Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Asalam u alaikum

i have a set of related questions

1. What actually do we mean by ZAWAL WAQT?

2. How many times and when does it occur in a day?

3. Is it true that no Namaaz should be offered during this time?

4.If we offer Fajr prayer after the complete sunrise will it be QAZA and what about the zuhar prayers if offered after the ASAR adan?

please include any details that you think i should know and have missed in the above questions?

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Answer:

What is zawaal time

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Q-1: What actually do we mean by ZAWAL WAQT?

When the term ‘zawaal’ is used in Islamic ‘fiqh’ terminology, it means the exact time when the sun is at its absolute zenith or meridian at mid-day.

Q-2: How many times and when does it occur in a day?

Once a day everyday at mid-day, the sun reaches its zenith or its meridian.

Q-3: Is it true that no Namaaz should be offered during this time?

Amr ibn 'Abbas related that he said, "O Prophet of Allah (saws), inform me about the prayer (times)." He said, "Pray the morning (fajr) prayer, and then abstain from prayer until sunrise and the sun has completely risen, for it rises between the horns of Shaitaan. That is when the unbelievers prostrate to it. Then pray (nawafil), as your prayer will be witnessed and attended to until the shadow of a spear becomes less than its length. At that time stop praying, for at that time (zawaal) the Hell-Fire is fed with fuel. When the shade comes, you may pray (dhuhr), for your prayer will be witnessed and attended (to by Angels) until you pray the afternoon (Asr) prayer. Then abstain from praying until the sun sets, for its sets between the horns of Shaitaan, and that is when the unbelievers make prostrations to it." (Related by Ahmad and Muslim.)

The Messenger of Allah (saws) forbade the believers from offering any ‘salaah’ after the pre-dawn ‘fajr’ prayer untill the sun has completely risen above the horizon, and when the sun is at or near its meridian (zawaal), and after the afternoon (Asr) prayer until the sun has completely set.

The reason the Messenger of Allah (saws) forbade the believers to pray at ‘zawaal’ or near exact mid-point of the sun, is that at this very time, the Hell Fire is fed with fuel. This is the knowledge of the unseen that Allah Subhanah revealed to His Prophet (saws), and he (saws) taught it to the believers. Thus, for a believer, who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day, it is his duty to obey the Messenger of Allah (saws) in every act of his life.

Q-4: If we offer Fajr prayer after the complete sunrise will it be QAZA

Allah Subhanah has Himself Commanded that the believers offer their ‘fajr’ prayer before the rise of dawn; thus praying the ‘fajr’ prayer after sunrise would indeed be considered ‘qada’ or delayed beyond its appointed time.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 103:

Indeed the Salaat is a prescribed duty that should be performed by the believers at (their) appointed times.

Beloved brother in Islam to intentionally miss, or neglect, or delay one’s obligatory prayers beyond its appointed time without an absolutely valid and genuine reason is not even an option in Islam, and would be absolutely unacceptable and impermissible and a grave sin in the Sight of the Lord.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 107 Surah Al-Maun verses 4-5:

4 So woe to the worshippers

5 Who are neglectful of their prayers

Whoever sleeps through or has forgotten to pray a certain prayer should pray it when he wakes up or remembers the prayer. Abu Qatadah related that sleeping through the prayer time was mentioned to the Prophet (saws) and he (saws) said, "There is no negligence in sleep, but negligence occurs while one is awake. If one of you forgets a prayer, or sleeps through its time, then he should pray it when he remembers it."

Related by an-Nasa'i and at-Tirmidhi.

Anas related that the Prophet (saws) said, "Whoever forgets a prayer should pray it when he remembers it, and there is no expiation for it save that."

Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Your Question: and what about the zuhar prayers if offered after the ASAR adan?

Jarir ibn Abdullah narrated that the Angel Jibrael (a.s.) came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and said to him, "Stand and pray," and they prayed the noon (dhuhr) prayer when the sun had just passed its meridian. He then came to him (saws) for the afternoon (asr) prayer and said, "Stand and pray," and they prayed the afternoon (asr) prayer while the length of a shadow of something was similar to the length of the object. Then he came at sunset and said, "Stand and pray," and they prayed the sunset (magrib) prayer when the sun had just disappeared. Then he came at night and said, "Stand and pray" and they prayed the night (isha) prayer when the twilight had disappeared. He came again when dawn broke (and they prayed the morning (fajr) prayer). Then Jibrael (a.s.) came on the next day at noon and said (to the Messenger of Allah (saws)), "Stand and pray," and they prayed the noon (dhuhr) prayer when the length of the shadow of something was close to the length of the object. Then he came for the afternoon prayer and said, "Stand and pray," and they prayed the afternoon (asr) prayer when the shadow of something was twice as long as the length of the object. Then he came at the same time (as the previous day) for the sunset (magrib) prayer, without any change. Then he came for the night (isha) prayer after half (or a third) of the night had passed. Then he came when the sky was very yellow and said, "Stand and pray," and they prayed the morning (fajr) prayer. Then Jibrael (a.s.) said, "Between these times are the times for the prayers.

Related by Bukhari, Ahmad, an-Nasa'i and at-Tirmidhi.

In light of the above guidance, if one prays the prescribed prayer between the two specified periods, their prayer will be considered on-time; and it was the preferred Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) to offer the prescribed obligatory prayers at its earliest times.

The time for offering obligatory ‘dhuhr’ or mid-day prayer starts when the sun has just moved west from its zenith or meridian, and ends when the time for ‘asr’ prayer starts. If one is not traveling, and one offers one’s ‘dhuhr’ prayer after the ‘asr’ time or the adhaan for ‘asr’ has begun, then indeed one’s ‘dhuhr’ prayer would be considered ‘qada’ or delayed.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan