Ibne Shahr Ashob has narrated from Umme Salma Asma binte Umais and from Jabir Ansari, Ibne Abbas, Abu Saeed Khudri, Abu Huraira and Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a) who narrate that the Holy Prophet (s) offered prayers at the place of Kara Ghameem. When he finished praying, revelation started descending on him. In the meantime Hazrat Ali arrived and he observed the Prophet’s condition and understood that revelation was descending. Ali (a) supported the Prophet’s back.
The revelation continued till sunset. When it was over, the Messenger of Allah (s) asked: Ali, did you pray the Asr Prayer? Hazrat Ali said, “No, O Messenger of Allah, I was supporting your back.” He said: Pray to Allah that he will turn back the sun for you. When Hazrat Ali prayed, the sun returned. Abu Ja’far Tahawi writes: The Holy Prophet prayed: “O Lord, Ali was busy in obedience to You and Your Messenger. Return the sun for him.”1
1 Mushkilul Aathaar, Vol. 4, Pg. 388-389.
Hazrat’s prayer was accepted and the sun came back. Hazrat Ali offered Asr prayers. When he finished praying, the sun immediately set and the stars came out.
Abu Bakr Mehrawiya writes that Asma binte Umais said: When the sun went down, we heard a voice as if wood was being split with a saw and the incident of reversal of the sun took place at Sehba on the occasion of battle of Khyber. According to a narration, Hazrat Ali had offered prayers with gestures and when the sun came back he repeated the prayers under the knowledge of the Prophet. After this incident Holy Prophet (s) ordered Hassan bin Thabit to recite a poem on this incident. Hassan bin Thabit recited: Without the love of Ali (a), a sinner’s repentance is not accepted. Ali is not only the brother of the Messenger of Allah (s) but also his son-in-law and the son-in-law cannot be compared to a friend. O People, who could be like Ali, for whom the setting sun returned?1
1 Manaqib, Ibne Shahr Ashob, Vol. 2, Pg. 317; Biharul Anwar, Vol. 41, Pg. 174; Ghayatul Maraam, Pg. 630; Irshad, Mufeed, Pg. 182; Elamul Waraa, Tabarsi, Pg. 180.
2- Shaykh Tusi notes in his Amaali: When the gathering took place i.e. Shura at the time of Umar. In that sitting Ali (a) recounted a number of his virtues before everyone and he said: “I adjure you to tell me for whom the sun returned for prayers when it had set? Did the sun returned for you or for me? Those present said, “Definitely the sun returned only for you.”2
2 Amali, Shaykh Tusi, Vol. 2, Pg. 161; Al-Ihtijaaj, Tabarsi, Pg. 132; Biharul Anwar, Vol. 8, Pg. 346, Kampani edition; Hilyatul Abraar, Vol. 1, Pg. 410.
Among Ahle Sunnat scholars, who have mentioned the incident of returning of the Sun are Ibne Maghazi Shafei in his Manaqib, Pg. 96, Tr. 140; Al-Taraif with reference from Manaqib Ibne Maghazi, Pg. 84; Kifayatul Taalib, Pg. 383 where there is quote from Ibne Khuzaima, which says that Ahmad Ibne Salih used to say that there is no justification for any scholar to deny the tradition of Asma, because it is a proof of the authenticity of our Prophet.
Other than the above mentioned scholars, Hafiz Abul Fateh, Muhammad bin Husain Azdi Mosuli has through his chains of narrators written a whole book about the return of the Sun. This narration is also narrated by Maufaq Ibne Ahmad in Manaqib Khwarizmi with three evidences.1
1 Manaqib Khwarizmi, Pg. 221-223.