Source: Ahkam wa Masail in the Light of the Qur'an and Hadith, Volume 02
❝ عن عبد اللہ بن عمرو رضی اللہ عنھما أن نبی اللّٰہ صلی اللہ علیه وسلم قال وقت الظہر إذا زالت الشمس وکان ظل الرجل کطولہ ما لم تحضر العصر ❞
(Sahih Muslim)
Translation:
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr رضي الله عنهما: The Prophet ﷺ said, "The time for Dhuhr begins when the sun passes its zenith and continues until the shadow of a person becomes equal to his height, provided that the time of Asr has not yet begun."
(Sunan Abu Dawood, Sunan Tirmidhi)
Translation:
Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Jibreel عليه السلام led me in prayer twice at the House (Ka'bah). The first time, he led me in Dhuhr when the sun had just passed its zenith, and he led me in Asr when the shadow of everything had become equal to its length."
❝ ووقت الظھر من زواله إلى بلوغ الظل مثلیه ❞
Translation:
"The time for Dhuhr starts from Zawal (sun’s zenith) and lasts until the shadow of an object equals its length."
According to Imam Tahawi رحمه الله, this is the accepted and practiced view among the people today, and it is upon this opinion that the legal verdict (fatwa) is issued.
◄ End of Dhuhr Time: When the shadow of an object becomes equal to its height, excluding the original shadow.
❖ Question
According to the most authentic opinion, what is the actual time span of Dhuhr prayer?✔ Answer
Alḥamdulillāh! According to the most authentic school of thought, the time for Dhuhr begins from the moment the sun passes its zenith (Zawal) and continues until the shadow of everything becomes equal to its length, excluding the original shadow. This is confirmed by a Hadith from Sahih Muslim:❝ عن عبد اللہ بن عمرو رضی اللہ عنھما أن نبی اللّٰہ صلی اللہ علیه وسلم قال وقت الظہر إذا زالت الشمس وکان ظل الرجل کطولہ ما لم تحضر العصر ❞
(Sahih Muslim)
Translation:
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr رضي الله عنهما: The Prophet ﷺ said, "The time for Dhuhr begins when the sun passes its zenith and continues until the shadow of a person becomes equal to his height, provided that the time of Asr has not yet begun."
➋ Supporting Hadith from Abu Dawood and Tirmidhi
❝ عن ابن عباس قال قال رسول اللّٰہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم أمنی جبریل عند البیت مرتین فصلی بی الظھر حین زالت الشمس وکانت قدر انشراک وصلی بی العصر حین صار ظل کل شئی مثلہ ❞(Sunan Abu Dawood, Sunan Tirmidhi)
Translation:
Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Jibreel عليه السلام led me in prayer twice at the House (Ka'bah). The first time, he led me in Dhuhr when the sun had just passed its zenith, and he led me in Asr when the shadow of everything had become equal to its length."
➌ Juristic Clarification
As stated in Hashiyah Tahtawi 'ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar:❝ ووقت الظھر من زواله إلى بلوغ الظل مثلیه ❞
Translation:
"The time for Dhuhr starts from Zawal (sun’s zenith) and lasts until the shadow of an object equals its length."
According to Imam Tahawi رحمه الله, this is the accepted and practiced view among the people today, and it is upon this opinion that the legal verdict (fatwa) is issued.
➍ Summary
◄ Start of Dhuhr Time: When the sun passes its zenith (Zawal).◄ End of Dhuhr Time: When the shadow of an object becomes equal to its height, excluding the original shadow.
