Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ عَنِ الزِّبْرِقَانِ أَنَّ رَهْطًا مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ مَرَّ بِهِمْ زَيْدُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ وَهُمْ مُجْتَمِعُونَ فَأَرْسَلُوا إِلَيْهِ غُلَامَيْنِ لَهُمْ يَسْأَلَانِهِ عَنْ الصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَى فَقَالَ هِيَ الْعَصْرُ فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلَانِ مِنْهُمْ فَسَأَلَاهُ فَقَالَ هِيَ الظُّهْرُ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَا إِلَى أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ فَسَأَلَاهُ فَقَالَ هِيَ الظُّهْرُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يُصَلِّي الظُّهْرَ بِالْهَجِيرِ وَلَا يَكُونُ وَرَاءَهُ إِلَّا الصَّفُّ وَالصَّفَّانِ مِنْ النَّاسِ فِي قَائِلَتِهِمْ وَفِي تِجَارَتِهِمْ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى { حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَى وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ } قَالَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيَنْتَهِيَنَّ رِجَالٌ أَوْ لَأُحَرِّقَنَّ بُيُوتَهُمْ.
English Translation
Yazid told us, from Ibn Abi Dhi'b, from al-Zibriqan, that a group of Quraysh were passed by Zayd ibn Thabit while they were gathered together. They sent two of their young men to ask him about the middle prayer. He said: It is the Asr prayer. Then two men among them got up and asked him, and he said: It is the Zuhr prayer. Then the two returned to Usamah ibn Zayd and asked him, and he said: It is the Zuhr prayer. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to pray Zuhr in the intense heat, and there would be behind him only a row or two of people, others being occupied in their midday rest and their trading. So Allah, Most High, revealed: Guard strictly the prayers, and the middle prayer, and stand before Allah in devout obedience. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Men will surely desist, or I will burn their houses down.