What is the ruling on the Ministry setting the time for the iqamah to be a quarter of an hour after the adhan for Maghrib and 'Isha'?
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The questioner : O Shaykh, the Ministry sets the iqamah to be a quarter of an hour after the adhan, for example, ten minutes or so after the adhan for 'Isha and Maghrib.
The Shaykh : Yes, I do not see anything major wrong with it, because the intention is to designate a time that every person can catch at its beginning. In reality, we now use the clock, whether it is a wristwatch or a pocket watch as they used to be, to know the times. This is a modern means, just as we use this means or the loudspeaker. If it does not contradict the Shari'ah, then it is a blessing from Allah, like other invented means. We ride in a car instead of a mount, and we fly in a plane instead of riding in a car. All these are blessings that bring the far near. This kind of timing or designation, whether a quarter of an hour, five minutes, or something similar, takes into account the difference in time between Maghrib and the time of Maghrib, and between Zuhr and 'Asr, and so on. So I see no harm in that.
The Shaykh : Yes, I do not see anything major wrong with it, because the intention is to designate a time that every person can catch at its beginning. In reality, we now use the clock, whether it is a wristwatch or a pocket watch as they used to be, to know the times. This is a modern means, just as we use this means or the loudspeaker. If it does not contradict the Shari'ah, then it is a blessing from Allah, like other invented means. We ride in a car instead of a mount, and we fly in a plane instead of riding in a car. All these are blessings that bring the far near. This kind of timing or designation, whether a quarter of an hour, five minutes, or something similar, takes into account the difference in time between Maghrib and the time of Maghrib, and between Zuhr and 'Asr, and so on. So I see no harm in that.