Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear brother,assalam,Please could you let me know the timings for each prayer. I have read in one book “When the sun rises, abstain from praying, as it rises between the horns of Satan.” Does that means one should avoid praying when sun rises? And I read in a same book, “whoever sleeps through or has forgotten to pray a certain prayer should pray it when he wakes up or remembers the prayer” So is this o.k if one makes up for the morning prayer when the sun rises in case one sleeps through or forgets.And what should one recite when delayed? 

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Answer:

What times are forbidden for prayers

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His  forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Q-1: Please could you let me know the timings for each prayer.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 103:

Indeed, the salaat is a prescribed duty that should be performed at the appointed times by the believers.

Al-Muwatta Hadith

Hadith 1.9

Yahya related that Abdullah ibn Rafi, the slave of Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet (saws) asked Abu Hurayra about the time of the prayer. Abu Hurayra said, "Let me tell you. Pray dhuhr when the length of your shadow matches your height, asr when your shadow is twice your height, maghrib when the sun has set, isha in the first third of the night, and subh in the very first light of dawn," i.e. when the dawn has definitely come.

It is reported in an authentic narration that Hadrat Jibrael himself taught the time and the way to perform the salaah to the Prophet (saws). On the first day, Hadrat Jibrael came and led the Prophet (saws) at the beginning times of each prayer; and on the next day he led the Prophet (saws) at the end times of each prayer. And then Hadrat Jibrael told the Prophet (saws), that the prayers should be performed between these two times. But on both these days, Hadrat Jibrael led the Magrib prayers at the same time, which is immediately after the setting of the sun.

The prayer times are as follows:

Zohr: The time for zohr prayers starts immediate after ‘zawaal’ (when the sun moves in the west direction after the mid-day point). And zohr ends when the shadow of any object is twice the length of the object.

Asr: When the zohr ends, that is the beginning of Asr time, and Asr lasts till the sun begins to set.

Magrib: Starts immediately after the sun has set and lasts till the red-line disappears from the sky and it is dark.

Isha: Starts when the red-line from the horizon disappears and becomes dark. There are two opinion when Isha ends: One is uptil mid-night, and the other opinion is that Isha time ends before the advent of fajr time.

Fajr: Starts when the light of the sun is visible from the east and lasts until just before the sun is seen rising.

If the prayer is prayed between the two bands of beginning and end, it will be considered ‘ada’ prayers. But the Prophet (saws) said it is preferable to perform the prayers at the beginning time, and he himself led the believers in all the prayers at the beginning times in congregation.

Q-2: I have read in one book “When the sun rises, abstain from praying, as it rises between the horns of Satan.” Does that means one should avoid praying when sun rises?

It is forbidden to pray after the morning prayer from the sunrise until the sun has completely risen to the length of a spear above the horizon, and when the sun is at its meridian until it moves sightly to the west, and after the afternoon (asr) prayer until the sun sets.

Abu Sa'eed reported that the Prophet (saws), said, "There is no prayer after the morning prayer until the sun rises." (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)

'Amr ibn 'Abbas related that he said, "O Prophet of Allah, inform me about the prayers." He said, "Pray the morning prayer, and then abstain from prayer until sunrise and the sun has completely risen, for it rises between the horns of Shaitaan. That is when the unbelievers prostrate to it. Then pray, as your prayer will be witnessed and attended to until the shadow of a spear becomes less than its length. At that time stop praying, for at that time the hell-fire is fed with fuel. When the shade comes, you may pray, for your prayer will be witnessed and attended (to by angels) until you pray the afternoon prayer. Then abstain from praying until the sun sets, for its sets between the horns of Shaitaan, and that is when the unbelievers make prostrations to it." (Related by Ahmad and Muslim.)

The times when it is forbidden to pray is when the sun is actually rising till it has completely risen, at exact mid-day, and when the sun is actually setting till it has completely set.

Q-3: And I read in a same book, “whoever sleeps through or has forgotten to pray a certain prayer should pray it when he wakes up or remembers the prayer”

Whoever sleeps through, or has forgotten to pray a certain prayer, should pray it when he wakes up or remembers the prayer.

Abu Qatadah related that sleeping through the prayer time was mentioned to the Prophet (saws), and he (saws) said, "There is no negligence in sleep, but negligence occurs while one is awake. If one of you forgets a prayer or sleeps through its time, then he should pray it when he remembers it."

Recorded by an-Nasa'i and at-Tirmidhi.

Anas related that the Prophet (saws), said, "Whoever forgets a prayer should pray it when he remembers it, and there is no expiation for it save that." (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)

Reported 'Imran ibn Husain, "We went with the Messenger of Allah during the night. When the last portion of the night came, we became tired and fell asleep. We did not wake until we felt the heat of the sun. Some of us tried hurriedly to purify ourselves. The Prophet ordered us to be calm. Then we rode on until the sun had risen and we made ablution. He ordered Bilal to make the call to prayer, and then prayed two rak'ah before the (obligatory) morning prayer. Then we stood and prayed.” (Related by Ahmad).

Q-4: So is this o.k if one makes up for the morning prayer when the sun rises in case one sleeps through or forgets.

If one indeed sleeps through the fajr prayer time, or genuinely forgets to pray; one should pray as soon as one wakes up or remembers it; making sure that the sun has completely risen.

Q-5: And what should one recite when delayed? 

One should recite the fajr prayers in exactly the same manner, whether one has prayed it on time or made up for it later. The only change will be in the intention for prayer, which the believer makes in his heart; for Allah Subhanah is indeed the All Hearing, All Knowing, and knows the intentions of our hearts. Thus when a believers offers his prayers on time, obviously his intention was to offer it on time; and when the believer stands to offer the delayed fajr prayers after its time, his intention is that he is making up for the fajr prayers; and that suffices as an intention for prayer.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan