عصر کا وقت: حنفی اور شافعی
Asr time Hanafi vs Shafi confuses many people when a timetable shows two Asr times. Both are correct: they follow two well-known opinions on when Asr begins, and the Hanafi time is simply later.
| School | Asr begins when the shadow is | Typical difference |
|---|---|---|
| Shafi'i, Maliki, Hanbali (majority) | 1 × the object's length + noon shadow | earlier |
| Hanafi | 2 × the object's length + noon shadow | 30 to 60 min later |
Both opinions agree that Asr ends at sunset, and that delaying it until the sun turns pale is disliked.
In the hadith of Jibril, the Prophet ﷺ said Jibril led him in the five prayers on two days, praying Asr on the first day "when the shadow of everything was the same as itself" and on the second day "when the shadow of everything was twice as long as itself" (Sunan Abu Dawud 393, graded hasan sahih).
Follow your madhab. Most Muslims in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Central Asia and Turkey are Hanafi; most in the Arab world, Malaysia, Indonesia, East and West Africa follow the Shafi'i, Maliki or Hanbali timing. If you pray in a masjid, pray with its jamaat.
Each city page shows Asr for the main school there and the other school's Asr just below:
In the Yaad-e-Namaz app you can switch between Hanafi and Shafi'i Asr in the prayer settings.
Shafi'i: when the shadow equals the object's length (plus noon shadow). Hanafi: when it is twice the length.
At sunset. Delaying until the sun turns pale is disliked.
Hanafi scholars generally advise waiting for the Hanafi time; praying in a jamaat at the earlier time is a matter where you should follow your local scholars.
Because the sun is lower and shadows lengthen faster, the gap between "1×" and "2×" changes through the year.
Two Asr times aren't a mistake: they are two respected opinions. Pick your madhab's time in the app or on your city page and pray it consistently.
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