Explaining the Time of the Last Night Prayer
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Q173: The questioner, M. A., of Syrian nationality, residing in Yemen, says: I am a teacher from the Arab Republic of Syria. I was appointed to a region where the prevailing school of jurisprudence differs from my own, which is the Shafi'i school. In this region where I am, they pray the last night prayer only half an hour after the call to the sunset prayer. I am not convinced of this in my heart, and I have discussed it with them. One of them told me that there is
a hadith stating that the last night prayer is after the red twilight, and that the time is estimated at only half an hour after the call to the sunset prayer. So I pray the last night prayer with them in congregation. Is this action permissible for me, or should I go home and pray the last night prayer after its true time has entered? If it is not permissible for me to pray the last night prayer with them, what is the ruling on my previous prayers? Please inform us, may Allah reward you.
A173: The time for the last night prayer enters after the disappearance of the red twilight, as stated in the hadith. As for what you mentioned about there being only half an hour between the sunset prayer and the last night prayer, I do not imagine that to be the case, unless they are delaying the sunset prayer from after the setting of the sun until only half an hour remains before the disappearance of the red twilight. In that case, the prayer is valid. The important point is that when the red twilight disappears, the time for the last night prayer arrives. If you pray it after the disappearance of the red twilight, it is within its time. As for the sunset prayer, its time enters with the setting of the sun; when the sun sets, the time for the sunset prayer enters. I do not imagine that there would be only half an hour between the setting of the sun and the disappearance of the red twilight, unless they are delaying the sunset prayer from the beginning of its time until only half an hour remains before the disappearance of the red twilight. In that case, they have erred by delaying the sunset prayer from the beginning of its time, even though it is better to pray it at the beginning of
its time. Suppose they pray the sunset prayer in its time, and they pray the last night prayer half an hour after it, as you mention. It is not possible that there would be only half an hour between the setting of the sun and the disappearance of the red twilight. He says: They pray the last night prayer after the disappearance of the twilight. As long as that is the case, they have prayed it in its time. But he mentioned that they delayed the sunset prayer until only half an hour remained between it and the last night prayer. That is what I imagine.
a hadith stating that the last night prayer is after the red twilight, and that the time is estimated at only half an hour after the call to the sunset prayer. So I pray the last night prayer with them in congregation. Is this action permissible for me, or should I go home and pray the last night prayer after its true time has entered? If it is not permissible for me to pray the last night prayer with them, what is the ruling on my previous prayers? Please inform us, may Allah reward you.
A173: The time for the last night prayer enters after the disappearance of the red twilight, as stated in the hadith. As for what you mentioned about there being only half an hour between the sunset prayer and the last night prayer, I do not imagine that to be the case, unless they are delaying the sunset prayer from after the setting of the sun until only half an hour remains before the disappearance of the red twilight. In that case, the prayer is valid. The important point is that when the red twilight disappears, the time for the last night prayer arrives. If you pray it after the disappearance of the red twilight, it is within its time. As for the sunset prayer, its time enters with the setting of the sun; when the sun sets, the time for the sunset prayer enters. I do not imagine that there would be only half an hour between the setting of the sun and the disappearance of the red twilight, unless they are delaying the sunset prayer from the beginning of its time until only half an hour remains before the disappearance of the red twilight. In that case, they have erred by delaying the sunset prayer from the beginning of its time, even though it is better to pray it at the beginning of
its time. Suppose they pray the sunset prayer in its time, and they pray the last night prayer half an hour after it, as you mention. It is not possible that there would be only half an hour between the setting of the sun and the disappearance of the red twilight. He says: They pray the last night prayer after the disappearance of the twilight. As long as that is the case, they have prayed it in its time. But he mentioned that they delayed the sunset prayer until only half an hour remained between it and the last night prayer. That is what I imagine.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.