Initially, the time ranges for the prayers are as follows: 1. Fajr (early morning) prayer: From the call of Adhan (prayer annoucement) until ten minutes before sunrise. 2. Zuhr (midday) prayer: From the call of Adhan until ten minutes before the Adhan of Asr prayer. 3. Asr (late afternoon) prayer: From the call of Adhan until ten minutes before sunset 4. Maghrib (sunset) prayer: From the call of Adhan until ten minutes before the Adhan of Isha prayer. Some scholars specify the range to be half an hour from Adhan due to the short time between Maghrib and Isha. 5. Isha (evening) prayer: From the call of Adhan until ten minutes before midnight Ten minutes is just an approximation for the time it takes someone to quickly perform the prayer. While traveling or due to hardship (explained below) one may combine the Zuhr and Asr prayers between the call of Zuhr Adhan until ten minutes before sunset, and Maghrib and Isha prayers between the Adhan of Maghrib until ten minutes before midnight. Also you may shorten Zuhr, Asr and Isha prayers from four rakaats to just two rakaats while traveling. This is based on the following hadith. Abu Musa reported: A man asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) [about the prayer times] but he did reply to him but he commanded Bilal, who made the announcement for the beginning of the time of the fajr prayer when the dawn broke. He offered (the fajr prayer) when a man (due to darkness) could not recognize the face of his companion; or a man could not know the person who stood by his side. He then commanded Bilal who made announcement for the beginning of the time of the Zuhr prayer when the sun had passed the meridian until some said: Has the noon come? While he (the Prophet) knew (the time) well. He commanded Bilal who announced the beginning of the time of the Asr prayer when the sun was white and high. When the sunset came, he commanded Bilal who announced beginning of the time of the Maghrib prayer. When the twilight disappeared he commanded Bilal who announced the beginning of the Isha prayer. Next day he offered the Fajr prayer and returned until we said: Has the sun risen? He observed the Zuhr prayer at the time he has previously observed the Asr prayer. He offered the Asr prayer at the time when the sun had become yellow or the evening had come. He offered the Maghrib prayer before the twilight had ended. He observed the Isha prayer when a third of the night had passed. He then asked: Where is the man who was asking me about the time of prayer. (Then replying to him he said): The time (of your prayer) lies within these two limits. (Abu Dawud) And in another hadith, Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aas reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was asked about the times of prayers; he said: The time for the morning prayer lasts as long as the first visible part of the rising sun does not appear and the time of the noon prayer is when the sun declines from the zenith and it is not time for the afternoon prayer and the time for the afternoon prayer is so long as the sun does not become pale and its first visible part does not set, and the time for the evening prayer is that when the sun disappears and (it lasts) till the twilight is no more and the time for the night prayer is up to the midnight. (Sahih Muslim) Due to hardship, it is mentioned in the hadith that the Prophet (peace be upon him) combined the Zuhr and Asr, and Maghrib and Isha but didnt shorten the prayers the way he does when on a journey. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Allahs Messenger (peace be upon him) combined the Zuhr and Asr (prayers), and the Maghrib and Isha (prayers) in Al-Madinah, without being in a state of fear, nor due to rain. (At-Thirmidhi - Sahih) When Ibn Abbas was asked why he did that, he said so there wont be any hardship on his ummah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) did this once, which means it is an exception. The exception is for those who have a legitimate excuse to combine the prayers and it all depends on the circumstances of each individual Muslim. For example, people in the west may only take one break during their working hours. In that break they pray both Zuhr and Asr prayers combined otherwise they would miss the Asr prayer since they are still at work after Maghrib time. By the time they reach home, it would already be Isha prayers then they combine the Maghrib and Isha. Different people have different excuses so combining the prayers is allowed for such people. Whether they do that at the early time or the later time, both are acceptable. Regarding the traveled distance required to shorten the prayers; we read in the authentic hadiths; it was narrated that Ibn Abbas said: “Allah enjoined the prayer upon the tongue of your Prophet (peace be upon him): Four rakaats while a resident and two rakaats when traveling.” (Ibn Majah - Sahih) In another hadith: Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Abdullah ibn Abbas used to shorten the prayer when he travelled a distance equivalent to that between Makkah and Taif, and that between Makkah and Usfan and that between Makkah and Jeddah. Malik said, That is four mail-stages, and to me that is the most preferable distance for shortening the prayer. Malik said, Someone who intends to travel does not shorten the prayer until he has left the houses of the village. And he does not do it in full until he comes to the first houses of the village, or is nearby. (Muwatta Malik - Sahih) Muslim scholars approximated that distance to about eighty kilometers. However, it is the opinion of many scholars that the distance could be even shorter at long as the person intends to travel then he or she may shorten the three prayers mentioned earlier. Now regarding the number of days that identifies one’s state as a traveler. We read; Narrated `Ikrima that Ibn Abbas said: We stayed for 19 days with Prophet (peace be upon him) on a journey during which we used to offer shortened prayers. He added, We offer the Qasr prayer (i.e. shortened prayer) If we stay up to 19 days as travelers, But if we stay longer, we offer complete prayers. (Al-Bukhari) Again, some scholars specified different time periods and some have even made it open just like the distance, it all depends on whether the person feels like he or she is in a state of traveling. Finally, Islam is already very detailed but there are very minor things that we must conclude for ourselves. Muslim scholars draw these conclusions after studying difference Islamic sources. Allah and His Prophet (peace be upon him) left those things for us to ponder upon. We shouldnt expect Islam to be purely matters that are either black or white.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Mar 2014 21:58:02 +0000
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