The Ruling on Prayer in the Times When It Is Prohibited

This questioner from the Republic of Somalia, Mahmoud, asks: Is it permissible for a Muslim to pray a voluntary prayer in some of the times when prayer is prohibited, such as greeting the mosque shortly before the sunset prayer?
Answer: It is permissible for him if the prayer has a cause, such as entering the mosque before the sunset prayer and praying the greeting of the mosque; there is nothing wrong with that. This is because the correct view is that prayers with a cause do not have a prohibited time. Similarly, if the sun were to eclipse after the afternoon prayer, the prayer for the eclipse is prescribed for people. And similarly, if one performs circumambulation after the afternoon prayer in Makkah, if he performs circumambulation of the Ka'bah after the afternoon prayer, it is prescribed for him to pray the two rak'ahs of circumambulation, even after the afternoon prayer. As for prayers without a cause, it is not permissible if he is sitting in the mosque after the afternoon prayer or in his house; he does not pray after the afternoon prayer because it is a prohibited time, or after the dawn prayer, which is a prohibited time. However, if he came to the mosque after the afternoon prayer to pray the sunset prayer, arriving early, he prays the greeting of the mosque. Or if he entered the mosque after the dawn prayer for the sake of a lesson, or for rest in the mosque, or for other reasons, he prays the greeting of the mosque. Yes.