Discussion on the entry of the time for prayer and how it is determined

The Shaykh : This adhan is now a quarter of an hour before the Shari'ah time. Do you know the sundial? There is a gnomon with circles around it. As you know from observation, when the sun rises in the east, the shadow of the gnomon is visible, long, many times the length of the gnomon. Then, as the sun rises higher, its shadow becomes shorter, like this, until you see the shadow stop; it is neither shortening nor lengthening. This is visible to the naked eye in a general, not precise, way. But these circles determine the length and shortness. If we assume that the shadow of the gnomon stops at the first circle, for example, or the second, and you wait, wait, it is neither lengthening nor shortening, this is the time of makruh (disliked). When it begins to lengthen, this is the time of Zuhr. Is this clear?

The questioner : If the shadow disappears?

The Shaykh : The shadow does not disappear in our lands. What disappears is at the equator. At the equator, the shadow of the gnomon is under it. But the process of lengthening and shortening applies. So if at the equator no shadow appears for the gnomon, this is the time of makruh. The explanation will come to you. When the shadow begins on the other side, this is the time of Zuhr for us and for you. Now, that is not what I was focusing on, with the usual differences.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : The closer the region is to the equator, the shorter the shadow; and the farther it is, the longer the shadow. We are now in the north of the equator, in the east. Yemen, for example, is in the south of the equator. So there are real differences known by those who have practiced this. The point is that we now see the shadow stop at one of the circles. Here, the prayer is makruh (disliked), indeed forbidden. If it goes beyond the circle upward, it means the shadow has lengthened, and the time of makruh has entered. Here, they call the adhan when the shadow is standing. We have tried this repeatedly, and I showed some of our brothers with their own eyes. Look for yourselves. The matter does not require intellect, cleverness, or intelligence. It is observed by the eye. And indeed, the difference is a quarter of an hour!

The questioner : O Shaykh, when the shadow is about to shorten... is that the adhan?

The Shaykh : This is the time of makruh (disliked). May Allah reward you!

The questioner : I followed my shadow, or the shadow...

The Shaykh : Any gnomon.

The questioner : Any gnomon. When it coincides and shortens very much, that is the adhan for us.

The Shaykh : This is it, this is what is here.

The questioner : We are the same.

The Shaykh : You are the same, as you remember! Yes, let us return to what we were doing after that long, wide sentence. The interjected sentence. Yes.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : So I said, the first thing that should be considered in combining the hadith and the verse is to say, "And upon you be peace" ... "And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings" ... Welcome.