memorized it from the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him. He said: When I reached it, I brought her the paper I was writing on. She said to me: Write: Guard strictly your prayers and the middle prayer and the 'Asr prayer. From this route, it was narrated by Abu Ya'la and Al-Tahawi. It was also narrated by Abdul Razzaq from Ibn Jurayj from Nafi' from Hafsah in a similar manner, and Al-Tabari narrated it from the route of Abdullah bin Umar from Nafi' that Hafsah commanded a freedman of hers. It was also narrated by Ibn Abi Dawood in the Book of Mushafs from about twenty routes, all of which include the 'Asr prayer with the conjunction.

It was narrated from Aisha and Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them: "And the middle prayer and the 'Asr prayer." As for Aisha, Muslim narrated from the route of Abu Yunus, the freedman of Aisha, who said: Aisha commanded me to write a mushaf for her and said: When you reach this verse, inform me. When I reached it, I informed her, and she dictated: "Guard strictly your prayers and the middle prayer and the 'Asr prayer," and she said: I heard it from the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him. This was also narrated by Abu Dawood, Al-Tirmidhi, Al-Nasa'i, Malik, Al-Shafi'i, and Ahmad from this route. As for Ibn Abbas, Al-Tabari and Ibn Abi Dawood in the mushafs narrated from the route of Abu Ishaq Umar bin Maryam from Ibn Abbas that he used to recite it like this.

So according to this reading, the specification is for two prayers: one of them is the middle prayer, either Dhuhr, or Fajr, or Maghrib, based on the differing narrations about it. The second is Asr, and it is said that its virtue is due to the engagement of people in their trades and livelihoods at its time. And from Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, it is the Dhuhr prayer. [This was narrated by Al-Tabari from the narration of Abu Aqil Zahra ibn Ma'bad that Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, Urwah ibn al-Zubair, and Ibrahim ibn Talhah asked Ibn Umar about the middle prayer. He said: It is Dhuhr.] Because it is in the middle of the day, and the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, used to pray it during the heat of the day, and there was no prayer more difficult for his companions than it. And from Mujahid: it is Fajr because it is between the prayers of the day and the prayers of the night. And from Qabisa ibn Zu'ayb: it is Maghrib, because it is the odd prayer of the day and it does not decrease in travel from the three. [This was narrated by Al-Tabari from the narration of Ishaq ibn Abu Fardah from a man who said that Qabisa ibn Zu'ayb said: The middle prayer is the Maghrib prayer. Do you not see that it is neither less than it nor more than it, nor is it shortened in travel? And Ishaq is abandoned, and his sheikh is unknown.] And Abdullah read: 'And upon the middle prayer.' And Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, read '(and the middle prayer)' in the accusative as a form of praise and specification. And Nafi' read: 'the middle' with a صاد. 'And stand for Allah in prayer, devoutly remembering Allah in your standing.' And the qunut is to remember Allah while standing. And from Ikrimah: they used to speak during the prayer, so they were prohibited. And from Mujahid: it is the stillness and the stopping of hands and eyes. It has been narrated that when one of them stood for prayer, he feared the Most Merciful to extend his gaze or turn away, or to move the pebbles, or to talk to himself about worldly matters. 'If you fear...' If you have fear from an enemy or otherwise, then pray while on foot. This is the plural of 'raajil' like 'qaim' and 'qiyam', or 'rajul'. It is said: 'raajil raajil', meaning on foot. And it is read: 'farijalan' with the ر pronounced, and 'rajalan' with emphasis, and 'rajulan'. And according to Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him, they do not pray while walking or during combat unless they can stand. And according to Al-Shafi'i, may Allah have mercy on him, they pray in every situation, and the rider gestures and is exempt from facing the Qiblah. 'And when you are safe...' When your fear has passed, then remember Allah as He taught you what you did not know of the prayer of safety, or when you are safe, then thank Allah for the safety and remember Him in worship, as He has done good to you by teaching you the laws, and how you pray in times of fear and in times of safety.