Prayer Times

Ubaid ibn Zurarah asked Him, Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام, about the timing of the Dhuhr (noon) and Asr (afternoon) prayers. Imam عليه السلام replied: "When the sun declines (from its zenith), the time for both Dhuhr and Asr begins together, except that this (Dhuhr) is before that (Asr). Then you remain within the time for both of them until the sun sets”.

Zurarah narrated from Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام that He said: "When the sun declines (from its zenith), the times for both Dhuhr (noon) and Asr (afternoon) prayers begin. When the sun sets, the times for both Maghrib (evening) and Isha (night) prayers begin."

Al-Fudail ibn Yasar, Zurarah ibn A'yan, Bukayr ibn A'yan, Muhammad ibn Muslim, and Burayd ibn Muawiyah al-Ijli narrated from Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام and Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام, who said: "The time for Dhuhr (noon) prayer is after the sun's decline (from its zenith) by two feet (shadows), and the time for Asr (afternoon) prayer is after that by two feet (shadows)”.

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "The beginning of the time (for Dhuhr prayer) is at the sun's decline (from its zenith), and it is the initial time decreed by Allah سبحانه وتعالى, and it is the best of them."

Imam عليه السلام said: "The beginning of the time (for prayer) brings the pleasure of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, while the end of it brings the forgiveness of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, and forgiveness is only for a sin."

Imam عليه السلام said: "The merit of performing (prayer) at the earliest time compared to the latest time is better for a believer than their children and wealth."

Zurarah asked Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام about the timing of the Dhuhr (noon) prayer. Imam عليه السلام replied: "It is one arm's length (shadow) from the sun's decline, and the time for Asr (afternoon) is two arm's lengths from the time of Dhuhr, which is four feet from the sun's decline." He then added, "The wall of the Prophet’s Mosque صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم was as high as a person's stature, and when a shadow reached one arm's length, the Dhuhr prayer would be performed, and when it reached two arm's lengths, the Asr prayer would be performed." He then asked: "Do you know why the measure of one and two arm's lengths was set?" I said: "Why was that made so?" Imam عليه السلام said: "It is for the sake of the supererogatory (nafilah) prayers. You may perform the supererogatory prayers from the sun's decline until the shadow reaches one arm's length; when it reaches one arm's length, you begin the obligatory prayer and leave the supererogatory prayer. When it reaches two arm's lengths, you begin the obligatory prayer and leave the supererogatory prayer."

Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام said to Abu Basir: "Whatever they may deceive you about, do not let them deceive you about the Asr prayer. Perform it while the sun is still white and clear, for the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: 'The one deprived of his family and wealth is the one who neglects the Asr prayer.' He was asked: 'What does it mean to be deprived of one's family and wealth?' Imam عليه السلام said: 'It means that he will have no family or wealth in Paradise.' He was asked: 'What does it mean to neglect it?' Imam عليه السلام said: 'By Allah سبحانه وتعالى, it means leaving it until the sun turns yellow or sets.'"

Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام said: "The time for Maghrib (evening prayer) begins when the disk of the sun disappears."

Sama’a ibn Mehran said: "I asked Abu Abdullah عليه السلام about performing the Maghrib prayer, saying, 'Sometimes we pray, fearing that the sun might still be behind the mountain or that the mountain might be covering it from our view.' Imam عليه السلام said to me, 'You are not required to climb the mountain.'

Bakar ibn Muhammad narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام that a person asked him about the timing of Maghrib. Imam عليه السلام said: "Indeed, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Blessed and Exalted, mentions in His Book concerning Ibrahim عليه السلام, 'When the night covered him, he saw a star and said: "This is my Lord عز وجل."' This marks the beginning of the Maghrib time. The end of this time is the disappearance of twilight (Shafaq). The start of the Isha prayer is marked by the fading of the redness (twilight), and its end extends until the middle of the night”.

In the narration of Muawiya ibn Ammar it is stated: "The time for the last Isha prayer extends until one-third of the night”.

It is narrated: "For one who sleeps through the last Isha prayer until the middle of the night, it is obligatory for him to make it up (as Qadha) and he should begin the next day fasting as a form of penance”.

Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Khath'ami narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام that He said: "The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم used to perform the Maghrib prayer, and a group from the Ansar called Banu Salimah, whose homes were at a distance of half a mile, would pray with him. They would then return to their homes while they could still see the marks of their arrows”.

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "Cursed, cursed is the one who delays the Maghrib prayer seeking to gain a supposed additional merit." It was said to him that the people of Iraq delay the Maghrib prayer until the stars become visible, to which he responded, "This is among the acts of the enemy of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Abu al-Khattab”.

Abu Usama Zayd al-Shahham said: "One time, I climbed the mountain of Abu Qubais, and the people were praying Maghrib. I saw that the sun had not completely set; it had only disappeared behind the mountain from the view of the people. I met Abu Abdullah عليه السلام Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام and informed him of this. Imam عليه السلام said to me: 'Why did you do that? It was not a good action. You should perform the Maghrib prayer when you can no longer see the sun behind the mountain, whether it has set or gone down, unless it is obscured by a cloud or darkness that covers it. What concerns you is your eastern horizon and western horizon, and people are not required to investigate further.'"

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "When the sun sets, it becomes permissible to break the fast (if one is fasting) and the Maghrib prayer becomes obligatory. Once you have performed the Maghrib prayer, the time for the Isha (night) prayer begins and extends until midnight."

Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام said: "A designated angel says, 'Whoever neglects the Isha prayer until the middle of the night, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى never allow his eyes to sleep.'"

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "Whoever prays Maghrib and then follows it immediately with the post-prayer (Ta'qeeb) supplication without speaking, and performs two units of prayer (Rak'ahs), they are recorded for him among those in 'Illiyyīn (the highest rank in Paradise). If he prays four units (Rak'ahs), it will be written for him as an accepted pilgrimage (Hajj Mabroor)."

Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام said: "The time for the Jumu’ah prayer on the day of Jumu'ah (Jumu’ah) is at the hour when the sun begins to decline (from its zenith), and its timing is the same in both travel and residence. It is a restricted (fixed) time. The 'Asr (afternoon) prayer on the day of Jumu'ah is at the time of the Dhuhr (noon) prayer on other days."

Ismail ibn Rabah narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-who said: "If you begin praying while you believe that it is within the (correct) time, and the time for the prayer enters while you are in the middle of the prayer, then it suffices for you (the prayer is valid and accepted)."

Sama’a ibn Mehran asked Him about praying during the day or night when neither the sun, the moon, nor the stars are visible. Imam عليه السلام replied: "You exert your own judgment and strive to determine the Qiblah (direction of prayer) to the best of your ability."

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام Al-Farra' that a man from among their companions said to him: "Sometimes the time of prayer becomes unclear for us on a cloudy day." The Imam said: "Do you know these birds that you have in Iraq, which are called roosters (duyook)?" The man replied: "Yes." The Imam said: "When their voices rise and they begin to respond to each other, then at that time, pray."

Al-Hussein ibn al-Mukhtar narrated from Him, Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام, that He (ibn al-Mukhtar) said: "I am the muezzin (the caller to prayer). On a cloudy day, when I cannot ascertain the time (for prayer), Imam عليه السلام said: 'When the rooster crows three consecutive times, then the sun has passed its zenith and the time for prayer has entered.'"

Abu Ja'far, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام, said: "It is more beloved to me to pray after the time (for prayer) has passed than to pray while I am in doubt about whether it is the correct time or before the time (for prayer) has entered."

Muawiya ibn Wahb narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام that He said: "The muezzin would come to The Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم during the intense heat at the time of the Dhuhr prayer, and the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم would tell him, 'Cool down, cool down (abride abride).'"