Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
You mentioned that it is superior to “delay” asr in the hanafi school . were you referring to the asr time being later w/the hanafis or that it is actually superior to pray it a later than the hanafi asr time . For example, if hanafi asr comes in at 6:30 is it superior to pray at 6:30 or to pray later than that .
Walaikum assalam,
It is recommended to delay the Asr prayer, as long as one does not fall into the disliked time (which is when the sun’s light starts to wane, as it heads towards sunset, about 30 minutes before maghrib, though this varies depending on time and place).
However, for men this is only if one can catch the first congregation at the mosque at that time. Otherwise, the optimal is to pray in the first congregation in the mosque. If not possible, then men should pray in congregation elsewhere, because the soundest opinion is that it is necessary (wajib) for men to pray in congregation, unless there is a valid excuse not to.
If they pray in congregation at the earlier Asr time in one’s area, on should not miss the congregational prayer, because praying at the earlier Asr time is a valid position in the Hanafi school [as discussed in several answers, see archives: http://www.sunnipath.com
In fact, the practice in the Arab lands, including Syria, is according to the earlier Asr time. [Shaykh Mahmoud Ashraf Usmani confirmed the above when he came to Amman, Jordan.]
Also, is there any karaahiya in leaving Zuhr till after the shafi asr time but before the hanafi asr time? especially if one occasionally prays asr during the shafi time for various reasons (catching the jama’a, etc…)
It is disliked to delay the Zuhr prayer until the earlier Asr time. [Ibn Abidin]
Is it better to pray Zuhr quickly and skip the 4 raka before Zuhr in order to catch Zuhr during the shafi time, or to pray everything as normal and end up performing Zuhr after the shafi asr time but before the hanafi asr time?
It is better to take the means not to fall into this situation in the first place. If the situation happens, one should pray the fard of Zuhr first, and then do both pre- and post-Zuhr sunnas after it.
Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani