Praying After Waking Up at Sunrise or Sunset
Source: Ahkam wa Masail – Kitab al-Salat, Vol.1, p.110
Question:
If a person wakes up from sleep at the time of sunrise or sunset, is he allowed to perform Salah at those times?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala Rasulillah, amma ba‘d!
Islam provides a clear ruling for one who misses Salah due to forgetfulness or sleep. The guidance is from the statements of the Prophet ﷺ:
◈ Hadith 1
Anas ibn Malik (رضي الله عنه) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about a person who forgets or sleeps through a prayer. He ﷺ said:
«يُصَلِّيهَا إِذَا ذَكَرَهَا»
“He should pray it when he remembers.”
(Ibn Majah, al-Nasai)
◈ Hadith 2
Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«إِذَا أَدْرَكَ أَحَدُكُمْ سَجْدَةً مِنْ صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَغْرُبَ الشَّمْسُ فَلْيُتِمَّ صَلاَتَهُ، وَإِذَا أَدْرَكَ سَجْدَةً مِنْ صَلاَةِ الصُّبْحِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ فَلْيُتِمَّ صَلاَتَهُ»
“If one of you catches a single rak‘ah of ‘Asr before sunset, he should complete his prayer. And if one of you catches a single rak‘ah of Fajr before sunrise, he should complete his prayer.”
(Bukhari – Bab man adraka rak‘ah min al-Fajr; Muslim – Bab man adraka rak‘ah min al-Salah)
◈ Summary
- If a person misses a prayer due to sleep or forgetfulness and wakes up or remembers at sunrise or sunset, he should perform the missed prayer immediately.
- Although these are normally disliked (makruh) times for prayer, the ruling applies only to optional (nafl) prayers.
- For missed Fard prayers, it is permissible—and in fact required—to perform them as soon as one remembers, even during these times.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
