Ruling on Delaying Ẓuhr Prayer Due to Heat
Written by: Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amini Puri
Question: What is the ruling regarding delaying Ẓuhr prayer due to heat?
Answer:
The narrations which mention delaying the ẓuhr prayer due to intense heat mean to postpone it slightly from its very beginning time only as much as needed. However, in our region, even during winter, ẓuhr is delayed, which is a clear violation of the Aḥādīth. The consensus of the Muslim Ummah is that the time of ẓuhr begins immediately after zawāl (the sun’s decline from its zenith).
✿ Imam Ibn al-Mundhir رحمه الله (d. 318 AH) said:
أجمعوا على أن وقت الظهر، زوال الشمس.
There is consensus that the time of ẓuhr starts with the sun’s decline.
(الإجماع: 36)
Also see: (الأوسط لابن المنذر: 355/2, 326; الإستذكار لابن عبد البر: 1/38; التمهيد لابن عبد البر: 8/71; المبسوط للسرخسي: 1/142; عارضة الأحوذي لابن العربي: 1/255; بدائع الصنائع للكاساني: 1/350; المجموع للنووي: 3/24; فتح الباري لابن حجر: 2/21, and others).
✿ ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما reported:
وقت الظهر إذا زالت الشمس
When the sun declines, the time for ẓuhr begins.
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 612/173)
✿ Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه said:
كنا إذا صلينا خلف رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بالظهائر ، فسجدنا على ثيابنا انقاء الحر
When we prayed ẓuhr behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the scorching heat, we would prostrate upon our garments to avoid the burning ground.
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 542, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 620)
✿ Jundub ibn ʿAbdullāh رضي الله عنه reported:
شكونا إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الصلاة فى الرمضاء ، فلم يشكنا
We complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the ẓuhr prayer in the intense heat, but he did not accept our complaint.
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 619)
✿ ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه wrote to Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī رضي الله عنه:
أن صل الظهر، إذا زاغت الشمس
Pray ẓuhr when the sun declines.
(Muwaṭṭaʾ al-Imām Mālik: 1/7, with a ṣaḥīḥ chain)
