- 3ed Qualification of Salaah (Time)

Time of Fajr

1) From the break of dawn upto the first ray of sunrise. The break of dawn (Subah Sadiq) is a light which is seen before sunrise from the east and generally gets more lighter and eventually is spread completely across and then it becomes daylight. As soon as this light of the break of dawn is seen, the time of sehri for fasting finishes and the time of Fajr Salaah begins. Before this light a seam of whiteness is seen in the middle of the sky from east to west, and underneath it the whole is area is black. The break of dawn comes from underneath this and spread across to the north and south and gets lighter. The whiteness disappears when the light of dawn starts spreading. The long whiteness is known as Subah Kazab and the time of Fajr does not begin with this [Qazi Khan, Bahar-e-Shariah].

2) (The time of Subah Sadiq is dependent upon the town and country you are in. It is advisable to get the time from the observatory).

3)  For the time of Fajr Salaah wait until the break of dawn starts spreading and it's light can be seen, and the finishing of Sehri and the end of 'Isha Salaah time is as soon as the break of dawn starts, meaning pray the Fajr Salaah at least after the light of the break of dawn can be seen and end the Sehri and the time of 'Isha once the break of dawn occurs [Alamgiri]. 

Time of Dhuhr

1) From Zawal, meaning midday until everything has except for it's original shadow a double shadow. For example, there was a shadow in the afternoon of an item the size of four fingers and the item is actually eight fingers in size, the time of Dhuhr will not finish until the size of the shadow gets to twenty fingers in length.

2) The original shadow is the shadow which occurs exactly at midday. This is when the sun reaches exactly middle of the sky and the distance of east and west is exactly the same. When the sun moves from this position slightly to the east, the time of Dhuhr begins.

3) The recognition of the sun moving is by digging a stick upright into the ground, and then the shadow continues to reduce until it cannot reduce anymore, this is exactly the time of midday and is known as the original shadow, when the shadow starts growing again the time of Dhuhr has begun because the sun has moved.

4) The time of Jum'a is the same as the time of Dhuhr. 

Time of 'Asr

1) As soon as the time of Dhuhr finishes, the time for 'Asr begins. Depending upon the city and country, the length of 'Asr varies.

2) The length of the time of 'Asr is also dependent on the time of the season, i.e. autumn, summer etc. 

Time of Maghrib

1) As soon as the sun sets until the dusk (Shafaq) disappears. Dusk is the twilight that is seen after the redness of the sun has gone and is spread like the whiteness of dawn from east then from north to south [Hidaya, Alamgiri, Khanya].

2) In the UK the length of Maghrib is usually approximately a minimum of two hours and a maximum of two hours and fifteen minutes. The length of the time of Maghrib is exactly the same as the time length of Fajr for that day.

Time of 'Isha 

1)  As soon as the twilight of dusk disappears the time of 'Isha begins until the break of dawn. As well as the twilight of dusk, there is also a twilight seen after this from north to south but the time of 'Isha has begun and the time of Maghrib has ended.

Time of Witr

1) The time of Witr is the same as the time of 'Isha. However, Witr cannot be prayed before the Fardh Salaah of 'Isha, as the sequencing is obligatory. If the Salaah of Witr is prayed purposely before the Fardh Salaah of 'Isha, then the Witr will not count and will have to be prayed again after the Fardh Salaah of 'Isha. However, if the Witr Salaah is prayed before 'Isha by mistake or you have realised that you prayed the 'Isha Salaah without Wudhu and prayed the Witr Salaah with Wudhu, then it is accepted [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Alamgiri].

2) In those countries where the time of 'Isha does not come, then the Qadha of 'Isha and Witr should be prayed [Bahar-e-Shariah]. 

MUSTAHHAB TIMES OF SALAAH 

1) In Fajr, delaying is Mustahhab (Preferred). Meaning when there is good light then start the Salaah. Also Mustahhab time is that you can pray approx. forty to sixty verses of the Qur'an in a clear and distinct manner (tarteel), and after performing Salaam there is enough time left that if there was a fault you could repeat your Wudhu and pray the Salaah again with forty or sixty verses in a clear and concise manner. To delay so much that there is doubt that the sun will rise is Makrooh (disliked) [Qazi Khan etc.].

2) For women it is always Mustahhab to pray Fajr at the beginning time and the rest of the Salaah's prayed after the Jamaat of the males has completed.

3) In winter, early Dhuhr is Mustahhab. In the warm weather it is Mustahhab to pray the Salaah late, whether it is prayed alone or with Jamaat. However, in the warm weather, if the Jamaat of Dhuhr is early, you are not allowed to miss it for the Mustahhab time. The season of autumn is in the same rule as winter, and the season of spring is in the same rule as summer [Radd-ul-Mohtar, Alamgiri].

4) The Mustahhab time of Jum'a is the same as the Mustahhab time of Dhuhr [Hijr].

5) It is Mustahhab to delay the 'Asr Salaah, but not too much that the rays of the sun go deep red and that without any difficulty you could look directly at the sun, the sun shining is not a form of deep redness [Alamgiri, Radd-ul-Mohtar, etc.].

6) It is better that you pray Dhuhr in the first half of it's time and 'Asr in the second half of it's time [Guniya].

7)  From study it is apparent that the sun goes deep red twenty minutes before sunset and also it stays red twenty minutes after sun rise, which is the out of Salaah time [Fatawa-e-Razvia, Bahar-e- Shariah].

8) The clarification of delay is that the time allocated for a particular Salaah is split into two and then the Salaah is prayed in the second half.

9) Except for the days when there is cloud, it is always Mustahhab to start Maghrib quickly, and if the time is delayed for more than the length of two rakats then it is Makrooh-e-Tanzihi. Also, if without cause i.e. travelling, illness etc. if the time is delayed so that the stars can be seen clearly, then this is Makrooh-e-Tahrimi [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Alamgiri, Fatawa-e-Razvia].

10)  It is Mustahhab for 'Isha Salaah to be delayed for the first third part of the time. It is allowed to be prayed after the first half of the time, meaning you prayed the Fardh rakats just before the first half ended, and if delayed that the night had dropped (meaning after the first half) then this it is Makrooh as it would mean missing Jamaat (congregation) [Hijr, Durr-e-Mukhtar, Khaniya].

11) It is Makrooh to sleep before praying the 'Isha Salaah.

12) After the 'Isha prayer it is Makrooh to talk about worldly things, to tell or listen to stories or fables. It is not Makrooh to talk about important issues, to pray the Qur'an, or recite Allah's name, or talk about religious regulations, stories of pious people and to talk with guests. Also, from the break of dawn upto sunrise all types of conversation except to recite the name of Allah is Makrooh [Durr- e-Mukhtar, Radd-ul-Mohtar].

13) If a person is confident in waking up then they should pray the Witr Salaah in the last part of the night just before sleeping and then if they wake up in the last part of the night they should pray Tahajjud, they cannot pray Witr again [Qazi Khan].

14)  During dull and cloudy days it is Mustahhab to pray the 'Asr and 'Isha Salaah early and Mustahhab to delay the other Salaah's.

MAKROOH TIMES

1) Whilst the sun is rising or setting and at exactly midday, at these three times no Salaah is allowed. No Fardh, no Wajib, no Nafl, no Ada (current), no Qadha (expired), no Sajda-e-Tilawat, No Sajda-e- Sahoo. However, if the 'Asr Salaah for that day is still left to pray then you must pray whether the sun is setting, but to delay it for so long is Haram.

2) Sun rising means from the edge of the sun has come out until all the sun has risen and the eye sparkles when directly looked at, and this is a total time of twenty minutes.

3) Midday (Nisfun Nihar) means starting from exact mid sun until the sun drops.

4) The way of finding the exact time of Nisfun Nihar (midday) is to find out what day today the break of dawn started and what time the sun set. Split this into two halves and as soon as the first half ends this is the time of midday until the sun starts dropping from this position. For example, say today the 20th March the sun sets at 6pm and also risen at 6am, then the afternoon started at 12pm, and in the morning at 4.30am the dawn broke. Therefore a total of thirteen and a half hours have occurred between the break of dawn until sun set and so half of it would be six and three quarter hours. The time therefore of Nisfun Nihar would be quarter past eleven and the sun would drop at 12pm, and hence a total of three-quarters of one hour would be the total time when any Salaah would not be allowed.

5) Notice: The above calculation is a mere example and therefore the time would differ according to the city and country and the season. Different destinations and different times show that the approximate time would be twenty minutes and in all places the above method of calculation should be used.

6)  If a funeral (Janaza) is brought at the three prohibited times there is no harm in praying the Salaah. It is not allowed to be prayed when all the funeral is ready beforehand and the time is delayed until the prohibited times start [Alamgiri, Radd-ul-Mohtar].

7) During these three prohibited times it is better if you do not pray the Qur'an, it is better to recite the name of Allah or pray the Durood continuously [Alamgiri].

Twelve times where Nafl Salaah is prohibited 

 It is prohibited to pray Nafl (voluntary) Salaah during twelve times;
1. From the break of dawn (Subah Sadiq) until the sun has risen fully, no Nafl Salaah is allowed, except for the two Sunnahs of Fajr.

2. From when the call to establish rows for congregation (Iqamat for Jamaat) until the Fardh Salaah finishes, to pray a Nafl or Sunnah is Makrooh-e-Tahrimi. However, if the Jamaat of Fajr Salaah has stood up and you know that if you pray the Sunnahs of Fajr you will still be able to join the Jamaat, whether it be in the last sitting position (Qaida) it is necessary that you pray the Sunnahs separately from the rows of Jamaat and then join the Jamaat. If you know that if you start the Sunnahs you will not be able to join the Jamaat but you still start the Sunnahs then this is forbidden and a sin. Except for the Fajr Salaah it is not allowed to start a Sunnah even if you know you can join the Jamaat late when the Iqamat has been called for Jamaat.

3. After praying the 'Asr Salaah until the sun goes red, no Nafl Salaah is allowed.

4. As soon as the sun has set, until the Fardh Salaah of Maghrib has been prayed, no Nafl is allowed [Alamgiri, Durr-e-Mukhtar].

5. From the time in Juma the Imam stands up from his place to perform Khutba until the Fardh Salaah of Juma has been prayed, no Nafl is allowed.

6. At the start of a Khutba (sermon), whether it is the first or the second for Juma, Eids, Kusoof, Istisqa, Hajj or Nikah, all Salaah is not allowed even Qadha Salaah. However, for Sahib-e-Tarteeb (those who have less than five Salaah of Qadha due) at the start of the Juma Khutba, Qadha Salaah is allowed [Durr-e-Mukhtar]. If the Sunnahs of Juma have been started and the Imam stands up for the Khutba, then complete all four rakats of the Sunnah.

7. All Nafl Salaah is Makrooh before the Eid Salaah, whether you pray them at home, Mosque or Eid hall [Alamgiri, Durr-e-Mukhtar].

8. It is Makrooh to pray Nafl Salaah after the Eid Salaah if they are prayed at the Eid hall or Mosque, if they are prayed back at home then they are not Makrooh [Alamgiri, Durr-e-Mukhtar].

9. At Arafat, where the Dhuhr and 'Asr is prayed together, to pray a Nafl or Sunnah in between them or after them is Makrooh.

10. In Muzdalifa, where the Maghrib and 'Isha is prayed joined together, it is Makrooh to pray any Sunnah or Nafl Salaah in between the two Salaah, it is not Makrooh to pray Nafl after the 'Isha Jamaat [Alamgiri, Durr-e-Mukhtar].

11. If the time of Fardh is very short, then all Nafl and Sunnahs including those of Fajr and Dhuhr are Makrooh.

12. Whatever aspect that makes the heart distract and you can relieve yourself from that aspect then all Salaah are Makrooh until you relieve yourself, for example, urination or excretion or to release wind, then these must be performed otherwise the Salaah will be Makrooh. However, if the time is going to finish, then pray the Salaah and repeat it afterwards. Also if food is presented in front of you and you have the desire to eat, or any other aspect that you may have a desire for without which you will not be able to gain satisfaction, then it is necessary to fulfil this desire before praying Salaah otherwise the Salaah will be Makrooh [Durr-e-Mukhtar, etc.].
 

The whole of the time of Fajr and Dhuhr is okay from the start to the end, meaning these Salaah can be prayed at any point within the time and is not Makrooh [Bararaiq, Bahar-e-Shariah].