THIRD QUALIFICATION OF NAMAZ - TIME
Time of Fajr
From the break of dawn upto the first ray of sunrise. The break of dawn (Subah Sadiq) is a light which is seen before sunrise from the east and generally gets more lighter and eventually is spread completely across and then it becomes daylight. As soon as this light of the break of dawn is seen, the time of sehri for fasting finishes and the time of Fajr Namaz begins.
Before this light a seam of whiteness is seen in the middle of the sky from east to west, and underneath it the whole is area is black. The break of dawn comes from underneath this and spread across to the north and south and gets lighter. The whiteness disappears when the light of dawn starts spreading. The long whiteness is known as Subah Kazab and the time of Fajr does not begin with this [Qazi Khan, Bahar-e-Shariat].
(The time of Subah Sadiq is dependent upon the town and country you are in. It is advisable to get the time from the observatory).
Rule: For the time of Fajr Namaz wait until the break of dawn starts spreading and it's light can be seen, and the finishing of Sehri and the end of Isha Namaz time is as soon as the break of dawn starts, meaning pray the Fajr Namaz at least after the light of the break of dawn can be seen and end the Sehri and the time of Isha once the break of dawn occurs [Alamgiri].
Time of Zohr
From Zawal, meaning midday until everything has except for it's original shadow a double shadow. For example, there was a shadow in the afternoon of an item the size of four fingers and the item is actually eight fingers in size, the time of Zohr will not finish until the size of the shadow gets to twenty fingers in length.
The original shadow is the shadow which occurs exactly at midday. This is when the sun reaches exactly middle of the sky and the distance of east and west is exactly the same. When the sun moves from this position slightly to the east, the time of Zohr begins. The recognition of the sun moving is by digging a stick upright into the ground, and then the shadow continues to reduce until it cannot reduce anymore, this is exactly the time of midday and is known as the original shadow, when the shadow starts growing again the time of Zohr has begun because the sun has moved. The time of Jum'a is the same as the time of Zohr.
Time of Asr
As soon as the time of Zohr finishes, the time for Asr begins. Depending upon the city and country, the length of Asr varies. The length of the time of Asr is also dependent on the time of the season, i.e. autumn, summer etc.
Time of Maghrib
As soon as the sun sets until the dusk (Shafaq) disappears. Dusk is the twilight that is seen after the redness of the sun has gone and is spread like the whiteness of dawn from east then from north to south [Hidaya, Alamgiri, Khanya]. In the UK the length of Maghrib is usually approximately a minimum of one hour and fifteen minutes and a maximum of one and a half hours. The length of the time of Maghrib is exactly the same as the time length of Fajr for that day.
Time of isha
As soon as the twilight of dusk disappears the time of Isha begins until the break of dawn. As well as the twilight of dusk, there is also a twilight seen after this from north to south but the time of Isha has begun and the time of Maghrib has ended.
Time of Witr
The time of Witr is the same as the time of Isha. However, Witr cannot be prayed before the Farz Namaz of Isha, as the sequencing is obligatory. If the Namaz of Witr is prayed purposely before the Farz Namaz of Isha, then the Witr will not count and will have to be prayed again after the Farz Namaz of Isha. However, if the Witr Namaz is prayed before Isha by mistake or you have realised that you prayed the Isha Namaz without Wuzu and prayed the Witr Namaz with Wuzu, then it is accepted [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Alamgiri].
Rule: In those countries where the time of Isha does not come, then the Qaza of Isha and Witr should be prayed [Bahar-e-Shariat].
MUSTAHHAB TIMES OF NAMAZ
In Fajr, delaying is Mustahhab (Preferred). Meaning when there is good light then start the Namaz. Also Mustahhab time is that you can pray approx. forty to sixty verses of the Quran in a clear and distinct manner (tarteel), and after performing Salaam there is enough time left that if there was a fault you could repeat your Wuzu and pray the Namaz again with forty or sixty verses in a clear and concise manner. To delay so much that there is doubt that the sun will rise is Makrooh disliked) [Qazi Khan etc.].
Rule: For women it is always Mustahhab to pray Fajr at the beginning time and the rest of the Namaz's prayed after the Jamaat of the males has completed.
Rule: In winter, early Zohr is Mustahhab. In the warm weather it is Mustahhab to pray the Namaz late, whether it is prayed alone or with Jamaat. However, in the warm weather, if the Jamaat of Zohr is early, you are not allowed to miss it for the Mustahhab time. The season of autumn is in the same rule as winter, and the season of spring is in the same rule as summer [Radd-ul-Mohtar, Alamgiri].
Rule: The Mustahhab time of .Jum'a is the same as the Mustahhab time of Zohar [Hijr].
Rule: It is Mustahhab to delay the Asr Namaz, but not too much that the rays of the sun go deep red and that without any difficulty you could look directly at the sun, the sun shining is not a form of deep redness [Alamgiri, Radd-ul-Mohtar, etc.].
Rule: It is better that you pray Zohr in the first half of it's time and Asr in the second half of it's time [Guniya].
Rule: From study it is apparent that the sun goes deep red twenty minutes before sunset and also it stays red twenty minutes after sun rise, which is the out of Namaz time [Fatawa-e-Razvia, Bahar-e-Shariat].
Rule: The clarification of delay is that the time allocated for a particular Namaz is split into two and then the Namaz is prayed in the second half.
Rule: Except for the days when there is cloud, it is always Mustahhab to start Maghrib quickly, and if the time is delayed for more than the length of two rakats then it is Makrooh-e-Tanzihi. Also, if without cause i.e. travelling, illness etc. if the time is delayed so that the stars can be seen clearly, then this is Makrooh-e-Tahrimi [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Alamgiri, Fatawa-e-Razvia].
Rule: It is Mustahhab for Isha Namaz to be delayed for the first third part of the time. It is allowed to be prayed after the first half of the time, meaning you prayed the Farz rakats just before the first half ended, and if delayed that the night had dropped (meaning after the first half) then this it is Makrooh as it would mean missing Jamaat (congregation) [Hijr, Durr-e-Mukhtar, Khaniya].
Rule: It is Makrooh to sleep before praying the Isha Namaz.
Rule: After the Isha prayer it is Makrooh to talk about worldly things, to tell or listen to stories or fables. It is not Makrooh to talk about important issues, to pray the Quran, or recite Allah's name, or talk about religious regulations, stories of pious people and to talk with guests. Also, from the break of dawn upto sunrise all types of conversation except to recite the name of Allah is Makrooh [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Radd-ul-Mohtar]
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Rule: If a person is confident in waking up then they should pray the Witr Namaz in the last part of the night just before sleeping and then if they wake up in the last part of the night they should pray Tahajjud, they cannot pray Witr again [Qazi Khan].
Rule: During dull and cloudy days it is Mustahhab to pray the Asr and Isha Namaz early and Mustahhab to delay the other Namaz's.
MAKROOH TIMES
Whilst the sun is rising or setting and at exactly midday, at these three times no Namaz is allowed. No Farz, no Wajib, no Nafl, no Ada (current), no Qaza (expired), no Sijdah-e-Tilawat, No Sijdah-e-Sahoo. However, if the Asr Namaz for that day is still left to pray then you must pray whether the sun is setting, but to delay it for so long is Haram.
Rule: Sun rising means from the edge of the sun has come out until all the sun has risen and the eye sparkles when directly looked at, and this is a total time of twenty minutes.
Rule: Midday (Nisfun Nihar) means starting from exact mid sun until the sun drops.
Rule: The way of finding the exact time of Nisfun Nihar (midday) is to find out what day today the break of dawn started and what time the sun set. Split this into two halves and as soon as the first half ends this is the time of midday until the sun starts dropping from this position. For example, say today the 20th March the sun sets at 6pm and also risen at 6am, then the afternoon started at 12pm, and in the morning at 4.30am the dawn broke.
Therefore a total of thirteen and a half hours have occurred between the break of dawn until sun set and so half of it would be six and three quarter hours. The time therefore of Nisfun Nihar would be quarter past eleven and the sun would drop at 12pm, and hence a total of three quarters of one hour would be the total time when any Namaz would not be allowed.
Notice: The above calculation is a mere example and therefore the time would differ according to the city and country and the season. Different destinations and different times show that the approximate time would be twenty minutes and in all places the above method of calculation should be used.
Rule: If a funeral (Janaza) is brought at the three prohibited times there is no harm in praying the Namaz. It is not allowed to be prayed when all the funeral is ready beforehand and the time is delayed until the prohibited times start [Alamgiri, Radd-ul-Mohtar].
Rule: During these three prohibited times it is better if you do not pray the Holy Quran, it is better to recite the name of Allah or pray the Durood Sharif continuously [Alamgiri].
Twelve times where Nafl Namaz is prohibited
Rule: It is prohibited to pray Nafl (voluntary) Namaz during twelve times;
From the break of dawn (SubahSadiq) until the sun has risen fully, no Nafl Namaz is allowed, except for the two Sunnats of Fajr. From when the call to establish rows for congregation (Iqamat for Jamaat) until the Farz Namaz finishes, to pray a Nafl or Sunnat is Makrooh-e-Tahrimi.
However, if the Jamaat of Fajr Namaz has stood up and you know that if you pray the Sunnats of Fajr you will still be able to join the Jamaat, whether it be in the last sitting position (Qaida) it is necessary that you pray the Sunnats separately from the rows of Jamaat and then join the Jamaat.
If you know that if you start the Sunnats you will not be able to join the Jamaat but you still start the Sunnats then this is forbidden and a sin. Except for the Fajr Namaz it is not allowed to start a Sunnat even if you know you can join the Jamaat late when the Iqamat has been called for Jamaat.
After praying the Asr Namaz until the sun goes red, no Nafl Namaz is allowed.
As soon as the sun has set, until the Farz Namaz of Maghrib has been prayed, no Nafl is allowed [Alamgiri, Durr-e-Mukhtar].
From the time in Juma the Imam stands up from his place to perform Khutba until the Farz Namaz of Juma has been prayed, no Nafl is allowed.
At the start of a Khutba (sermon), whether it is the first or the second for Juma, Eids, Kusoof, Istisqa, Hajj or Nikah, all Namaz is not allowed even Qaza Namaz. However, for Sahib-e-Tarteeb (those who have less than five Namaz of Qaza due) at the start of the Juma Khutba, Qaza Namaz is allowed [Durr-e-Mukhtar].
Rule: If the Sunnats of Juma have been started and the Imam stands up for the Khutba, then complete all four rakats of the Sunnat.
All Nafl Namaz is Makrooh before the Eid Namaz, whether you pray them at home, Mosque or Eid hall [Alamgiri, Durr-e-Mukhtar.
It is Makrooh to pray Nafl Namaz after the Eid Namaz if they are prayed at the Eid hall or Mosque, if they are prayed back at home then they are not Makrooh [Alamgiri, Durr-e-Mukhtar].
At Arafat, where the Zohr and Asr is prayed together, to pray a Nafl or Sunnat in between them or after them is Makrooh.
In Muzdalifa, where the Maghrib and Isha is prayed joined together, it is Makrooh to pray any Sunnat or Nafl Namaz in between the two Namaz, it is not Makrooh to pray Nafl after the Isha Jamaat [Alamgiri, Durr-e-Mukhtar].
If the time of Farz is very short, then all Nafl and Sunnats including those of Fajr and Zohr are Makrooh.
Whatever aspect that makes the heart distract and you can relieve yourself from that aspect then all Namaz are Makrooh until you relieve yourself, for example, urination or excretion or to release wind, then these must be performed otherwise the Namaz will be Makrooh.
However, if the time is going to finish, then pray the Namaz and repeat it afterwards. Also if food is presented in front of you and you have the desire to eat, or any other aspect that you may have a desire for without which you will not be able to gain satisfaction, then it is necessary to fulfil this desire before praying Namaz otherwise the Namaz will be Makrooh [Durr-e-Mukhtar, etc.].
Rule: The whole of the time of Fajr and Zohr is okay from the start to the end, meaning these Namaz can be prayed at any point within the time and is not Makrooh [Bararaiq, Bahar-e-Shariat].
