The Shari'ah Time for Prayer
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa No. ( 18684 )
Q: Every prayer has a specific Shari'ah time, as indicated in the saying of the Exalted:
[An-Nisa 4:103] The disagreement that occurs among us is exemplified by the Fajr prayer, where Group (8) prays according to the schedule set by the Ministry, where the prayer begins in darkness and ends in darkness, while Group (2) delays the time beyond the schedule, basing this delay on the hadiths indicating delaying the Fajr prayer until it is light, as in the hadith of A'ishah , and the hadith of the man asking about the time of prayer ( Sulhān ibn Būḍah from his father.. ) and other hadiths whose mention would be lengthy.. It is known that this group prays Fajr in darkness and exits in the light of dawn. It is also known that Group (2) says: The prayer is invalid at the time in which Group (8) performs it, and they must repeat it based on the evidence mentioned previously. As for Group (8), they say: The time is determined by Shari'ah astronomers, and our prayer is valid. It is also known that the time difference between the prayer of Group (8) and Group (2) is about 20 minutes. So, is what Group (8) does by following the schedule set by the Ministry correct or not? Is their prayer invalid as Group (2) says? Is what Group (2) does and says correct? Must we follow the set schedule despite what was mentioned (regarding the Fajr prayer only)? What is obligatory for us to do in this case? Must we pray with Group (8)
with the intention of a voluntary prayer and then repeat it so that we do not lose the reward of the congregation, as we were told, or do we pray at the set time and nothing is required of us?
A: First: The time for the Fajr prayer is from the appearance of the second dawn until the sunrise, except that it is better to pray it at the beginning of its time in the darkness, as indicated by the authentic and explicit hadiths, including the hadith of Jabir agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim, in which it says:Bulugh al-Maram 2:5 which is: the mixing of the darkness of the end of the night with the light of the first dawn. And the hadith of A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), she said: Sahih al-Bukhari 578 agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim. And other hadiths. As for the hadiths that appear to indicate delaying the Fajr prayer until it is light, the precise scholars interpret them as meaning that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did that occasionally, whereas his consistent practice was to pray in the darkness. It was also said that the meaning of "until it is light" is the confirmation of the appearance of the dawn, and it was said that the meaning is lengthening the recitation in the Fajr prayer until one exits it in the light.
Second: It is not permissible for the disagreement in this issue to be a cause of division, discord, and strife among the Muslims in the same locality. It is obligatory for you all to unite, maintain brotherhood, and cooperate in righteousness and piety, and to strive to act upon the Sunnah and clarify it to people in a good manner, and not to dispute over it. If there is an agreement to pray the Fajr prayer at the beginning of its time, that is the best—as mentioned previously—otherwise, praying in the middle of the time or at the end of it, with unity and brotherhood, is better. If you have a Shari'ah authority that is concerned with determining the times of the prayers, you should follow them in that; to unite the word and to avert the blameworthy disagreement in these matters. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Q: Every prayer has a specific Shari'ah time, as indicated in the saying of the Exalted:
Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times.
إِنَّ الصَّلاَةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَوْقُوتًاwith the intention of a voluntary prayer and then repeat it so that we do not lose the reward of the congregation, as we were told, or do we pray at the set time and nothing is required of us?
A: First: The time for the Fajr prayer is from the appearance of the second dawn until the sunrise, except that it is better to pray it at the beginning of its time in the darkness, as indicated by the authentic and explicit hadiths, including the hadith of Jabir agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim, in which it says:
And the Prophet (ﷺ) used to offer the Fajr prayer when it was still dark.
والصبح كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يصليها بغلسThe believing women covered with their veiling sheets used to attend the Fajr prayer with Allah's Apostle, and after finishing the prayer they would return to their home and nobody could recognize them because of darkness.
كن نساء المؤمنات يشهدن مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم صلاة الفجر متلفعات بمروطهن، ثم ينقلبن إلى بيوتهن حين يقضين الصلاة، لا يعرفهن أحد من الغلسSecond: It is not permissible for the disagreement in this issue to be a cause of division, discord, and strife among the Muslims in the same locality. It is obligatory for you all to unite, maintain brotherhood, and cooperate in righteousness and piety, and to strive to act upon the Sunnah and clarify it to people in a good manner, and not to dispute over it. If there is an agreement to pray the Fajr prayer at the beginning of its time, that is the best—as mentioned previously—otherwise, praying in the middle of the time or at the end of it, with unity and brotherhood, is better. If you have a Shari'ah authority that is concerned with determining the times of the prayers, you should follow them in that; to unite the word and to avert the blameworthy disagreement in these matters. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.