I ask the honorable Shaykh to specify for us the prohibited times in hours, and whether it is permissible to make up voluntary prayers during the prohibited times, such as witr, for example?
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The questioner : This questioner says, "I ask the honorable Shaykh to specify for us the prohibited times in hours, and whether it is permissible to make up voluntary prayers during the prohibited times, such as witr, for example?"
The Shaykh : The prohibited times cannot be specified in hours for all of them, because they are from the dawn until the sun rises the height of a spear. The sun rising the height of a spear is about one-third of an hour after it rises.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Or a quarter of an hour. At the time of zawal, meaning the middle of the day, it is estimated to be about five to ten minutes before zawal. In the late afternoon, from the 'Asr prayer until the setting of the sun, these are the prohibited times. It is not permissible for a person to perform voluntary prayers in them without a cause, such as standing to pray voluntarily without a cause. This is forbidden because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited it. If one does so, his prayer is not valid and is not accepted from him. Rather, if he did it intentionally, he is sinful, and if he did not do it intentionally, he is not sinful, but he has no reward because he prayed at a time when prayer is not performed.
As for voluntary prayers that have a cause, there is no harm in performing them during the prohibited times. For example, if a person enters the mosque after the 'Asr prayer, he prays the greeting of the mosque. Or if a person enters after the 'Asr prayer and has missed the prayer, he stands and prays with him, and he gives him charity by doing so, and there is no harm. Or if it is a prayer of istikharah for a matter that will be missed before the end of the prohibited time, he prays the istikharah, and there is no harm. As for making up the witr, it is not made up during the prohibited times because, I mean, the witr can be made up at times other than the prohibited times, so there is no compelling necessity to make it up during the prohibited time. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you and bless you, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : The prohibited times cannot be specified in hours for all of them, because they are from the dawn until the sun rises the height of a spear. The sun rising the height of a spear is about one-third of an hour after it rises.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Or a quarter of an hour. At the time of zawal, meaning the middle of the day, it is estimated to be about five to ten minutes before zawal. In the late afternoon, from the 'Asr prayer until the setting of the sun, these are the prohibited times. It is not permissible for a person to perform voluntary prayers in them without a cause, such as standing to pray voluntarily without a cause. This is forbidden because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited it. If one does so, his prayer is not valid and is not accepted from him. Rather, if he did it intentionally, he is sinful, and if he did not do it intentionally, he is not sinful, but he has no reward because he prayed at a time when prayer is not performed.
As for voluntary prayers that have a cause, there is no harm in performing them during the prohibited times. For example, if a person enters the mosque after the 'Asr prayer, he prays the greeting of the mosque. Or if a person enters after the 'Asr prayer and has missed the prayer, he stands and prays with him, and he gives him charity by doing so, and there is no harm. Or if it is a prayer of istikharah for a matter that will be missed before the end of the prohibited time, he prays the istikharah, and there is no harm. As for making up the witr, it is not made up during the prohibited times because, I mean, the witr can be made up at times other than the prohibited times, so there is no compelling necessity to make it up during the prohibited time. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you and bless you, O honorable Shaykh.