Could you please explain the following Hadeeth, what does horn of Satan mean and its implications? Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said, "The sun rises and with it is a horn of Shaytan and when the sun gets higher the horn leaves it. Then when the sun reaches the meridian the horn joins it and when the sun declines the horn leaves it, and when the sun has nearly set it joins it again."

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

The narration in the question is reported by An-Nasaa'ee and it is authentic. Some interpreters of the narration differed regarding the meaning of 'the horn of Satan' mentioned. Some of them are of the view that the meaning is exactly as in the wording, that the Sun rises on the horn of Satan or between two horns of Satan. They said that this can not be questioned as this is a matter of the unseen, and a person has to believe in it as it is stated. This is what is evident from the narration. However, other interpreters are of the view that its meaning is not according to its wording, but the meaning of the horn is a nations, that's to say a nation who worships the sun and prostrates to it. So the Prophet disliked imitating them and liked being different from them. It is also said that it means that Satan is with the Sun (at those times). There are other interpretations which were reported in this regard as well.

Anyway, the general meaning is that it is forbidden to perform supererogatory prayers during these times, i.e. when the Sun rises, when it sets, and when it is at its meridian. The reason is that at these times Satan is with it but he departs from it at other times. Therefore it is permissible to perform supererogatory prayers at other times.

Allaah knows best.