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.

Forbidden (Ḥarām)must not do

You must never pray while the sun is rising, when the sun is exactly overhead at midday, or while the sun is setting. This includes missed prayers you are making up. The only exception is the Asr of that day, which may still be prayed as the sun sets.

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.
Disliked (Makrūh)better not to

It is disliked, but not forbidden, to pray extra prayers after Fajr until the sun is up, after Asr until sunset, just before Maghrib, while the iqamah is being called, during a sermon, or before and just after the Eid prayer. Any prayer is also disliked when you need the toilet, need to pass gas, or when food you want has just been served.

Forbidden (Ḥarām)must not do

You are not allowed to pray two prayers together in one prayer's time. The only exception is on Hajj: Zuhr and Asr together at Arafat, and Maghrib and Isha together at Muzdalifah.

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.

Forbidden (Ḥarām)must not do

No prayer of any kind, including missed (qadha) prayers, is performed while the sun is rising, at the moment it is at its zenith, or while it is setting; the Prophet ﷺ forbade prayer at these three times. The one exception is the Asr of that day, which remains valid if prayed as the sun sets, though it should not be left so late.

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.
Disliked (Makrūh)better not to

Voluntary prayer is disliked (makruh) before Fajr apart from its sunnah, after Fajr until the sun has risen a spear's height, after Asr until sunset, immediately before Maghrib, when little of a prayer's time remains, during the iqamah, during any sermon, before the Eid prayer and after it while still at the Eid ground, and between the prayers combined at Arafat and Muzdalifah. Any prayer, fard, wajib or voluntary, is disliked when one needs to relieve oneself or pass gas, or when food one has an appetite for has been served.

Forbidden (Ḥarām)must not do

Combining two prayers in a single time is not permitted; Umar described it as a major sin. The sole exception is on Hajj: Dhuhr and Asr are prayed together at Arafat in Dhuhr's time, and Maghrib and Isha together at Muzdalifah in Isha's time.

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.

Forbidden (Ḥarām)must not do

Prayer is prohibited outright at three times: tulu' ash-shams, istiwa' and ghurub. The prohibition covers fard and nafl, current and qadha alike, as the hadith of Uqbah ibn Amir sets out. The Asr of that day alone is excepted and remains valid if performed as the sun sets, though delaying it so far is makruh.

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.
Disliked (Makrūh)better not to

Voluntary prayer is makruh before Fajr apart from its sunnah, after Fajr until the sun has risen a spear's height, after Asr until sunset, immediately before Maghrib, when so little of the time remains that a nafl would run past it, during the iqamah of the fard, during any khutbah, before the Eid prayer and after it while still at the musalla, and between the two prayers combined at Arafah and Muzdalifah. Every prayer, fard, wajib or nafl, is makruh when one needs to relieve oneself or pass wind, or when food one desires has been laid out, or anything else present distracts the mind from the prayer.

Forbidden (Ḥarām)must not do

Jam' bayn as-salatayn, combining two prayers in a single time, is not permitted; Umar wrote to the regions that it is a major sin, and Ibn Mas'ud never saw the Prophet ﷺ pray outside a prayer's time except at Muzdalifah. The sole exceptions are Arafah, where Dhuhr and Asr are combined in Dhuhr's time, and Muzdalifah, where Maghrib and Isha are combined in Isha's time; both are peculiar to Hajj and do not extend to travel or need.

This is the English translation of Nisab Ahle Khidmaat Sharia, exactly as the book has it, for the passages this page was written from. About 297 words. Switch back to Guide for the rewritten version.

Times for Obligatory Prayers 74. Forbidden Times for Prayers

The three times during which it is prohibited to pray are:

  1. At sunrise (when the sun is rising).
  2. At noon (when the sun is exactly overhead).
  3. At sunset (just before the sun sets).

However, it is permissible to offer the Asr prayer at sunset, but it is disliked to do so. Additionally, it is permissible to offer the Janazah prayer if the funeral arrives during any of these times, without any dislike.

Times for Obligatory Prayers 75. Prohibited (Makruh) Times for Prayer

(A) It is disliked to offer any prayer at the following times:

  1. Before Fajr prayer (except for the Sunnah of Fajr).
  2. After Fajr prayer until the sun rises a little (about the length of a spear).
  3. After Asr prayer until sunset.
  4. Before Maghrib prayer.
  5. During the time when the prayer time is short (except for the obligatory prayer time).
  6. During the time of the iqamah (call to prayer) for the obligatory prayer.
  7. During the time of a sermon (whether it's the Friday sermon, Eid, or other sermons).
  8. Before Eid prayer (whether at home or in the Eid gathering).
  9. After Eid prayers (only in the Eid gathering place).
  10. Between the two obligatory prayers at Arafat and Muzdalifah.

(B) It is disliked to offer any prayer (obligatory, obligatory-but-not-necessary, or voluntary) at the following times:

  1. When there is a need to relieve oneself (urinate or defecate).
  2. When there is a need to pass gas.
  3. After food has been served, especially when there is a strong desire to eat (this applies to anything that might distract one from focusing during prayer).

Times for Obligatory Prayers 76. Combining Prayers for Two Different Times

It is not allowed to combine two prayers during the same time, except for Arafat and Muzdalifah. At Arafat, the Zuhr and Asr prayers can be combined at the time of Zuhr, and at Muzdalifah, the Maghrib and Isha prayers can be combined at the time of Isha.

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