Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Prayer Times
study
A l egitimate scientific
of prayer times
Written by: Sheikh
IBN MUGSAD Al ABDALI
Translation d
one by:
LONDON
All
Allah guides
is His servant
Muhammad
and messenger may Allahs
peace and blessings be upon
him and his family and
companions and all those who
follow his righteous path until
the last day.
To Proceed:
When Allah the most rightful
glory be to him obligates upon
people certain issues or matters,
it is most important to regard
every rule of the obligation, and
also make the rule as clear as
disagreements
anddifference
of
opinions,
to be able to proceed
in accordance with the way
Allah (S.W.T) has commanded
us to. This is why we have been
commanded by Allah the most
great, thatwhenever
we
you. And
ifyou disagree over
anything, refer it to Allah and
the messenger, if you should
believe in Allah and the Last
Day. This is the best (way) and
best in result..
Al-shawkaani
may Allah
have mercy upon him said in
Fath
Al-Qadeer:
This
generally applies to all religious
issues over which people
dispute.
Entering of theright
time is
01
of prayer.
over thetimings
00
prayer
is obligatory
upon
every
Muslim
at the acquainted time
which the prophet has been
fully informed of by Allah s.w.t
and commanded also to make
clear and indisputable to the
people whathas
been
revealed
02
sun begins
to turn yellow, and
the time of Maghrib is steady so
long as the twilight has not
disappeared, and the time of
Ishaa is steady until midnight,
and the time of Fajr is steady so
long as the sun doesnt rise)). In
a narration: on the authority of
Abdullah Ibn Amr that the
prophet of Allah said:
((When you pray Fajr it is a
fixed limited time only until the
first visible part of the rising
sun, then when you pray Duhr
it is a fixed limited time only
until the time of Asr is called,
03
begins
to turn yellow,
you
when
Maghrib it is a fixed
pray
limited time only
until the twilight is apparent,
when you pray
Ishaa
it
is a
(Narrated
by
midnight)).
Muslim)(1).
------------------------------
)1(
04
narrated by Ibn
It has
been
Abbas that the messenger of
Allah said:
05
Maghrib
at sun set
when a
fasting
person breaks his fast,
then he prayed Ishaa at the
evening glow when the sky
turned dusky. Then he prayed
Fajr at the spark of dawn,
morning twilight
when
itis
prohibited for a fasting person
the
to eat. Then heprayed
second time, Duhr when the
shadow of an object
is as long
as the object itself until Asr
time just like the day before,
and then he prayed Asr when
06
of an object was
the shadow
double in size then the object
itself.
07
two timings)).
of
Also on the authority
Sulayman
Bin
Buraydah
from
((Attend the
Prophet
[He did.] Then the
commanded Bilal to call the
Athaan at the darkness
of night
preceding daybreak, so he
prayed Fajr at the morning
twilight. Then he commanded
08
him to pray
Duhr when the sun
was at its highest position he
then commanded him to pray
Asr while the sun was still high.
Then he commanded him to
pray Maghrib at sunset, then he
commanded him to pray Ishaa
at evening dusk.
09
21
20
it
was clear enough, he taught
them every detail which would
leave them nothing to look back
at or disagree upon. He also
made these timings entrusted
with devotional
sensation
for
and
time
As for our days
from within all periods of time,
and our temporary homelands
amongst all homelands, here we
22
are with
a
people who are in
complete ignorance of the
Islamic law, not only so but
have volunteered to participants
in part of certain sections in the
Islamic jurisprudence, in result
have extended and widened
within the framework of the
timings of prayer, in result we
have a widened extended
framework within the timings
of prayer. By doing so they
pleasantly
permitted
the
Muslim public to pray at times
which are at other than the
timings of prayer, which
23
assembling
together and also
that its a quality of showing
love to the family of the
prophet Muhammad who
were at high and great
virtue/merit but
also
at
a
possibility of going astray.
Muhammad may
be
pleased with them are all free
and completely exonerated
from this statement they are
24
kept chaste
and safeguarded by
the will of Allah.
25
Islamic
law with the agreement
and approval of the whole
Muslim nation (Ummah).
Whereas when
there
happens
here
in
of prayer, ashappening
been
given
the west, they have
authorization or permission to
combine or gather
Maghrib
and
Ishaa prayer as a necessity, and
this is one of the correct and
sound paths or passages relying
26
on thisissue
upon Islamic
proof, and after general studies
and discussion and different
sayings and statements of
Islamic Scholars.
27
Correcting
the appointed times of prayer:
In
28
known to all
It is
well
general Muslims, that the
entering of the appointed time
of the prayer is a condition for
the prayer to be valid, and that
the entering time for Ishaa
prayer starts when the twilight
begins to disappear as the
Hadith of Abdullah Bin Amr
mentions: that the prophet
said: (( when you pray Fajr it is
the right time until sunrise, then
when you pray Duhr it is the
right time until the time of Asr
arrives, when Asr arrives it is
the right time until the sun
29
disappear,
then when you pray
Ishaa it is the right time until
midnight.)).
There is no
dispute
among
the
entering
of
indicator for
when
the
Ishaa prayer starts
twilight disappears. Whereas if
people find it
impossible
to
view the twilight, in that case
they rely on astronomical
calculations and the regular
31
Accordingly,
the
legal
indicator for knowing the right
time for the Ishaa and Fajr
prayers is impossible in some
countries since it is difficult to
determine and recognize. If we
resort to the recognized
astronomic calculations in
London, which conforms to the
Islamic rulings, they say: then
the twilight time becomes
longer and extends, every time
the summer season arrives until
30
becomes
intertwined with the
time of Fajr prayer and it
remains that way until the 7th
month which is (June) the 22nd.
Then the genuine Fajr appears
nd
to be on the
22
day
at1:31
32
the different
opinions and
schools of thought and this is
what they came to:
33
narrated
by Mujahid, and Salem
Ibn Abdullah, and Ali Ibn
Hussain, and Muhammad Ibn
Ali, and Hassan, and Muqaatil,
and As-Suddi, and Attiyah AlOuffi, AbduAr-razaaq
said
that
34
said: a legally
Ibn Mugsad
valid
excuse
justifies
combining the prayers, but it
does not permit praying before
the appointed right time as the
hadith says which is narrated by
Ahmad in Al-Musnad AsSaheeh and muslim and others,
on the authority of Ibn Abbass
that he said: the prophet
prayed Duhr and Asr combined
in Madinah although it was a
time when there was no fear or
travel, Abu Zubayr said: I asked
Saeed why did he do such?
Saeed replied I asked Ibn
35
saying:
((He did not
want to
burden
anyone from his
Ummah)).
On the authority of Ibn
Abbass May
Allah
be pleased
Muhammadprayed
and
and
Asr together and Maghrib
Ishaa together at a time when
was it
there was no fear
nor
during travel)).
36
Ahmad and
Muslim in the book
of Salah: on the authority of
Abdullah Bin Shaqeeq that he
said, ((Ibn Abbass once gave
us a speech after Asr prayer
until the sunset and the stars
shone above, and people began
panicking calling out prayer,
prayer. A man then turned up
from Bani Tameem who, unlike
the rest of the people who were
panicking was infact quite cool
and was not calling out prayer,
prayer so Ibn Abbass said:
((Are you teaching me the
Sunnah?
37
the
messenger
of Allah
combine
Duhr and Asr, and
Maghrib and Isha. Abdullah
Ibn Shafeeq said: (I felt
uncomfortable with it) so I
approached Aba Hurayrah and
asked him, and
he
confirmed
his statement)).
Scholars
have
said:
38
Annawawi
said
in
his
39
combining
between
two
prayers
the state of residency):
in
Some scholars uphold the
opinion of combining whilst
being in the state of residency
only in the case of necessity for
those who dont
take
itas a
habit, and this is the same
hold,
and
opinion Ibn Sireen
Ashhab from the companions
of Imam Maalik,
saidby AlKhaatiby from Al-Qifaal and
Ashaashy al-Kabeer from the
companions of Imam Ash-
41
Abi-Ishaaq AlShaafi
from
Marwazi by a group of the
companions of this Hadith. Its
been chosen by Ibn Al-Munthir
and it has been confirmed and
supported by the obvious clear
statement by Ibn Abbass: ((He
did not want to burden his
Ummah)).
40
determining
the twilight
and the
of Ishaa prayer in certain
time
countries around Europe, is to
combine Ishaa with Maghrib
when the appointed time for
Maghrib arrives, to ease the
difficulty upon
Muslims
appointed time
for necessity,
then it would have been made
clear to us by the messenger of
Allah since it would not be
42
delay
right to
clarifying a
necessary issue.
43
around
the year, which
means
Ishaa
that
time changes,
therefore it cannot always be a
fixed time (90 minutes) an hour
and a half between Maghrib
and Ishaa or between Ishaa and
Fajr, because
and
the
angles
eastern horizon
is different
to
the angle of the western horizon
therefore its degree and time
change and differ, not only so,
44
but forexample
the time
difference in Ishaa prayer
between Makkah and Riyadh is
half an hour, and between
Makkah and Damaam is more
than half an hour and they are
all in one country, so imagine
the time difference between
Makkah and Europe, or
Makkah and America, or
Makkah and china?.
45
timings
of prayer
are related
connected to other Islamic
and
issues, and it has been made
clear by Sheikh Abdullah Bin
Yusuf Al-Judai in his book
(clarifying the rule of Ishaa
prayer in the
U.K):
the
claim
46
11pm , and
the twilight remains
until after midnight until it
mingles with the whiteness of
morning, we will therefore say:
that whoever delays Maghrib
prayer for a certain reason or
for a necessity until after 11pm,
then he will be required to
make up for Maghrib prayer
since the time of ishaa prayer
has entered according to the
estimated time and caught up
with him, whereas if he delayed
Maghrib prayer until that time
then he has committed a sin,
and whoever embraces Islam
47
certain
category of
scholars,
for a menstruating woman
also
or a woman in childbed they
become clean after 11pm
according to many scholars of
Fiqh, and this is great obvious
difficulty stated
this
by
Fourthly: it is permissible to
act according to a legal
48
concession,
and remain acting
upon it as long as the reason
persists, just like breaking ones
fast during the day in the month
of Ramadan for a necessity like:
e.g. if a person is suffering from
a certain illness, then he is
permitted to remain without
fasting so long as the excuse
persists until the persons illness
is over. Accordingly it was that
combining between two prayers
was a sound permitted legal
concession from the messenger
of Allah.
49
against
Rather, man,
himself will be a witness..
51
is not
permissible
then to
combine between the two
prayers.
Sixthly:
This issue was
acted upon in the early fourteen
hundreds and it was passed on
by Al-Yaaqut Al-Hamawi in
the book (muajam al-buldaan
1/487) in a message written by
Ahmad Bin Fadlan that he
entered the city of Sicily and
did not hear the call (Adhaan)
for Ishaa prayer, he said: so we
headed out of the dome and by
then Fajr prayer was called, so I
50
prayer):
for which
did
prayer
52
53
combining
the prayers
then?
he
replied: he did not was not
strain his ummah (nation). So
this is a proof as to whenever
there is difficulty it is permitted
to combine.
on
54
be pleased
with them that he
said: ((the prophet Muhammad
combined between Maghrib
and Ishaa prayer by calling
Iqama for each of them only
and did not not make (Tasbeeh)
between them.)).
55
combine
Maghriband
Ishaa
one Adhaan and two
with
Iqaamas, call the Adhaan for
Maghrib then the iqaama then
pray Maghrib, then straight on
call the next iqaama and
perform Ishaa
prayer
and
that
is
according to Ashaafi. Anbook of
Nawawi said fromthe
the explanation of Muslim: the
soundest according
to our
companions is that you
combine both prayers with one
Adhaan for the first prayer and
56
57
Tenthly:
58
rule
governing
that permits a
Muslim to pray before the due
time, and does not permit a
fasting person to break his fast
whether it be, he has a valid
excuse or not.
59
The
jurists, or adducing
that which is not in evidence,
whilst originally
according
to
61
brought forth.
proof has
been
60
support
them.
62
It has
been authentically
reported that the prophet
Muhammad did not die until
he had clarified everything
needed in matters related to
religion or worldly affairs, and
this is unanimously agreed
upon by Ahl-asunnah.
63
preponderant
opinions
of
scholars.
July 22nd
).Since
of Fajr
persists until the time
and the time of Ishaa is
causes
squeezed out, and
this
difficulty for people, as the
presence of time is a condition
for obligation of the prayer and
64
65
days
so wesaid:
o
messenger
of Allah will have
enough time to pray a day and a
night on the day that will
appear to be like a year? He
said: no, but estimate its due
time
variably
I say: Scholars have
disagreed about estimation of
of its
prayer time in
terms
quality, quantity and time. And
this
disagreement
and
contradictory
opinion
is
66
the
clemency of the
contraryto
religion of Islam, while the
prophet has left us upon a
clear path whose night and day
are the same, as in the hadith of
al-Irbadh b. Sariya who said,
((The messenger of Allah
gave us a speech which made
eyes flow with tears, and made
the hearts full of fear we said:
o messenger of Allah it is as if
this is a farewell speech so what
is your advice to us?he
replied: the prophet has left
us upon a clear path whose
night and day are the same,
67
whoever
lives after
me shall
witness
great disagreement, so
hold on tight to what you have
learned from my Sunnah and
the Sunnah of those righteous
and guided who shall come
after me.)).
inhis
book
An-Nawawi said
(Al-fitan book of the Dajjal);
the prophet said:
(one
day like
a year, and one day like a
month, and a day like a Friday
and the rest of the days are like
68
that of your
days). The scholars
said: This hadith in its clear
view, and these three long days
upon this estimate according to
this mentioned hadith is a proof
to the statement of the prophet
: (And the rest of his days
are like that of your days).
69
legislator.
They said:
what if
we
did not have this hadith, and
we were left to exercise our
own reasoning, we would have
confined ourselves to times in
regular days.
ofestimate
its
The meaning
is that
due time i.e., (the prayer)
if the time after sunrise until
then
Duhr is the same
everyday
pray Duhr, and when the same
time passes between Duhr and
Asr then pray Asr, and after that
71
when the
same
estimated time
between Asr passes then pray
Maghrib, and the same applies
for Ishaa and Fajr then Duhr
then Asr then Maghrib and so
on until the day ends. As for
the second which is the day that
resembles a month and the third
that resembles a Friday, the
measurement for the first day is
to be estimated just like the
timing of the first day that we
mentioned above and Allah
knows best.
have
said:
that
this
70
abi
Dawud,
and
alMubarakfoori in his book
sunan at-tirmidhi ;) and this
Hadith is specified to that to its
own time, therefore it is not
permissible toapply
it to
our
72
73
May
Correct Prayer
Times
74
75
76
77
78
79
81
80
82
83
84
85
86
IN
EX
87
88
(.. )301
89
INTRODUCTION...7
91