And no one has the right to say that these narrations merely indicate that the beginning of the time is better, but do not indicate that it is obligatory (to pray) at the beginning of the time, because when it has been established that the beginning of the time is superior, and there is no barrier or excuse, then it becomes obligatory to act accordingly. And whenever one does not act in such a case as we have described, he deserves blame and reproach. However, what is meant by "obligation" (wujub) here is not the type whose abandonment incurs punishment, because obligation, according to us, is of various kinds: among them is that whose abandonment brings about punishment, and among them is that which is preferable to do but whose abandonment does not incur punishment, even if it deserves a type of blame and reprimand. Then the Shaykh, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى have mercy on him, mentioned the preference of the two time intervals for each prayer until the end of the chapter, and the explanation of that has already been covered in full.
Commentary #20