Prayer Times in Islam According to the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ

This excerpt is taken from the book Ṣaḥīḥ Ṣalāh Nabawī ﷺ, published by Maktabah Dār al-Andalus, authored by al-Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAzīz.

Statement of the Prayer Times​

❀ Allah Almighty says:

إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَّوْقُوتًا
[النساء: 103]

“Indeed, prayer has been enjoined upon the believers at fixed times.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ once offered all five prayers on one day at their earliest times, and on another day at their latest times, then said:

“The time for prayer is between these two times.”

Reference: Muslim, Book of Masājid, Chapter: Times of the Five Daily Prayers: 614

❀ When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about the most beloved deed to Allah, he replied:

الصلاة فى أول وقتها

“Offering prayer at its earliest time.”

Reference: Abū Dāwūd, Book of Prayer, Chapter: Guarding the Times of Prayer: 426 – al-Tirmidhī: 170 – Ṣaḥīḥ

❀ Some people delay the prayer without a valid excuse. This is incorrect, as prayer has been made obligatory at fixed times, so it should be offered accordingly.

Time of Fajr Prayer​

❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

وقت صلاة الصبح من طلوع الفجر ما لم تطلع الشمس

“The time of the Fajr prayer is from the appearance of dawn until the sun rises.”

Reference: Muslim, Book of Masājid, Chapter: Times of the Five Daily Prayers: 612/173

❀ In the morning, two types of light appear:
① The first light rises vertically from the ground towards the sky without spreading.
② The second light spreads horizontally along the horizon.
The time of Fajr begins after the second light appears.

Reference: Ibn Khuzaymah: 3/210, Ḥadīth: 1927 – Mustadrak al-Ḥākim: 1/191, Ḥadīth: 688 (Declared authentic by Imām al-Ḥākim, al-Dhahabī, and al-Albānī)

❀ Prayer should only be offered after the true dawn becomes clear. If one prays upon seeing the first light, that prayer will not be valid.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

أصبحوا بالصبح، فإنه أعظم لأجوركم

“Offer the Fajr prayer when the morning becomes clear, for that increases your reward.”

Reference: Abū Dāwūd, Book of Prayer, Chapter: Time of Fajr: 424 – Ibn Mājah: 672 – Ṣaḥīḥ

Some brothers misunderstood this ḥadīth to mean that Fajr should be prayed in full brightness, whereas many authentic narrations state that the Prophet ﷺ prayed Fajr in darkness.

Sayyidunā Jābir رضي الله عنه said:

والصبح كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يصليها بغلس

“The Prophet ﷺ used to pray the Fajr prayer in darkness.”

Reference: al-Bukhārī, Book of Prayer Times, Chapter: Time of Maghrib: 560 – Muslim: 646

❀ Sayyidunā Abū Barzah al-Aslamī رضي الله عنه said:

كان ينفتل من صلاة الغداة حين يعرف الرجل جليسه، ويقرأ بالستين إلى المائة

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would finish the Fajr prayer when a man could recognize the one sitting next to him, and he would recite sixty to one hundred verses.”

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 547 – Muslim: 647

❀ Whoever prays one rakʿah before sunrise has attained the prayer in its time. The Prophet ﷺ said:

من أدرك من الصبح ركعة قبل أن تطلع الشمس فقد أدرك الصبح

“Whoever catches one rakʿah of Fajr before sunrise has caught the Fajr prayer.”

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 579 – Muslim: 608

Time of Ẓuhr Prayer​

❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

وقت الظهر إذا زالت الشمس وكان ظل الرجل كطوله

“The time of Ẓuhr begins when the sun declines and lasts until a man’s shadow equals his height.”

Reference: Muslim: 612/173

❀ Some people say that Ẓuhr begins only after everything’s shadow becomes one equal length. This contradicts authentic aḥādīth, as the Prophet ﷺ prayed Ẓuhr immediately after the sun declined.

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 540 – Muslim: 618

❀ However, during extreme heat, Ẓuhr should be delayed slightly. The Prophet ﷺ said:

إذا اشتد الحر فأبردوا بالصلاة

“When the heat becomes intense, delay the prayer until it cools.”

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 533 – Muslim: 615

❀ Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه stated that the Prophet’s ﷺ Ẓuhr prayer in summer was when the shade measured between three to five steps, and in winter between five to seven steps.

Reference: Abū Dāwūd: 400 – al-Nasāʾī: 504

❀ This ruling is not limited to travel; it also applies to residence.

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 533–539

Method of Determining the Original Shadow​

❀ A stick is placed upright on level ground before midday. Its shadow decreases until it reaches its minimum at zawāl. This minimum shadow is measured. When the shadow begins increasing in the opposite direction, zawāl has occurred. When the shadow (excluding the original measurement) equals the stick’s height, one mithl is complete.

Another method is also described in detail for accuracy.

Reference: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil by Shaykh Mubashshir Aḥmad Rabbānī حفظه الله: 149

Time of ʿAṣr Prayer​

❀ The time of ʿAṣr is from when the shadow equals one mithl until the sun turns yellow.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

وقت الظهر إذا زالت الشمس... ووقت العصر ما لم تصفر الشمس

Reference: Muslim: 612/173

❀ Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها said that the Prophet ﷺ prayed ʿAṣr when the sun was still high.

Reference: Muslim: 611/170

❀ Sayyidunā Buraydah رضي الله عنه said the sun was clear, bright, and high at the time of ʿAṣr.

Reference: Muslim: 613

❀ One rakʿah before sunset suffices to attain the prayer in time.

من أدرك ركعة من العصر قبل أن تغرب الشمس فقد أدرك العصر

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 579 – Muslim: 608

❀ Delaying ʿAṣr without excuse is a sign of hypocrisy.

تلك صلاة المنافق...

Reference: Muslim: 622

Time of Maghrib Prayer​

❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

وقت صلاة المغرب إذا غابت الشمس، ما لم يسقط الشفق

“The time of Maghrib is from sunset until the twilight disappears.”

Reference: Muslim: 612/174

❀ Sayyidunā Rāfiʿ ibn Khadīj رضي الله عنه said that after Maghrib, there was still enough light to see where an arrow landed.

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 559 – Muslim: 637

❀ Jibrīl عليه السلام led the Prophet ﷺ in Maghrib at the same (earliest) time on both days.

Reference: al-Nasāʾī: 527 – al-Tirmidhī: 149 – Abū Dāwūd: 394 – Ṣaḥīḥ

Time of ʿIshāʾ Prayer​

❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

وقت صلاة العشاء إلى نصف الليل الأوسط

“The time of ʿIshāʾ lasts until the middle of the night.”

Reference: Muslim: 612/173

❀ The Prophet ﷺ preferred to delay ʿIshāʾ.

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 642

❀ He said:

لولا أن أشق على أمتي لأمرتهم أن يصلوها هكذا

“Had it not been difficult for my ummah, I would have commanded them to pray it like this (late).”

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 571 – Muslim: 1452

❀ He ﷺ considered the congregation: if people gathered early, he prayed early; if they delayed, he delayed.

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 560 – Muslim: 646

Regions with Abnormal Day and Night Cycles​

❀ The Prophet ﷺ said regarding the Dajjāl:

He will remain for forty days: one day like a year, one like a month, one like a week, and the rest like normal days.

When asked about prayer on such a long day, he ﷺ said:

“Estimate the prayers.”

Reference: Muslim, Book of Tribulations: 2937

Thus, in regions with abnormal day-night cycles, prayers should be estimated. If there is some distinction between day and night, timings are set accordingly; if not, timings follow the nearest normal region.

Prohibited Times for Prayer​

❀ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

صل صلاة الصبح... ثم أقصر عن الصلاة حتى تطلع الشمس...

Reference: Muslim: 832

Meaning, prayer is prohibited at three times:

① During sunrise until fully risen
② When the sun is at its zenith until it declines
③ During sunset until fully set

❀ However, voluntary prayer after ʿAṣr is allowed if the sun is high and clear.

Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها said:

ما ترك النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم السجدتين بعد العصر عندي ما قط

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 591

❀ Sayyidunā ʿAlī رضي الله عنه said:

نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن صلاة بعد العصر إلا أن تكون الشمس بيضاء نقية مرتفعة

Reference: al-Nasāʾī: 574 – Abū Dāwūd: 1274 – Ṣaḥīḥ

❀ If Fajr or ʿAṣr is delayed until sunrise or sunset begins, wait until completion.

إذا بدا حاجب الشمس...

Reference: Muslim: 829

❀ On Fridays, prayer at zawāl in the mosque is permissible.

❀ In the Sacred Mosque (Ḥaram Makkī), no time is prohibited.

لا تمنعوا أحدا يطوف بهذا البيت...

Reference: Abū Dāwūd: 1894 – al-Nasāʾī: 2927 – al-Tirmidhī: 868 – Ṣaḥīḥ

❀ If prayer was started at a valid time and a prohibited time entered, complete the prayer.

Reference: al-Bukhārī: 556 – Muslim: 608