Authored by: Imran Ayub Lahori
The Beginning Time of Dhuhr Prayer Starts When the Sun Passes the Zenith:
Linguistic Clarification:
The word “صلاة“ is used to denote prayer, supplication, glorification, and mercy, among other meanings. It is a noun derived from the verb form صَلَّى يُصَلِّى (of the taf’il pattern). The word “مُصلَّى“ (place of prayer) is derived from it, and its plural is صلوات.
[al-Qamus al-Muhit, p. 1173; al-Munjid, p. 479]
Technical Definition:
It is the name of a well-known act of worship that consists of bowing and prostration, beginning with the takbir and concluding with taslim.
[Anis al-Fuqaha, p. 67; al-Qamus al-Muhit, p. 1173; al-Fiqh al-Islami wa Adillatuh, 1/653]
Legislation:
Among the evidences for the legislation of prayer are the following:
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينِ حُنَفَاء وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ [البينة: 5]
“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakat.”
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَلَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِيْنَ [الروم: 31]
“Establish prayer and do not be among the polytheists.”
➌
It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
بنى الإسلام على خمس شهادة أن لا إله الا الله وأن محمدا عبده ورسوله وإقام الصلاة وإيتاء الزكوة والحج وصوم رمضان
“Islam has been built on five pillars: the testimony that there is no deity but Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and Messenger, establishing prayer, giving zakat, performing Hajj, and fasting in Ramadan.”
[Bukhari 8, Kitab al-Iman: Chapter on Islam is Built on Five; Muslim 16; Tirmidhi 269; Nasa’i 8/107; Ahmad 2/120; Humaydi 703; Ibn Khuzaymah 308; Abu Ya’la 5788; Ibn Hibban 158; Bayhaqi 4/81; Sharh al-Sunnah 1/64]
Hazrat Anas رضي الله عنه narrates:
“On the night of Mi’raj, fifty (50) prayers were made obligatory upon the Prophet ﷺ. Later, they were reduced to five (5) prayers, after which it was proclaimed:
يا محمد! إنه لا يبدل القول لدى وإن لك بهذه الخمس خمسين
‘O Muhammad! Verily, My word is not changed, and indeed you will have the reward of fifty prayers for these five.’
[Authentic: Sahih Tirmidhi 176, Kitab al-Salah: Chapter on How Many Prayers Were Obligated on the Servants; Tirmidhi 213; Nasa’i 1/221; Ahmad 3/161]
It is narrated from Hazrat Talha bin Ubaidullah رضي الله عنه that a Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said:
“O Messenger of Allah, inform me what Allah has made obligatory on me in terms of prayers?” He ﷺ replied:
الصلوات الخمس إلا أن تطوع
“The five daily prayers, unless you wish to perform additional (supererogatory) prayers.”
[Muwatta 1/175, Kitab al-Nida’ li al-Salah: Chapter on the Comprehensive Encouragement for Prayer; Bukhari 46; Muslim 11; Abu Dawood 391; Ahmad 1/162; Nasa’i 1/226; Bayhaqi 1/361; Abu Awanah 1/310; Mushkil al-Athar 1/356]
