Praying Fajr

Praying Fajr reflects how much you love Allah the Almighty
The happiness of that guy was tremendous when a well-known company accepted him to work for it. He was over the moon as he was the only accepted candidate.

He signed the contract that implies that he should agree on respecting the company working hours, delivering weekly reports about his work and activities, and accepting to be punished for any delinquency ..... read more

Soon later, the guy met his manager and said to him, "From tomorrow onwards, I will not come in time. And I will not deliver my weekly reports in time either; instead they will be delayed for a while. In spite of all that, I will not allow you to punish me, and you don't have the right to kick me out from work."

If we imagine such a situation, we will laugh at the behaviour of that guy. No-one will see him but an insane and a fool person. How come can someone want to take his rights whereas he is not committed to his own obligations?!

So, why most of us do the same strange action or even worse?
(As we commit a worse sin against the Law of Allah the Almighty.) How can a sane person allow himself to enjoy all Allah's graces: such as food, drink, clothes and life pleasures; whereas he doesn't offer Allah the simplest obligatory He obligates him to do, viz. Praying?!
And even if he prays, then he doesn't pray in time or he prays like a rooster (i.e. he prays too hastily and carelessly). He neither complies with his praying nor apprehends what he says.

According to our web site visitors survey in the arabic section of IslamWay.com that included more than 4000 persons:
14% of them never pray Fajr in its time
16% of them rarely pray Fajr in its time
33% of them often pray Fajr in its time
35% of them always pray Fajr in its time


Subhan Allah!! (*) We are not talking about jurisprudence about which scholars disagreed or even a Sunnah that one has a choice to do or not. We are talking about ABC Islam. We are talking about praying that Allah Almighty obligates on all Muslims - whatever their conditions are.

When Allah the Almighty ordered Muslims to pray He warned those who delay the prayer after its designated time, saying:

"So woe to the worshippers Who are neglectful Of their prayers" [Surat Al-ma'oon 107:4-5]

The interpreters said that what is meant by this verse is delaying prayer after its designated time.They also said : "woe" is a very deep sheer black valley in Hell. Don't we believe in Allah's Words?

A lot of Muslims nowadays neglect Fajr prayer as if they it was not there. That's why they pray it much later than its time. In addition, some of them pray it immediately before the Noon prayer. Others may never pray it even for compensation (Qaddaa). So why all this laziness against what Allah the Almighty deserves? Don't we proclaim that we love Allah the Almighty more than any thing else? Once one of us loves someone a true love, he will be willing to meet him. He may keep thinking of him most of the time. Once he has a date with him, he canNOT sleep until he meets the one he loves. So, do those lazy prayers who do not pray Fajr prayer really love Allah? Do they really respect His Orders? Are they willing to meet Him?.

Let's imagine that a multi-millionaire offered one of his employees $1000 every day, just on one condition, viz. the employee must call daily at his employer's house in the morning as to wake him up then leave. Such a simple task may take the employee 10 minutes only. This marvellously generous offer will be valid as long as the employee keeps awaking his employer regularly. On the other hand, this offer will be cancelled permanently, and the employee will be asked to return all the money he received, if he neglects to awake his employer once without an excuse.

So, if you, my Muslim brother, were that employee , will you neglect to call at your employer's house? Won't you carefully intend to wake up daily to get the one thousand dollar? Won't you - once you failed one morning - try with all means to prove that you were truly unable to wake up?.

Allah has the higher example, so what about you my dear brother towards your Lord, Allah the Almighty? He is the ONLY ONE who gives you your means of living and who bestowed you with every thing, whose blessings on you are utterly much more than millions of dollars daily. It is Him Who says:
"...if you try to count the blessings of Allah , you will fail...." [Surat Ibrahim: 14 : 34]

Doesn't this Lord, the The Most Merciful, the Most Generous deserve that you wake up for Him every morning at about 5.30 a.m. so as to thank Him just in 5 or 10 minutes for His great blessings and his generous favours?


The judgement against those who neglect praying Fajr Prayer in time:
Allah the Almighty says:
"...for such prayers are enjoined on Believers at stated times." [Surat Annesaa: 4 : 103]

• Islam is a comprehensive way of life� It is like an agreement between The Great Lord and His humble servant. According to this agreement, the servant commits to certain obligations before Allah. With respect to these obligations, Allah would grant the servant rights and privileges. It is insensible that you agree to this contract, then, soon afterwards, you do whatever you like and neglect whatever you do not like. Allah Almighty says in the Quran:
  " O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the Evil One; for he is to you an avowed enemy." [Surat Al-baqara: 2 : 208]
  The interpreters said: this means to accept Islam with all its legislation and rules. Allah got exasperated with the people of Israel when they performed what they liked from His religion and neglected the rest. That's why He addresses them saying:
  "�Then is it only a part of the Book that ye believe in, and do ye reject the rest? But what is the reward for those among you who behave like this but disgrace in this life? And on the Day of Judgment they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty. For Allah is not unmindful of what ye do." [Surat Al-baqara: 2 : 85]
  As far as one's punctuality on attending prayers is considered, The Prophet (peace be upon him) sees those who do not punctually attend Fajr (dawn) and Ishaa (night) Salat in congregation as being sheer hypocrites "Munafeqeen". So what do you think of those who do not pray Fajr at all, neither in congregation nor alone (at home)?
  
  
• The Prophet (pbuh) said: "There is no prayer more difficult to attend for hypocrites than Fajr and Ishaa. And if they knew what's in them (i.e. the good reward - thawab) they would attend them even if they had to come crawling." (Narrated by Bukhari)
  
  
• Allah Almighty mentions that He disavows whosoever neglects the obligatory Salat. Besides, The Prophet (pbuh) said: "Do not ever leave Salat on purpose because whoever does so then he is disavowed by Allah and His Messenger." (Narrated by Imam Ahmad)

So do you like, Oh Muslim brother and sister, for the closest one to you to disavow you? So how do you neglect the Salat and cause Allah to be disavow you?


Well....now what have I to do?

• Every one us should set an alarm clock to wake him for Fajr Salat daily.
  
  
• We should give Salat its status in our lives, and we should discipline our jobs according to the Salat regular times. (Unfortunately, we simply do the opposite!)
  
  
• We should sleep early and wake up for Fajr and then leave for work. Soon after Fajr, Allah distributes people's sustenance (Arzaq).
  
  
• Each one of us should seek a good companionship that would call to wake him at Fajr Salat. Moreover, they would help one another to adhere to such a good deed.
  
  
• We should keep on saying our nightly Duaa (that we say just after before going to sleep) asking Allah to help us do our Salat.
  
  
• To feel guilty if we missed a single obligatory Salat. Furthermore, we should vow never to repeat this big sin.

May Allah make us all be among those who truly love Him. May He give us sincerity in both words and deeds. (Amen) Finally, whatever is right in this article then it is a gift from Allah. And whatever mistakes or shortcomings then they are due to myself or Shytan (Satan).

** Written By:
A member of the team work in IANA.

------------------------------------------
(*) Subhan Allah!!: This is an Islamic way of exclamation.

Source: http://english.islamway.com/ .

does one have to pray fajr in the dark (with the lights off)?or is it a personal preference?

Peace taliyya (and others), here is a link regarding fajr prayer among
other things. I thank God I live in a country where I am blasted out of bed
by the call to prayer at dawn.

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ABewley/times.html

Bismillah...


entire article:
Fiqh Summary of the School of the Maliki Masters

(Muhammad al-'Arabi al-Qarawi)


The Prayer


136. What, essentially, is the prayer? Which prayers are obligatory upon
the individual and which prayers are obligatory in a kifaya sense*?



The prayer is an act of drawing near to Allah. It either consists of only an
ihram and salam (the funeral prayer), or a prostration (the prostration for
recitation) or all three (all the remaining prayers). There are five prayers
which are individual obligations, namely, Dhuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, 'Isha', and
Subh. There is only one prayer which is a kifaya obligation and that is the
funeral prayer.

*[What is meant by a kifaya obligation is an act which is obligatory on the
community as a whole. As soon as the act is undertaken by some
members of the community, it ceases to be an obligation on the other
members of the community].

Times of the Prayer

137. How many times are there for each prayer?


Each obligatory prayer has two times:

Its Ikhtiyari time: This is the time in which everyone must perform the
prayer (unless he has a valid excuse for delaying his prayer beyond this
time). A person is permitted to pray whenever he wishes within this time
- he is free to pray at the beginning of the ihktiyari time or to delay his
prayer to the end of the ikhtiyari time, and incurs no sin in doing so.

Its Daruri time: It is not permitted for a person to delay his prayer to this
time unless he has a valid excuse. If he has no excuse, then he incurs a
sin by delaying his prayer to this time. Unlike the ikhtiyari time, a person
cannot choose which part of the daruri time he prays in - he must
perform his prayer as soon the excuse preventing him from praying has
gone (If, for example, his excuse was sleep, he must pray as soon as he
wakes up and purifies himself).

138. What is the ikhtiyari time for each prayer?


Dhuhr: The ikhtiyari time of Dhuhr starts at the moment that the sun
begins to decline from its zenith (in other words, as soon as the shadows
begin to lengthen after midday), and finishes when the length of a
person's shadow has increased (from the length that it had at midday) by
a length equal to his height. A person's height is generally reckoned to be
seven of his foot-lengths or four of his cubits (the length of his upper
arm, from his elbow to the tips of his fingers). So, for example, if the
length of a person's shadow was three of his foot-lengths at midday, then
the end of the ikhtiyari time of Dhuhr would be when the length of his
shadow reached ten foot-lengths (three at midday plus seven for his
height).

[NOTE: The length of shadow at midday varies according to the time of
year and the distance a person is from the Equator. In the northern
hemisphere, it tends to be longer in the winter months (such as
December) and in the southern hemisphere, it tends to be longer in the
summer months (such as June). Additionally, the further one gets from
the Equator, the longer the shadows tend to be.]

'Asr: The ikhtiyari time of 'Asr is from the time that a person's shadow is
the same length as his height (plus the midday shadow) until the
yellowing of the sun (this is the time when the rays of the sun paint the
walls and ground of the Earth in a yellowy colour. This normally occurs
between 40 minutes to an hour before sunset).

[NOTE: The ikhtiyari times of Dhuhr and �Asr coincide for the length of
time it takes to pray four rak'ats. However, there is a difference of opinion
as to whether their times coincide at the end of the time of Dhuhr
(immediately before the adhan of 'Asr), or at the beginning of the time of
'Asr (immediately after the adhan of 'Asr). Therefore, according to the
first position, if a person were to pray his 'Asr prayer at the end of the
time of Dhuhr, his prayer would be valid, and according to the second
position, it would not be valid as he prayed it before its time.]

Maghrib: The ikhtiyari time of Maghrib begins when the entire orb of the
sun disappears from the sky and goes below the horizon (i.e. sunset) and
extends for the length of time that it takes for a person to satisfy the
preconditions of the prayer (such as cleaning oneself from filth, purifying
oneself from ritual impurity and covering one's 'awra*). According to the
mashhur position, there is no extension for the ikhtiyari time of Maghrib.
However, it is permitted for the person who has already satisfied the
preconditions of the prayer (i.e. he has already cleaned any filth off his
body and clothes, obtained a state of ritual purity and covered his 'awra)
to delay Maghrib for the amount of time that it would normally take him
to satisfy its preconditions (such as a delay of fifteen to twenty minutes or
so, because it is the time it takes to perform a ghusl that is taken into
account).

[*'Awra normally refers to the part of the body that must be covered in
the prayer, but, in this instance, includes those parts of the body that it is
only recommended to cover for the prayer.]

'Isha': The ikhtiyari time of 'Isha' begins from the moment that the red
twilight disappears from the sky and extends until the end of the first
third of the night.

[NOTE: The night begins with Maghrib and ends with Subh. So, for
example, if Maghrib was at 8.00 PM and Subh was at 5.00 AM, then the
night would be nine hours long and a third of that would be three hours.
Therefore, in this instance, the end of the ikhtiyari time of 'Isha would be
at 11.00 PM]. Unlike the position taken by the Hanafis, it is not necessary
to wait until the white twilight has disappeared in order to pray 'Isha'. ]

Subh: The ikhtiyari time of Subh begins at the moment when true dawn*
breaks and extends until the time of isfar, which is the time in which a
person can no longer see the stars and in which there is enough light for
him to distinguish the faces of other people nearby (when is standing
outside or in a place without a roof). It is also said that the ikhtiyari time
of Subh extends right up until sunrise. Those who take this position
consider Subh to have no daruri time.

[* As opposed to the false dawn, which occurs before the true dawn,
especially in the winter months. The difference is that the false dawn is
when a strip of light appears in the middle of the sky surrounded on all
sides by darkness, remains for a few minutes and then disappears again.
As for the true dawn, that is when light appears at the edge of the
horizon and gradually spreads out until it encompasses the whole sky.]

139. What is the daruri time for each prayer?


Dhuhr: The daruri time of Dhuhr extends from the time that a person's
shadow is the same length as his height (plus the midday shadow) until
sunset.

'Asr: The daruri time of 'Asr extends from the time that the sun first starts
to cast a yellow light on the walls and ground until sunset.*

[* NOTE: Dhuhr and 'Asr share a daruri time - the time from when the sun
first starts to cast a yellow light over the ground until sunset.]

Maghrib: The daruri time of Maghrib starts as soon as its ikhtiyari time
finishes and lasts until the true dawn (i.e. the time of Subh). In other
words, the daruri time of Maghrib begins as soon as the time required for
a person to fulfil the preconditions of the prayer (and pray it) has passed.

'Isha': The daruri time of 'Isha' lasts from the beginning of the second
third of the night until the true dawn.*

[* NOTE: Maghrib and 'Isha' share a daruri time - the time from the start
of the second third of the night until the true dawn (i.e. the start of the
time of Subh).]

Subh: The daruri time of Subh is from the time of isfar until sunrise
(according to the view that Subh has a daruri time).


140. What does a person do when circumstances prevent him from being
able to accurately determine the time of the prayer?



If circumstances make it impossible for a person to accurately determine
the time of the prayer using the signs mentioned above � such as when
the sun is obscured by clouds, or when it is dark and overcast, or when
there are mountains between him and the setting sun � then he must try
to use other methods in order to establish the time. It is not enough for
him to merely guess at the time � he must be fairly confident that the
time of the prayer has arrived before embarking on the prayer. A possible
method for determining the time could be, for example, the descent of
darkness, in the case of the person whose view of the setting sun is
obscured by mountains; or the finishing of his wird in the case of the
person whose norm it is to always finish his wird (consisting of dhikr,
Quran or voluntary prayers) at the moment that Fajr comes in.

141. Is it enough for a person merely to think it highly likely that the time
of the prayer has come in? What is the ruling if it turns out that his
estimation of the time was wrong?


If a person thinks it highly probable that the time for a prayer has come in
and prays based on that estimation, then his prayer is valid in two out of
three cases. The two instances in which his prayer is valid are the
instance in which he discovers that his estimation was correct, and the
instance in which the rightness or wrongness of his estimation remains
unknown. As for the instance in which it turns out that his estimation was
wrong, his prayer is not valid and he must make it up.

If there remains an element of doubt in the person's mind as to whether
the time of the prayer has entered, then he is not permitted to pray and
has to make up any prayer he prays in that state, even if it turns out that
his estimation of the time of the prayer was correct.

These rulings are for when conditions make it very difficult for a person
to accurately determine the time of the prayer - such as when it is dark
and overcast. If the sky is clear and conditions permit a person to see
whether the time has come in or not, then he is not permitted to pray
based upon an estimation of the time, even if he thinks it highly likely
that his estimation is correct - he must be one hundred percent certain
that the time has come in.

142. When is the best time in which to pray each prayer?.


As a general rule, the best time to pray is at the beginning of the ikhtiyari
time. This is regardless of whether the person is praying on his own or in
a group, and regardless of whether it is Dhuhr that is being prayed or any
other prayer. There are, however, two sets of circumstances under which
it is recommended to delay Dhuhr from the start of its ikhtiyari time to a
slighter later time:

1. In the case of the one who expects a group of people will arrive if he
delays the prayer � or expects to be able to pray in a larger group � it is
recommended for him to delay his Dhuhr prayer until his shadow is a
quarter the length of his height (plus the midday shadow).

2. When it is extremely hot. It is recommended to delay Dhuhr to a time
in which the heat has abated somewhat (when there is a greater amount
of shade). This is generally taken to be when a person's shadow has
lengthened to half the length of his height (plus the midday shadow),
although some say that it is recommended to delay the prayer to even
later.

143. Is it permitted for someone praying alone to delay the prayer?


It is permitted, and indeed recommended, for a person who would
otherwise pray alone, to delay his prayer in order to pray in a group and
so obtain the extra reward*, if he expects or has high hopes that more
people will come if he waits. It is also said that he should pray the prayer
at the beginning of its time, even if he is on his own, and then repeat the
prayer in a group in order to gain the extra reward. This is when the
prayer is one that is permitted be repeated. As for Maghrib, he must pray
it immediately because its time is very short, and he is not permitted to
repeat it.

*A person receives 27 times more reward for praying in a group than he
does for praying individually.

144. How much of the prayer must a person perform in order to catch
that prayer within its time?


If a person prays a complete rak'at of a prayer with both of its
prostrations* within that prayer's time, then he has caught that prayer in
its time, even if the other rak'ats of that prayer fall outside the time. This
ruling applies to both the ikhtiyari time and the daruri time. So, for
example, if a person were to complete a single rak'at of Dhuhr, with its
two prostrations, before the adhan of 'Asr and the rest of the prayer after
the adhan, then he would have caught the prayer in its ikhtiyari time,
even though the majority of the prayer was performed outside it (based
on the position that the shared ikhtiyari time between Dhuhr and 'Asr is
at the end of the time of Dhuhr, not the beginning of the time of 'Asr).
Similarly, if a person were to complete a single rak'at of 'Asr, with its two
prostrations, before the adhan of Maghrib, and then complete the rest of
the prayer after the adhan, he would have caught the prayer in its daruri
time.

A person incurs no sin, even if he has no excuse, for delaying his prayer
until there is only enough time for him to pray a single rak'at of that
prayer in the ikhtiyari time. If he delays his prayer until there is only
enough time left for him to pray a single rak�at of that prayer in the
daruri time, then he DOES incur a sin. However, he is still considered to
be performing that prayer and not making it up, even though a large part
of the prayer is performed outside the time.

[*NOTE: It is obligatory, when the remaining time is very short, that the
person performing the prayer only recites the Fatiha in the first rak'at and
does not recite the sura in order to give himself a better chance of
completing that rak'at within the time. He must not rush so much that he
does not achieve stillness in each position. It is also obligatory on him to
omit the iqama.]

145. What are the excuses with which a person may delay his prayer to
the daruri time without sinning?


There are ten excuses for delaying the prayer until the daruri time:

1. Unbelief. When an unbeliever becomes a Muslim during the daruri
time, he incurs no sin by performing his prayer within that time.

2. Childhood. When a child reaches puberty during the daruri time, he
incurs no sin by performing his prayer within that time.

[NOTE: Even if the child had already prayed the prayer during the ikhtiyari
time before reaching puberty, it would be obligatory for him to pray it
again if he reached puberty before that prayer's (daruri) time had ended.
This is due to the fact that the prayer is not obligatory on a child, so his
performance of an obligatory prayer is like his praying a voluntary prayer
and this does not meet the obligation.]

3. Insanity. When a person recovers from a bout of insanity during the
daruri time, he incurs no sin by performing his prayer within that time.

4. Unconsciousness. When a person regains consciousness or wakes up
from a coma during the daruri time, he incurs no sin by performing his
prayer within that time.

5. Intoxication by something lawful. When a person regains his senses
during the daruri time after a bout of drunkenness brought about by
drinking (or eating) something permitted to him - such as milk which had
become alcoholised without his knowing - then he incurs no sin by
performing his prayer within that time. If he had become intoxicated by
drinking (or eating) something forbidden to him - such as wine - then he
DOES incur a sin by delaying his prayer to the daruri time.

6. Menstruation. When a woman's menstrual period finishes during the
daruri time, she incurs no sin by performing her prayer within that time.

7. Lochia. When a woman's period of post-natal bleeding finishes during
the daruri time, she incurs no sin by performing her prayer within that
time.

8. A lack of that with which one may ritually purify oneself (i.e. pure water
or pure earth). If a person does not find a sufficient quantity of pure water
with which to perform wudu' or the pure earth necessary for the
performance of tayammum until after the daruri time has come in, then
he incurs no sin by performing his prayer within that time.

9. Sleep. If a person wakes up in the daruri time, having slept through the
ikhtiyari time, he incurs no sin by performing his prayer within that time.
It is permitted for a person to go to sleep before the time of the prayer
has come in, even if he knows that it is very unlikely that he will wake up
during that prayer's time. After the prayer's time has come in, however, it
is forbidden for him to go to sleep before praying that prayer, if he thinks
that it is a possibility that he will not wake up until the end of the daruri
time.

10. Forgetfulness. If a person forgets to pray and then remembers during
the daruri time, then he incurs no sin by performing his prayer within that
time.

146. What is the ruling when the excuse preventing a person from
praying departs and there is only enough time left to perform a single
complete rak'at?


If the excuse preventing a person from praying departs before SUNRISE
and there is still enough time left for that person to complete a rak'at of
that prayer with its two prostrations after satisfying the preconditions of
the prayer [by performing ghusl, in the case of the woman whose period
of menstrual or post-natal bleeding had come to an end, or by
performing wudu in the case of the person recovering from a bout of
madness or from unconsciousness. As for the unbeliever who enters
Islam at the end of the daruri time, the length of time needed for
satisfying the preconditions of the prayer is not taken into account in his
case, because he is in control of his state (in that he can become Muslim
at any time) while the others are not], then the Subh prayer remains
obligatory on him.*

[*NOTE: For the majority of the excuses mentioned in the previous
section, if the excuse remains until after the daruri time has passed, then
the obligation of that prayer has passed, and the person does not have to
make that prayer up. The same is true for all prayers that he missed while
in that state. So, for example, if a person were unconscious for two whole
days, he would not be obliged to make up those ten prayers as the prayer
was not a obligation on him while he was in that state. The exceptions to
this are sleep and forgetfulness (excuses 9 and 10) and becoming
intoxicated by drinking something forbidden. In these three instances,
the obligation of the prayer is not lifted and they must make up that
prayer, even if that person slept for a whole week. It is also said that the
person who has no purifying agents (excuse 8) should make up his prayer
(this is discussed in greater detail in section 116 in the chapter on
tayammum)]

In the same way, if the excuse preventing a person from praying departs
before SUNSET and there is only enough time left for that person to
complete a single rak'at (or two or three or four rak'ats, no more), then
only 'Asr is obligatory on him, as the time of Dhuhr has passed.

Similarly, if the excuse preventing a person from praying departs before
Fajr (true dawn) and there is only enough time left for that person to
complete a single rak'at (or two or three rak'ats, no more), then only 'Isha'
is obligatory on him, as the time of Maghrib has passed.*

[*The rule that the Maliki scholars act upon is that "If the time is so short
that there is not enough time to pray both prayers, then the later of the
two prayers that share the same time (i.e. Maghrib and 'Isha, and Dhuhr
and 'Asr) takes precedence." So a person prays 'Asr or 'Isha and leaves
Dhuhr or Maghrib.]

147. What is the ruling when there is enough time left for a person to
perform five rak'ats?


If the excuse preventing a person from praying departs before SUNSET
and there is still enough time left for him to perform five rak'ats (after
satisfying the preconditions of the prayer), then both Dhuhr and �Asr
remain obligatory on him. This is because there is enough time remaining
for him to pray the four rak'ats of Dhuhr and still catch a single rak'at of
'Asr.

Similarly, if the excuse preventing a person from praying departs before
Fajr and there is still enough time left for him to perform four rak�ats,
then both Maghrib and 'Isha' remain obligatory in him. This is because
there is enough time remaining for him to pray the three rak'ats of
Maghrib and still catch a single rak'at of 'Isha'.

148. What is the ruling on the person who, of his own free will and
without a valid excuse, refuses to perform the prayer?


If a person refuses to perform an obligatory prayer, without having a valid
excuse, then his case is brought before the qadi or ruler, who repeatedly
instructs him to pray, threatens him with execution and (beats him if he
thinks that will help). He then has until enough time remains in the daruri
time for him to perform a single rak'at* with its two prostrations in which
to comply if he only owes a single obligatory prayer (such as when he had
prayed Dhuhr, but refused to pray 'Asr). If he still has both Dhuhr and 'Asr
on his conscience, then he has until enough time remains in the daruri
time for him to perform five complete rak'ats in which to comply. If he
still refuses to perform the prayer after this time, then he is executed as a
Muslim, not as an unbeliever. His head is chopped off with a sword as a
hadd punishment.

[*What is meant by " rak'at" is this instance is a rak'at in which there is no
Fatiha, no straightening up (after ruku' or prostration) and no stillness on
each position. This is to give the person who is being ordered to pray as
much time as possible in which to comply.]

This ruling is in the case of the person who does not deny the obligatory
nature of the prayer. As soon as a person denies that the prayer is
obligatory (or even denies that one of its obligatory elements is
obligatory), he has become an unbeliever and has left the fold of Islam.
He is given three days in which to repent. If he repents, then he returns to
the fold of Islam. If he does not repent, then he is executed as an
unbeliever and his wealth is confiscated by the treasury of the Muslims as
booty. The ruling is the same (i.e. he becomes an unbeliever) for the
person who denies the obligatory nature of any of those things that are
well-known to be obligatory in the Deen, such as fasting or zakat, or the
forbidden nature of anything that is well-known to be forbidden in the
Deen, such as fornication and riba.*

[*Some of the scholars make an exception in the case of a person who
has recently become Muslim, as he may not know that zakat, for
example, is obligatory, or that riba is forbidden.]

Forbidden and Disliked Voluntary Prayer

nafila) prayers? During which times is it forbidden to perform these
voluntary prayers?


"Voluntary (nafila) prayers" is the term used to designate all prayers other
than the five daily obligatory prayers. The term includes such prayers as
the funeral prayer (which is a kifaya obligation), the Witr prayer (which is
a strong sunna) and the prayers which a person has made a solemn oath
to Allah to pray*. There are seven times in which it is forbidden to pray
these voluntary prayers:

1. During sunrise.

2. During sunset.

3. During the Jumu'a khutba. This is because it is obligatory to listen to
the khutba and it is impossible for a person to do so while praying
(because it is obligatory on him, while praying, to concentrate on his
prayer). This prohibition is specific to the Jumu'a khutba and does not
apply to the 'Id khutba.

4. After the imam has come out to give the Jumu'a khutba.

5. When there is only a short time remaining in the ikhtiyari time or daruri
time of an obligatory prayer (and the person has still not performed that
obligatory prayer).

6. If a person remembers an obligatory prayer that he had missed, then it
is forbidden for him to pray any prayer (voluntary or otherwise) until he
has made up that missed prayer, for by doing so he is delaying what it is
unlawful to delay. It is obligatory for him to pray that obligatory prayer
the moment he remembers it, even if he remembers it during sunrise or
sunset, or during the khutba.

7. After the iqama has been called for a particular prayer. If the iqama for
a prayer is called, then no prayer is allowed except for the prayer for
which that iqama was given. This is to protect the imam and safeguard
against fitna, for praying a separate prayer is tantamount to attacking the
imam and declaring that you have no confidence in him.

[*If a person makes a solemn oath to Allah that he will pray 100 prayers,
for example, then it is obligatory on him to pray those prayers.]

150. During which times is it disliked to perform voluntary prayers?


There are two times during which it is disliked to perform voluntary
prayers:

1. After the start of the time of Fajr (true dawn). It remains disliked to
perform voluntary prayers until sunrise, and after sunrise until the time
that the sun seems to the eye to have risen to the height of a spear (i.e.
12 hand-spans) above the horizon (approximately 20 minutes or so after
sunrise).

2. After a person has prayed the 'Asr prayer. It remains disliked to
perform voluntary prayers until after Maghrib has been prayed (i.e. in
other words, the dislike is not removed by the adhan of Maghrib. Maghrib
must be prayed before it becomes permitted to perform voluntary prayers
again (without the element of dislike).

151. Which voluntary prayers are exempt from the times of dislike?

There are six voluntary prayers which a person is permitted to pray within
these disliked times without any element of dislike, and they are as
follows:

1.-2. Shaf' and Witr. A person may perform these two prayers without
dislike after the time of Fajr, regardless of whether it is before or after the
time of isfar {NOTE: The ikhtiyari time of Shaf' and Witr is the entire night
after the 'Isha' prayer has been prayed. This time (after the true dawn) is
their daruri time.). A person should pray them before praying his Subh
prayer, even the time of isfar has come in (and even though, by doing so,
he is delaying a prayer further in its daruri time). In fact, even if there only
remains enough time to pray two rak'ats in the time of Subh, a person
should pray his Witr first (as it is only one rak'at) and then pray his Subh
prayer (praying one rak�at inside the time and one rak'at outside the
time).*

[*NOTE: In this instance, a person does not pray the Shaf' prayer and
makes up the Fajr prayer after sunrise; after it becomes permissible to
pray again.]

3. Fajr. The ruling for Fajr is identical to that mentioned above for Shaf'
and Witr. There is no dislike in a person praying the two rak'ats of Fajr
after the start of the time of Fajr, even during the time of isfar. In fact, it
is strongly recommended to pray these two rak'ats (raghiba).

4. -5. The prostration for recitation and the funeral prayer. There is no
dislike in praying these two prayers during the time of Fajr, or after the
time of 'Asr, except during the time of isfar and during the time of the
yellowing of the sun (at the end of the time of 'Asr).
6. A person's wird. These are the prayers that a person regularly
performs, on his own, every night before the time of Fajr comes in (i.e. in
the last third of the night). There are four preconditions that remove the
element of dislike of a person praying these prayers after the start of the
time of Fajr:

1. That he prays them before the time of isfar.

2. That the person's wird is something that he is in the habit of
performing at the end of the night, not something he performs
infrequently.

3. That the reason that the person delayed his wird to the time of Fajr was
on account of sleep (i.e. he slept through his normal time of getting up).

[NOTE: There are two sub-conditions worth mentioning here: (a) That he
did not sleep through his wird on account of laziness (i.e. he woke up,
but could not be bothered getting up and then fell asleep again). (b) That
he had not stayed up so late at night that he did not go to sleep until
shortly before the regular time of his wird (making it very unlikely that he
would be able to wake up for it)].

4. That the act of performing his wird does not cause him to miss praying
the Subh prayer in a group. If he fears that performing his wird will cause
him to miss the group prayer, then it is disliked if he is outside a mosque
and forbidden if he is inside a mosque.

Edited by Jamal Morelli

i read this article. i do have a salaah time table but im confused by something. it doesnt specify the time for Zohr salah. it only has time for zawaal. ive come across many time tables that dont specify the time for Zohr, why is this?

further ive noticed that the time for asr for hanafi and shaafi is different. Hanafi time for asr is 15h30 but shafee is 17h00. why the big discrepency for Asr prayer only.

as for fajr, the time on the timetable is half an hour early before the actual azaan. im not sure if azaan is delayed in this area or not. now im confused as im unsure whether to follow the timetable or the azaan.