Will you explain the verse ‘Establish regular prayers - at the sun´s decline till the darkness of the night’?

Does the verse above indicate five daily prayers?
What does ‘duluk ash-shams’ mentioned in the verse mean?

Dear Brother / Sister,

The meaning of the verse in question is as follows:

“Establish regular prayers - at the sun´s decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.” (al-Isra, 17/78)

The issues of faith related to divinity, the hereafter, and prophethood are generally dealt with in the chapter of al-Isra before the verse above.

With the verse above, the issue of prayer (salah), which is regarded as the most important deed of worship, starts to be dealt with. It is generally stated in tafsir books that five daily prayers are indicated in the verse above of the chapter of al-Isra, which was sent down after the incident of Miraj (Ascension), in which prayer was rendered fard. 

The concept “duluk” means “The sun’s turning toward the west after passing the highest point during the day while turning around its daily virtual circle". It is also described as the completion of the three-fourths of the circle beginning from the middle of the day, which is the afternoon time. It is also used for sunset. (Ibn Ashur, the interpretation of the verse in question)

In conclusion, according to Ibn Ashur, the term "duluk ash-shams" mentioned in the verse includes the times of noon, afternoon and evening. As a matter of fact, the preposition "ila" (to) indicates that this term includes more than one time.

Shawkani lists the views related to the meaning of this term as follows: 

a) Zawal time. (According to Fakhruddin ar-Razi, this is the view of the majority, the interpretation of the verse in question)
b) Sunset.
c) The time from the time of zawal (the time when the sun moves away from its peak) to the sunset. (Shawkani, the interpretation of the verse in question)

The concept "ghasaq" means "darkness"; it expresses the time of the night when twilight disappears.

The phrase "Quranul-fajr" indicates the fard of the morning prayer. Besides, it is also stated that this phrase indicates that the Quran must be recited in the prayer, that it is necessary for all prayers but that the morning prayer is cited as an example and that in compliance with the practice of the Prophet (pbuh), more verses of the Quran are read in the morning prayer than other prayers..

Fakhruddin ar-Razi states that if one of the two different interpretations of the word "ghasaq" is regarded as the basis, the conclusion that three times are mentioned in the prayer is reached. Then, he gives the following information:

The phrase "duluk ash-shams" mentioned in the verse expresses the noon and the afternoon prayers, the phrase "ghasaq al-layl" the evening and the night prayers and the phrase "Quranul-fajr" the morning prayer. That the noon and the afternoon, and the evening and the night are mentioned together indicates as a principle that those prayers can be combined (that the noon and the afternoon prayers, and the evening and the night prayers can be performed together in two time periods). However, since other evidences introduce limitations regarding combining prayers, it has been decreed that combination of prayers is permissible based on certain reasons like travelling. (see Razi, the interpretation of the verse in question)

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