Islamic Manual

Forbidden times, disliked times, and combining two prayers

The three times when prayer is forbidden, the times when it is merely disliked, and why two prayers cannot usually be combined.

The three forbidden times
Time What to do
While the sun is actually rising Wait until it is fully up
The moment the sun is exactly overhead (midday) Wait a few minutes until it moves past
Just before the sun sets, while it is going down Wait until it is fully set

A funeral prayer may still be prayed at any of these three moments if that is when the funeral arrives; there is nothing wrong with that.

Other times it is disliked to pray (not forbidden, just best avoided)

  1. Just before Fajr, except for the two sunnah rakats of Fajr itself.
  2. Right after Fajr, until the sun has risen a little (about the height of a spear).
  3. Right after Asr, until the sun sets.
  4. Just before Maghrib.
  5. When there is only a little time left before the next prayer starts; this does not apply to the obligatory prayer of that time itself.
  6. While the iqamah is being called for the obligatory prayer.
  7. During a sermon: the Friday sermon, an Eid sermon, or any other.
  8. Just before the Eid prayer, whether at home or at the Eid ground.
  9. Right after the Eid prayer, if you are still at the Eid ground.
  10. Between the two prayers that are combined at Arafat and at Muzdalifah, during Hajj.

Also disliked, at any time, whatever the prayer

  1. When you need to use the toilet.
  2. When you need to pass gas.
  3. When food has just been served and you are hungry for it, or anything else is in front of you that would pull your mind away from the prayer.

Three moments of the day are forbidden for prayer altogether; beyond those, a longer list of times and situations are merely disliked (makruh).

The three forbidden times
Time Scope
Sunrise: while the sun is in the process of rising All prayer, including missed (qadha) prayers
Noon: the moment the sun is exactly at its zenith All prayer
Sunset: while the sun is going down All prayer

Asr may still be prayed at sunset if it has not yet been offered; it is valid, though disliked to leave it that late. The funeral (janazah) prayer may be offered during any of the three forbidden times, without dislike, if the funeral happens to arrive then.

Disliked for any prayer (Part A)

  1. Before Fajr, except for the sunnah of Fajr itself.
  2. After Fajr, until the sun has risen the height of a spear.
  3. After Asr, until sunset.
  4. Before Maghrib.
  5. When the time remaining before the next prayer is short, except for the obligatory prayer of the current time.
  6. During the iqamah of the obligatory prayer.
  7. During a sermon: Friday, Eid, or any other.
  8. Before the Eid prayer, whether at home or at the place of the Eid gathering.
  9. After the Eid prayer, but only while still at the place of the Eid gathering.
  10. Between the two obligatory prayers combined at Arafat and at Muzdalifah.

Disliked for any prayer: fard, wajib, or voluntary alike (Part B)

  1. When one needs to relieve oneself, whether urination or defecation.
  2. When one needs to pass gas.
  3. After food has been served, particularly when there is a strong appetite for it, or anything else that would distract from concentration in the prayer.

The waqt al-karāhah (times of dislike) fall into two tiers: three moments in which prayer is prohibited outright, and a wider set of situations in which it is merely makrūh.

The three forbidden times
Time Scope
Ṭulūʿ ash-shams (while the sun is rising) All prayer, fard or nafl, current or qadhā
Istiwāʾ (the sun at its exact zenith) All prayer
Ghurūb (while the sun is setting) All prayer

Asr may still validly be offered at ghurūb if it has not yet been prayed, though delaying it that far is disliked. Ṣalāt al-janāzah is exempted from all three: it may be offered during any of them without dislike, since the funeral's arrival is not within anyone's control.

Makrūh for any prayer (A)

  1. Before Fajr, except the sunnah rakʿahs of Fajr.
  2. After Fajr, until the sun has risen the height of a spear (roughly the time it takes the disc to clear the horizon and its glare to settle).
  3. After Asr, until sunset.
  4. Immediately before Maghrib.
  5. Whenever so little of a prayer's time remains that a voluntary prayer would risk running past it; this restriction does not apply to the obligatory prayer of that time itself.
  6. During the iqāmah of the obligatory prayer.
  7. During any khuṭbah: Jumuʿah, Eid, or otherwise.
  8. Before the Eid prayer, whether performed at home or at the muṣallā.
  9. After the Eid prayer, but only for as long as one remains at the muṣallā.
  10. Between the two prayers combined at ʿArafah and at Muzdalifah.

Makrūh for any prayer: fard, wājib, or voluntary alike (B)

  1. When needing to relieve oneself, whether urination or defecation.
  2. When needing to pass wind.
  3. After food has been laid out, especially where there is a strong appetite for it, extended to anything else present that would pull the mind's focus away from the prayer.

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