When is a Muslim excused for delaying the prayer beyond its time?
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Question:
When is a person excused, Your Eminence, for delaying the prayer beyond its time?
Answer:
One is excused in times of war... wars that overpower him, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) delayed the Dhuhr and 'Asr prayers on the Day of the Trench until he prayed them after Maghrib, because the war prevented him from performing them on time. The majority of scholars say: one should not delay even in war; he should pray according to his circumstances, even in war. But the correct view is that if the situation overpowers him and the fighting overpowers him, it is permissible for him to delay, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did on the Day of the Trench, and as the Companions did in the battle with the Persians at Tustar. They delayed the Fajr prayer until they prayed it in the late morning, because it coincided with the time of war, when the people were descending upon the city, some at the gates and some on the walls. They were unable to perform the Fajr prayer until they conquered the city, and then they prayed it in the late morning.
The point is: delaying the prayer beyond its time is not permissible except for a valid legal excuse, such as combining the two prayers. A sick person or a traveler combines the Dhuhr and 'Asr prayers, and the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers; this is combining. But delaying the Fajr until the sun rises, or the 'Asr until night, or the Maghrib until after 'Isha', or the 'Isha' until after midnight or after Fajr, this is not permissible. Rather, it is obligatory for him to pray within the time, even if he combines, if he is excused. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. How do you advise people if they are a group? Do you advise them to take turns, where one person works and another performs the obligatory prayer, for example, Your Eminence?
The Shaykh: They can take turns if there is essential work. They take turns so that everyone can pray within the time. This is like the prayer of fear, where one group prays with the imam and then goes to guard, and then the other group comes and prays with him, and praise be to Allah. Similarly, if they are at sea or in any place where there is an urgent need for some people to remain at work, and they must remain there, they pray in congregation, and then when they are finished, the other group prays. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. So, taking turns in such necessary circumstances is permissible?
The Shaykh: Yes. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may Allah guide you.
When is a person excused, Your Eminence, for delaying the prayer beyond its time?
Answer:
One is excused in times of war... wars that overpower him, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) delayed the Dhuhr and 'Asr prayers on the Day of the Trench until he prayed them after Maghrib, because the war prevented him from performing them on time. The majority of scholars say: one should not delay even in war; he should pray according to his circumstances, even in war. But the correct view is that if the situation overpowers him and the fighting overpowers him, it is permissible for him to delay, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did on the Day of the Trench, and as the Companions did in the battle with the Persians at Tustar. They delayed the Fajr prayer until they prayed it in the late morning, because it coincided with the time of war, when the people were descending upon the city, some at the gates and some on the walls. They were unable to perform the Fajr prayer until they conquered the city, and then they prayed it in the late morning.
The point is: delaying the prayer beyond its time is not permissible except for a valid legal excuse, such as combining the two prayers. A sick person or a traveler combines the Dhuhr and 'Asr prayers, and the Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers; this is combining. But delaying the Fajr until the sun rises, or the 'Asr until night, or the Maghrib until after 'Isha', or the 'Isha' until after midnight or after Fajr, this is not permissible. Rather, it is obligatory for him to pray within the time, even if he combines, if he is excused. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. How do you advise people if they are a group? Do you advise them to take turns, where one person works and another performs the obligatory prayer, for example, Your Eminence?
The Shaykh: They can take turns if there is essential work. They take turns so that everyone can pray within the time. This is like the prayer of fear, where one group prays with the imam and then goes to guard, and then the other group comes and prays with him, and praise be to Allah. Similarly, if they are at sea or in any place where there is an urgent need for some people to remain at work, and they must remain there, they pray in congregation, and then when they are finished, the other group prays. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. So, taking turns in such necessary circumstances is permissible?
The Shaykh: Yes. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may Allah guide you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.