It is narrated from Hazrat Bara’ (may Allah be pleased with him) that initially this verse was revealed:“Guard strictly your prayers, especially the Asr prayer,”and we continued to recite it during the blessed era of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as long as Allah willed, and Allah did not abrogate it. Later, instead of“Asr prayer,”the words“the middle prayer”were revealed. A man asked Hazrat Bara’ (may Allah be pleased with him),“Does this mean that by ‘the middle prayer’ is meant the Asr prayer?”He replied,“I have told you how it was revealed and how it was abrogated; now Allah knows best.”