Delaying the prayer from its time due to certain military duties
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Q: I am a man who works in military duties that may compel me to delay the prayer from its time, such as the 'Asr prayer, and I am unable to disobey, because the one who disobeys is punished with dismissal or imprisonment, and so on.
A: It is not hidden that the prayer is the pillar of Islam, and that it is the second of its five pillars, and that performing it in its time is among its most important conditions, and that obeying the created in disobedience is not permissible, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Abi Dawud 2625Sahih (Al-Albani) and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Mishkat al-Masabih 3696.
If this is known, then it is obligatory for you to perform the prayer in its time, and not to delay it from it, but it is permissible in case of dire necessity to combine the Zuhr and 'Asr in the time of one of them, and the Maghrib and 'Isha' in the time of one of them, like the traveler and the sick and the like of them. As for delaying the 'Asr until the sun sets, or the 'Isha' until after half the night, this is a matter that is not permissible absolutely.
So it is obligatory for you to take care of this matter, and to present this book of mine to the officials among you, and they will, if Allah wills, do what agrees with the Shari'ah. If they do not comply, then inform us, and we will, if Allah wills, contact the responsible authorities to carry out what is necessary. May Allah guide everyone to what is in the well-being of the affairs of this world and the Hereafter, and guide us all to His straight path.
And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
A: It is not hidden that the prayer is the pillar of Islam, and that it is the second of its five pillars, and that performing it in its time is among its most important conditions, and that obeying the created in disobedience is not permissible, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Obedience is in matters which are good and universally recognized.
إنما الطاعة في المعروفA creature is not to be obeyed when it involves disobedience to the "Creator.”
لا طاعة لمخلوق في معصية الخالقIf this is known, then it is obligatory for you to perform the prayer in its time, and not to delay it from it, but it is permissible in case of dire necessity to combine the Zuhr and 'Asr in the time of one of them, and the Maghrib and 'Isha' in the time of one of them, like the traveler and the sick and the like of them. As for delaying the 'Asr until the sun sets, or the 'Isha' until after half the night, this is a matter that is not permissible absolutely.
So it is obligatory for you to take care of this matter, and to present this book of mine to the officials among you, and they will, if Allah wills, do what agrees with the Shari'ah. If they do not comply, then inform us, and we will, if Allah wills, contact the responsible authorities to carry out what is necessary. May Allah guide everyone to what is in the well-being of the affairs of this world and the Hereafter, and guide us all to His straight path.
And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.