Volume - III / CHAPTER - 2 / LESSON NO: 17
PRAYER TIMINGS
Q 1: What is meant by "condition of time for prayer"?
A. Condition of time for prayer means every prayer must be offered within its prescribed timelimit. Prayer will not be in order if offered before time and if offered after time that will be "Qadaa or Qazaa" (late time prayer). It is sinful to offer prayer after due time is over.
Q 2: How many times' prayer is obligatory?
A. Five times' prayer in a day (day & night) is obligatory upon every sane and mature male and female Muslim i.e. Fajr (early morning prayer), Zuhr (after-noon prayer), 'Asr (late after-noon prayer), Maghrib (evening prayer) and 'Ishaa (night prayer).
Q 3: When does the Fajr time begin and end?
A. The time for Fajr prayer begins at dawn and lasts until rays of the sun are resplendent.
(This paragraph was edited by Islamic Academy with permission)
Q 4: What is "Mustahab" (commendable) time of Fajr?
A. Offering Fajr prayer at the time when the light of dawn has spread well is "Mustahab" (commendable). Prayer should be started at such a time during the stipulated period that one could offer it in accordance with Sunnah i.e. to recite about forty to sixty Qur-aanic verses and after the prayer is over there is enough time left to repeat the prayer if need be.
Q 5: What does "Subh-e-Saadiq" (dawn) mean? A. Subh-e-Saadiq (dawn) is the light which appears in the sky (in the east) and gradually spreads the whole sky sending light to the earth. Prior to this, there appears a pillar-like whiteness in the sky beneath which the entire horizon is black. At the time of Subh-e-Saadiq this whiteness vanishes which is called "Subh-e-Kaazib" (evanescent light before dawn).
Q 6: What is the Zuhr time?
A. The time of Zuhr prayer begins when the sun has passed meridian and lasts till shadow of everything doubles barring the real shadow.
Q 7: What is the "Mustahab" (commendable) time of Zuhr?
A. Offering Zuhr prayer in the early hours of the stipulated time during winter and in the late hours in the summer is Mustahab (commendable). It is better to offer Zuhr prayer (individually or in Jama'at) when shadow of anything becomes equal to the original one. However, one should not miss Jama'at (congregation) if held in the early hours during summer for Mustahab time.
Q 8: When does the Asr time begin and end?
A. The Asr time begins at where the Zuhr time ends (i.e. when shadow of every thing has become fully double excepting real shadow) and lasts till sun-set.
(This paragraph was edited by Islamic Academy with permission)
Q 9: What is the Mustahab (commendable) time of Asr?
A. Offering Asr prayer in the last hour of the stipulated time in all seasons is Mustahab. However, it should not be so delayed that the sun reaches the point of setting and its light becomes yellow. The sunlight becomes yellow when there are (about) 20 minutes left in its setting. It is Makrooh (odious) time for prayer.
(This paragraph was edited by Islamic Academy with permission)
Q10: What is the Maghrib time?
A. The time of Maghrib prayer begins at the sun-set and lasts till the setting of "Shafaq" (evening twilight). The span of time during which the Fajr and Maghrib prayers are permissible will always be equal daily.
(This paragraph was edited by Islamic Academy with permission)
Q 11: What is "Shafaq"?
A. According to Imaam 'Azam Abu Hanifah (may Allah be pleased with him) "Shafaq" is the whiteness which spreads in the sky like dawn after the redness has set in the west.
Q12: What is the Mustahab time of Maghrib?
A. Offering Maghrib prayer in the early hour of the stipulated time is Mustahab if the sky is clear. Delaying it without any cogent reason is Makrooh (undesirable). In case the sky is overcast then it is Mustahab to delay the prayer.
Q13: What is the 'Ishaa time?
A. The time for 'Ishaa prayer begins after the evening twilight has set and lasts till (just before) the dawn of Fajr.
Q14: What is the Mustahab time of 'Ishaa?
A. Offering Isha prayer after the one-third of night has passed is Mustahab and till mid-night is "Mubaah" (permitted) but offering it after the midnight has passed is Makrooh.
Q15: What is the time of Witr prayer?
A. The time for 'Ishaa and Witr prayer is the same but the maintenance of sequence in the prayer is obligatory (Fard). For example, if one offers Witr prayer before 'Ishaa his Witr will not be deemed to have been offered but unlawful. It is better for one to offer Witr prayer in the last part of night if he is punctual in waking up otherwise he should offer before going to bed.
Q16: Which timings are there during which no prayer can be offered?
A. The timings during which no prayer is lawful are three i.e. sun-rise, sun-set and meridian. The duration of the sun-rise and sun-set is of (about) 20 minutes and the meridian is of 35-40 minutes. During these timings no obligatory, essential, optional and missed (Qaza) prayer and no prostration (Sajda-e-Tilaawat and Sajda-e-Sahv) is permitted.
Q17: During which timings is Nafil (voluntary) prayer unlawful?
A. There are twelve timings during which Nafil (voluntary,optional) prayer is not permitted:
1. From dawn to sun-rise (No Nafil prayer except for two Sunnats of Fajr is permitted).
2. Iqaamah (call for the commencement of prayer).
3. After Asr prayer.
4. From sun-set to Maghrib prayer.
5. When Imaam (leader of prayer) has ascended the pulpit for sermon.
6. During sermon.
7. Before 'Eid prayer.
8. After 'Eid prayer, if one is in mosque or prayer field. However it is not Makrooh (odious) at home.
9. In ' Arafaat between Zuhr and Asr time.
10. When time of Fard (obligatory) prayer is running out. No prayer even emphasised Sunnats of Fajr and Zuhr are permitted.
11. Anything which distracts attention and concentration. If one can get rid of that he should do, like pressing need to urinate or defecate.