If a woman prays in her home a few minutes before the mu'adhdhin's adhan, or if she coincides with the mu'adhdhin in the middle of the prayer, does she have to repeat her prayer or not?
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The questioner : This questioner says: If a woman prays in her home a few minutes before the mu'adhdhin's adhan, or if she coincides with the mu'adhdhin in the middle of the prayer, does she have to repeat her prayer or not? Please give us a ruling. May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : The criterion in prayer is the entry of the time, not the adhan of the mu'adhdhin. This is because some mu'adhdhins may advance slightly before the time, thinking that the time has entered, either by looking at the clock or by other signs, when in fact it has not entered. And some mu'adhdhins may delay after the time by two, three, five, or ten minutes, as is heard nowadays. So the criterion is the entry of the time. If a woman or a man prays before the entry of the time, even by one minute, his prayer is not accepted, meaning the obligatory prayer is not fulfilled by it. This is even if he says the takbir for entering ihram and then the time enters immediately after the takbir of ihram; in that case, the prayer does not become valid as an obligatory prayer, and the obligation is not discharged by it.
An example of this is a man who watches the sun at sunset and sees that most of its disk has set, so he stands to pray Maghrib. When he says the takbir for entering ihram, the rest of the disk disappears. We tell this man that your prayer is not accepted, neither as an obligatory prayer nor as a voluntary one. As for it not being accepted as an obligatory prayer, it is because he said the takbir for entering ihram before the entry of the time. As for it not being accepted as a voluntary prayer, it is because he said the takbir for a voluntary prayer during a time of prohibition, so it is not accepted, because in the times of prohibition, the absolute voluntary prayer that has no specific cause is not valid. This is if he did it out of ignorance. But if he did it intentionally, meaning he knows that the Maghrib prayer is not valid unless the entire sun disk has set, and then he says the takbir for entering ihram for the Maghrib prayer before the entire disk has set, then this man is a sinner, because his action is a mockery of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), meaning a mockery of the Shari'ah of Allah.
In summary, the answer is that we tell this woman: Wait, do not pray before the adhan, and do not rely on an adhan that is before the time. And if you doubt whether this adhan is before the time or at the time, wait until you are certain or until it becomes predominant in your mind that the time has entered. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : The criterion in prayer is the entry of the time, not the adhan of the mu'adhdhin. This is because some mu'adhdhins may advance slightly before the time, thinking that the time has entered, either by looking at the clock or by other signs, when in fact it has not entered. And some mu'adhdhins may delay after the time by two, three, five, or ten minutes, as is heard nowadays. So the criterion is the entry of the time. If a woman or a man prays before the entry of the time, even by one minute, his prayer is not accepted, meaning the obligatory prayer is not fulfilled by it. This is even if he says the takbir for entering ihram and then the time enters immediately after the takbir of ihram; in that case, the prayer does not become valid as an obligatory prayer, and the obligation is not discharged by it.
An example of this is a man who watches the sun at sunset and sees that most of its disk has set, so he stands to pray Maghrib. When he says the takbir for entering ihram, the rest of the disk disappears. We tell this man that your prayer is not accepted, neither as an obligatory prayer nor as a voluntary one. As for it not being accepted as an obligatory prayer, it is because he said the takbir for entering ihram before the entry of the time. As for it not being accepted as a voluntary prayer, it is because he said the takbir for a voluntary prayer during a time of prohibition, so it is not accepted, because in the times of prohibition, the absolute voluntary prayer that has no specific cause is not valid. This is if he did it out of ignorance. But if he did it intentionally, meaning he knows that the Maghrib prayer is not valid unless the entire sun disk has set, and then he says the takbir for entering ihram for the Maghrib prayer before the entire disk has set, then this man is a sinner, because his action is a mockery of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), meaning a mockery of the Shari'ah of Allah.
In summary, the answer is that we tell this woman: Wait, do not pray before the adhan, and do not rely on an adhan that is before the time. And if you doubt whether this adhan is before the time or at the time, wait until you are certain or until it becomes predominant in your mind that the time has entered. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.