Surah Sad Tafseer

He said:"I did love the good (i.e., horses) instead of remembering my Lord," till the time was over, and (the sun) had hidden in the veil (of night).

More than one of the Salaf and scholars of Tafsir mentioned that he was so busy looking at the horses that he missed the time of `Asr prayer. He did not miss it deliberately, but because of forgetfulness, as happened to the Prophet on the day of Khandaq, when he was too busy to pray `Asr and he prayed it after the sun had set.

This was recorded in the Two Sahihs with more than one chain of narration, including the report from Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, who said,

"On the day of Khandaq, Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, came after the sun had set and started cursing the disbelievers of the Quraysh. He said, `O Messenger of Allah, I could not pray `Asr until the sun had almost set.'

The Messenger of Allah said,

وَاللهِ مَا صَلَّيْتُهَا

By Allah, I did not pray it either."

He (Jabir) said, "So we got up and went to Buthan. Allah's Prophet performed ablution for the prayer and we too performed ablution. He prayed `Asr after the sun had set, then he prayed Maghrib after that."

And Allah tells further that,

رُدُّوهَا عَلَيَّ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًا بِالسُّوقِ وَالاَْعْنَاقِ