His pardon.” This is Mālik’s explicit position, as established in Ibn al-Mawwāz’s book and elsewhere. Some scholars, however, have interpreted his position in al-Mudawwanah as holding that the beginning, middle and end of the prayer’s time are equal in merit, based on his objection to the hadith of Yahyā ibn Sa‘īd: “A person may perform a prayer without having missed its prescribed time, yet the portion of its time that he has missed is of greater worth and merit than his wealth and family.” This interpretation is far-fetched. He objected to it only because its apparent meaning implies that missing part of the prayer’s time is equivalent to missing all of it, as expressed in the hadith of ‘Abd Allāh ibn ‘Umar: “Whoever misses the ‘Asr prayer is as though he has lost his family and wealth.”
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This interpretation can only apply to prayers other than Fajr and Maghrib. As for Maghrib, we have already explained the consensus that praying it at the beginning of its time is best. It is reported that ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azīz delayed Maghrib until one or two stars had appeared, then freed one or two slaves, fearing that he had been heedless or remiss after sunset. As for Fajr, Mālik explicitly stated in Ashhab’s transmission that praying it while it is still dark is preferable to praying it when daylight has spread, because this was the Messenger of Allah’s consistent practice, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. ‘Ā’ishah, may Allah Most High be pleased with her, said: “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would pray Fajr, and the women would depart wrapped in their cloaks, unrecognizable in the darkness.” It is therefore far-fetched to interpret Mālik’s words contrary to his explicit statement. Ziyād also related from Mālik that praying alone at the beginning of Fajr’s time is better than praying in congregation at its end.
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Mālik’s followers agreed that it is not permissible to delay prayer beyond its preferred, recommended time into the subsequent time of necessity, except out of necessity. The preferred time ends when the shadow reaches one body-length for Zuhr and two body-lengths for ‘Asr [or while the sun has not yet turned yellow], and when twilight disappears for Maghrib, according to