Horns of Shaytaan

The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “When the sun starts to rise, then delay your prayer until it has risen fully, and when the sun starts to set, then delay your prayer until it has set fully, and do not deliberately set out to pray at the time when the sun is rising or setting, for it rises between the two horns of the Shaytaan.” [Bukhaari]

Groups of Mushrikeen used to worship the sun, and they would prostrate to it when it was rising and when it was setting. So the Shaytaan would set himself up in the direction of the sun, so that the sun-worshippers would be prostrating to him.

If the Qibla is due east and one performs Salah while the sun is rising or if the Qiblah is due west and one performs the prayer when the sun is setting then he/she would inadvertently be bowing down to the Shaytaan. Thus, we were told to avoid praying at these two times, of the rising and setting of the sun.