Question:
There are 2 times mentioned in Salah calendar one is sunset and another is Maghrib which is usually few minutes post sunset. What’s the actual time of Maghrib prayer and actual time of breaking fast? Is it immediately after sunset or 5 minutes post sunset?
The Fatwa
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
The Answer
The time for Ṣalātul Maghrib and the time for opening the fast begins as soon as the sun disappears below the horizon. This would be the time stated sunset in the calendar you have referred to.
The Fiqh of the Answer
The specified prayer times are from amongst the primary conditions and prerequisites of Ṣalāh, The Shari’ah has prescribed beginning and end times for each Ṣalāh and has guided us to the most virtuous (Mustahab) times to perform our prayers.
Imam al-Sarakhsi (d.483 AH) states that the time for Ṣalātul Maghrib commences as soon as the sun disappears below the horizon, meaning sunset. Ibn ‘Ābidīn (d.1252 AH) quoting Shurunbulālī (d.1069 AH) has stated that the entering of Ṣalāh times, albeit with definitive certainty, are amongst the pre-requisites of Ṣalāh. Hence, Masājid in the UK and some other parts of the world exercise caution and typically add a couple of minutes to the sunset time to ensure that the time of Maghrib has definitively commenced. Of course, to delay the Maghrib prayer unnecessarily is Makrūh and blameworthy. Every effort should be Ṣalāh is performed within minutes of the sun setting.
The Rationale
One of the hallmarks of Islam is order. Islam promotes order in every sphere and domain of life; spiritual, economic, social and personal. Order at a communal level requires clear times and definitive practices. Ṣalāh is a communal appointment with Almighty Allāh. The only way this appointment can be attended punctually, is by having a defined and known time.
And Almighty Allah Alone Knows Best
Maulana Ammar Y Badat
Trainee Mufti
Reviewed and approved by
Mufti Faraz Adam
Darul Iftaa Muadh ibn Jabal
www.fatwa-centre.com | www.darulfiqh.com
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الأصل لمحمد بن الحسن 1/ 123:
قلت: أرأيت المغرب متى هو؟ قال: من حين تغرب الشمس إلى أن يغيب الشفق. قلت: وتَكره أن يؤخرها إذا غابت الشمس؟ قال: نعم
الأصل لمحمد بن الحسن 1/ 147:
قلت أَرَأَيْت الْمغرب أيؤخرها بعد غرُوب الشَّمْس شَيْئا قَالَ أكره لَهُ أَن يؤخرها إِذا غربت الشَّمْس والشتاء والصيف سَوَاء
حاشية ابن عابدين ط الحلبي 1/ 370 :
يُشْتَرَطُ لِصِحَّةِ الصَّلَاةِ دُخُولُ الْوَقْتِ وَاعْتِمَادُ دُخُولِهِ كَمَا فِي نُورِ الْإِيضَاحِ وَغَيْرِهِ
المبسوط للسرخسي 1/ 144 :
نَقُولُ أَنَّهُ يُكْرَهُ تَأْخِيرُ الْمَغْرِبِ بَعْدَ غُرُوبِ الشَّمْسِ إلَّا بِقَدْرِ مَا يَسْتَبْرِئُ فِيهِ الْغُرُوبَ رَوَاهُ الْحَسَنُ عَنْ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ رَحِمَهُمَا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لِقَوْلِهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – «لَا تَزَالُ أُمَّتِي بِخَيْرٍ مَا عَجَّلُوا الْمَغْرِبَ وَأَخَّرُوا الْعِشَاءَ
العناية شرح الهداية – بهامش فتح القدير ط الحلبي (1/ 230):
وَقَوْلُهُ: (فَإِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ غَيْمٍ) يَعْنِي هَذَا الَّذِي قُلْنَا مِنْ بَيَانِ الِاسْتِحْبَابِ فِيمَا إذَا كَانَتْ السَّمَاءُ مُصْحِيَةً، فَأَمَّا إذَا كَانَتْ مُتَغَيِّمَةً فَالضَّابِطُ الْعَيْنُ مَعَ الْعَيْنِ: يَعْنِي كُلَّ مَا فِيهِ عَيْنٌ يُعَجَّلُ كَالْعَصْرِ وَالْعِشَاءِ، وَمَا عَدَاهُمَا كَالْفَجْرِ وَالظُّهْرِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ يُؤَخَّرُ
الجوهرة النيرة على مختصر القدوري 1/ 70:
قَوْلُهُ: وَلَا يَتَنَفَّلُ قَبْلَ الْمَغْرِبِ) لِمَا فِيهِ مِنْ تَأْخِيرِ الْمَغْرِبِ فَإِنَّ الْمُبَادَرَةَ إلَى أَدَاءِ الْمَغْرِبِ مُسْتَحَبٌّ فَكَانَ النَّهْيُ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ النَّفَلُ شَاغِلًا عَنْ أَدَاءِ الْمَغْرِبِ لَا لِمَعْنًى فِي الْوَقْتِ
درر الحكام شرح غرر الأحكام 1/ 56:
قَوْلُهُ فَيُكْتَفَى بِأَدْنَى الْفَصْلِ احْتِرَازًا عَنْهُ ظَاهِرُهُ أَنَّ الزِّيَادَةَ عَلَى أَدْنَاهُ مَكْرُوهَةٌ.
وَفِي الْهِدَايَةِ مَا يُشِيرُ إلَى أَنَّ تَأْخِيرَ الْمَغْرِبِ قَدْرَ أَدَاءِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ مَكْرُوهٌ
وَقَالَ الْكَمَالُ بَعْدَ نَقْلِهِ، وَقَدْ قَدَّمْنَا عَنْ الْقُنْيَةِ اسْتِثْنَاءَ التَّأْخِيرِ الْقَلِيلِ فَيَجِبُ حَمْلُهُ عَلَى مَا هُوَ أَقَلُّ مِنْ قَدْرِهِمَا إذَا تَوَسَّطَ فِيهِمَا لِيَتَّفِقَ كَلَامُ الْأَصْحَابِ. اهـ
قَالَ (وَوَقْتُ الْمَغْرِبِ مِنْ حِينِ تَغْرُبُ الشَّمْسُ إلَى أَنْ يَغِيبَ الشَّفَقُ عِنْدَنَا) وَقَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى -: لَيْسَ لِلْمَغْرِبِ إلَّا وَقْتٌ وَاحِدٌ مُقَدَّرٌ بِفِعْلِهِ فَإِذَا مَضَى بَعْدَ غُرُوبِ الشَّمْسِ مِقْدَارُ مَا يُصَلَّى فِيهِ ثَلَاثَ رَكَعَاتٍ خَرَجَ وَقْتُ الْمَغْرِبِ لِحَدِيثِ إمَامَةِ جِبْرِيلَ – عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ – «فَإِنَّهُ صَلَّى الْمَغْرِبَ فِي الْيَوْمَيْنِ فِي وَقْتٍ وَاحِدٍ». (المبسوط للسرخسي)