Chapter: The Conditions of the Prayer

Among the prerequisites that must be met before the prayer begins are: the entry of its prescribed time and purification1 from both ritual impurity (hadath) and physical defilement (najasah).

The time for Zuhr starts when the sun passes the meridian and lasts until an object’s shadow equals its length in addition to the meridian shadow. Performing it early is preferable, except in severe heat—even for someone praying alone—or, for those praying in congregation, when the sky is overcast.

Immediately thereafter comes the time for ʿAsr, which continues until an object’s shadow becomes twice its length beyond the meridian shadow, while the time of necessity lasts until sunset. It is recommended to pray it early as well.

Next is the time for Maghrib, which extends until the red twilight disappears; praying it promptly is recommended, except on the night of Jamʿ for a pilgrim in a state of consecration (ihrām) who intends to stop there.

Then follows the time for ʿIshāʾ, which lasts until the second dawn2—the horizontal band of whiteness on the eastern horizon. Delaying it until one-third of the night has passed is preferable if that is not burdensome.

After that comes the time for Fajr, which continues until sunrise, and praying it at its outset is best.

A person is considered to have caught the prayer if he pronounces the opening takbīr3 while its time remains. He must not begin until he is reasonably sure that the time has begun, whether through personal reasoning (ijtihād) or through certain information4. If, after relying on ijtihād, he begins the prayer and later discovers that he started before its time, the prayer counts as a voluntary act; otherwise, it suffices for the obligatory duty.