Nasai

572. Commentary: It is not permissible to begin prayer at the exact time of sunrise or sunset without any reason or cause. However, if one is already engaged in prayer from before, then he should continue, as has been mentioned in ahadith: 551 to 559.

The meaning of those hadiths in which there is mention of prohibition from performing prayer at the time of sunrise, midday, and sunset is that during these times, such supererogatory (nafl) prayers should not be performed for which there is no evidence.

As for those prayers that are established by proof, such as the funeral prayer (salat al-janazah), the two rak‘ahs during the Friday sermon, and the two sunnah of Fajr, etc., then these are permissible even during the prohibited times due to specific evidences.

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Fatawa ‘Ilmiyyah (Tawdih al-Ahkam), vol. 2, p. 77

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In one narration, it is stated that I (Ibn Umar, radi Allahu anhu) do not prevent others from performing prayer at any part of the day or night, but they should avoid performing prayer at the time of sunrise and sunset.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, The Virtue of Prayer in the Mosque of Mecca and Medina: Hadith 1192)
In another narration, the reason for this is stated in these words: Do not designate the time of sunrise and sunset for your prayers, because at that time the sun rises (and sets) between the two horns of Satan.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, The Beginning of Creation, Hadith: 3273)
Similarly, the wording of another narration is that at that time the disbelievers prostrate before the sun.
(Sahih Muslim, The Prayer of the Travelers, Hadith: 1930 (832))
From these narrations, the reason for this prohibition is understood, due to which performing prayer at these times has been forbidden.

(2)
The mutaba‘ah (corroborating narration) mentioned at the end of the hadith has been narrated by Imam Bukhari rahimahullah with a connected chain in the Book of the Beginning of Creation.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, The Beginning of Creation, Hadith: 3272)

Explanation:
The prohibition of performing prayer at the exact time of zenith is established from authentic ahadith. However, it appears that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah did not find any narration in this regard that met his conditions of authenticity.

Hadith Commentary:
The prohibition of performing prayer at the exact time of zenith (zawal) is established from authentic (sahih) hadiths.
However, it appears that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah did not find any narration in this regard that met his conditions of authenticity for inclusion in this chapter.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In one narration, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade performing prayer at the time of sunrise and sunset.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Hajj, Hadith: 1629)
In reality, according to Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah, there are only two prohibited times:
One is after the dawn (Fajr) prayer until sunrise, and the other is after the afternoon (Asr) prayer until sunset.
These times include the exact moment of sunrise and the exact moment of sunset as well. However, the exact time of midday (when the sun is at its zenith) is not included among the prohibited times, even though there are several hadiths regarding it. For example, the hadith of Amr ibn Abasah is in Sahih Muslim, the hadith of Abu Hurayrah is in Ibn Majah and Sunan al-Bayhaqi, the hadith of Sanabihi is in Muwatta Imam Malik, and the hadith of Uqbah ibn Amir is in Sahih Muslim, whose wording is that it is forbidden to pray at the exact time of midday.
There are also some weak hadiths on this matter. On this basis, the three Imams and the majority of hadith scholars have included the time of zenith among the prohibited times.
Imam Malik rahimahullah has taken a contrary position. He says:
I have seen the people of knowledge.
They used to perform prayer at midday with great care.
He mentioned the hadith of Sanabihi, but did not consider it worthy of attention due to its weakness, or because of the practice of the people of Madinah, he did not consider it as evidence.
Imam al-Shafi'i included the time of midday among the prohibited times, but he made an exception for the day of Jumu'ah (Friday).
His reasoning is that the Shari'ah has encouraged coming early to the mosque on Friday and has recommended performing prayer until the Imam arrives, and the Imam comes after the sun has passed its zenith. This means that the exact time of midday is not among the prohibited times for prayer.
(Fath al-Bari: 2/85)
However, this exception for Friday is not established by any authentic hadith.
According to us, in light of multiple hadiths, the prohibited times are five:
• After the dawn (Fajr) prayer until sunrise.
• The exact moment of sunrise.
• After the afternoon (Asr) prayer until sunset.
• The exact moment of sunset.
• The exact time of midday when the sun is at its zenith.
During these times, performing non-causal (ghayr sababi) voluntary prayers (nawafil) is prohibited.
And Allah knows best.
(2)
Some scholars have mentioned a distinction among the disliked times: performing prayer after Asr and Fajr is disliked (makruh), while being engaged in prayer at the exact moments of sunrise and sunset is forbidden (haram), because in the hadiths it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed prayer after Asr; if it were forbidden, why would he do so? Thus, his action is to clarify permissibility.
It should be noted that there is a difference among the scholars regarding the determination of the prohibited time after Asr. According to the majority of jurists, except for make-up (qada) and causal (sababi) prayers, it is absolutely not permissible to perform prayer after Asr.
However, Imam al-Shafi'i rahimahullah has permitted performing the Sunnah of Dhuhr after Asr if it was missed. Nevertheless, according to a group of the Companions (radi Allahu anhum), many of the Tabi'in, and numerous scholars, as long as the sun is high, white, and bright after Asr, voluntary prayer can be performed.
According to them, the prohibition of prayer after Asr is not absolute but is restricted to when the sun becomes yellow.
As is mentioned in the hadith that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade prayer after Asr except when the sun is white, clear, and high.
(Sunan al-Nasa'i, al-Mawaqit, Hadith: 574)
Details regarding this will be mentioned later.
(3)
The prohibition of performing prayer during these prohibited times is with respect to the original times.
Apart from these, there are also a few other occasions when engaging in voluntary prayers is prohibited, such as:
• When the call to commence prayer (iqamah) has been given.
• When the Imam ascends the pulpit for the sermon (khutbah).
(Except if someone enters the mosque at that very time.)
• When the congregational obligatory prayer is being held.
• According to the Malikis, after Jumu'ah until people disperse.
• According to the Hanafis, before the Maghrib prayer, although there is clear evidence for this in the hadith, the details of which we will mention later.
(Fath al-Bari: 2/84)

Hadith Commentary:
To strive and make efforts to attain something is called "taharrī."
The disbelievers who worshipped the sun used to perform their acts of worship with great attention at the times of sunrise and sunset.
The people of faith have been prohibited from being particular about performing prayer at the times of sunrise and sunset, so that there is no resemblance to the disbelievers in any aspect. However, if a person wakes up from sleep during these times, or remembers a missed prayer, then there is no harm in performing it, because it is mentioned in the hadith:
Whoever slept through a prayer or forgot to perform it, then whenever he wakes up or remembers it, he should perform it.
(‘Umdat al-Qari: 4/111)

Hadith Commentary:
Some scholars are of the opinion that the aforementioned hadith narrated from Ibn Umar (radi Allahu anhu) is an explanation of the previous hadith narrated from Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu), meaning that the dislike (karahah) of performing prayer after the Fajr and Asr prayers is for the person who deliberately waits for the time of sunrise or sunset and intentionally performs prayer at those times.
However, if this happens coincidentally, then it is not prohibited.
In support of their position, they have presented the hadith narrated from Aisha (radi Allahu anha), in which she said that Umar (radi Allahu anhu) was under the impression that he was being strict in performing prayer after Fajr and Asr, whereas the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not prohibit performing prayer in an absolute sense, but rather, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) prohibited intentionally performing prayer at the time of sunrise and sunset.
(Sahih Muslim, Salat al-Musafirin, Hadith: 1931, (833))

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: When the sun rises or sets, the worshippers of the sun perform its worship; therefore, Satan and his followers, by raising their heads in front of the sun at these times, are—according to their own assumption—pleased that their worship is being performed. For this reason, in order to protect Muslims from resembling the disbelievers, they have been instructed to refrain from performing prayer (salah) at these times, and not to provide Satan with an opportunity for joy and happiness.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: If a person sits deliberately and consciously after Fajr or after Asr, and when the sun begins to rise or set, he stands up and starts to perform prayer, then this is not permissible. However, if due to some reason there is a delay—for example, he woke up during these times and, without conscious intention, began to perform the Asr or Fajr prayer during these times—then he may complete his prayer, provided that he is able to perform at least one rak‘ah before sunrise or sunset.

1415. Commentary: This hadith is weak. Therefore, performing prayer during the disliked times is certainly impermissible. However, the prostration of recitation (sajdah at-tilawah) is not considered a prayer. Hence, performing the prostration of recitation during the disliked times is permissible.

564. Commentary: That is, it is not permissible to deliberately begin prayer during these times. If someone is already performing prayer, and during that time the sun rises, sets, or reaches its zenith, the prayer will not become invalid; he should continue his prayer.

Hadith Authentication: [وأخرجه البخاري 585، ومسلم 828، من حديث مالك به]
Jurisprudential Explanation:
➊ Voluntary (nafl) prayers without a valid reason are prohibited at the times of sunrise and sunset.
➋ For further jurisprudential benefits, see the previous hadith: 96.
➌ Those who used to perform (nafl) prayers at the time of sunrise and sunset, Sayyiduna Umar radi Allahu anhu would strike them. See: [الموطا 221/1 ح 518 وسنده صحيح]
➍ Obligatory prayers, whether communal (fard kifayah) or individual (fard ayn), and Sunnah prayers are permissible during these prohibited times (according to other evidences). See al-Tamhid [130/14]

Benefit:
In this hadith, two prohibited times for performing prayer have been mentioned. ➊ The time of sunrise. ➋ The time of sunset. ➌ The third time during which performing prayer is forbidden is when the sun is at its zenith (zawal).