Table of Contents
The Daily Rhythm of Prayer
Ṣalāh is tied to specific times throughout the day and night. Allah did not leave these times vague. He commanded the believers to guard the prayers and perform them within their appointed periods. Prayer at its correct time is itself an act of worship and submission, because the believer shapes the day around the call of Allah, not the other way round.
Allah says:
"Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers at fixed times."
(Sūrah an-Nisāʾ 4:103)
The Prophet ﷺ was asked about the most beloved deeds to Allah. He said:
"Prayer at its proper time."
(Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)
From this, we understand that praying at the correct time is not a minor detail. It is a central part of how Allah wants a Muslim to live day by day. In this chapter we look only at the basic idea of each time, not the detailed calculations or special cases.
A fard (obligatory) prayer must be performed within its valid time. Deliberately delaying a prayer until its time has ended is a serious sin.
The Five Daily Prayers and Their Times
Islam does not confine worship to a certain day of the week. Instead, the believer meets Allah in ṣalāh five times every day. Each prayer has a beginning and an ending, and these are connected to the movement of the sun.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"The time for ẓuhr is when the sun passes the zenith and a man's shadow is equal to his height, so long as the time for ‘aṣr has not come. The time for ‘aṣr is so long as the sun has not turned yellow. The time for maghrib is so long as the twilight has not disappeared. The time for ʿishāʾ is until midnight. The time for ṣubḥ (fajr) is from the appearance of dawn, as long as the sun has not risen."
(Muslim)
This hadith gives the general structure. The schools of law differ on some details of shadows, twilight, and preferred times, but the basic order and the connection to the sun are agreed.
Fajr: The Dawn Prayer
Fajr is the first prayer of the day. It comes at the quiet time when night is giving way to day. Allah praises those who remember Him at this time.
"And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds."
(Sūrah Hūd 11:114)
The beginning of fajr time is the true dawn, when a horizontal white light appears across the horizon. This is different from the false dawn, which rises like a vertical column. The time continues until sunrise.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"The time of the morning prayer is from the appearance of dawn as long as the sun has not risen."
(Muslim)
Fajr begins at true dawn and ends with the first part of the sun appearing over the horizon. If the sun rises and a person has not yet prayed without excuse, the fajr prayer is considered missed.
Fajr teaches the believer to rise before the world is fully awake, to remember the Creator first, and to seek His protection and blessing before starting the day.
Ẓuhr: The Midday Prayer
Ẓuhr comes when the sun has passed its highest point in the sky and begins to decline. Before this, the sun is at the zenith, and that short moment is not a time for prayer.
Allah says:
"Establish prayer at the decline of the sun until the darkness of the night, and [also] the Qurʾān of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed."
(Sūrah al-Isrāʾ 17:78)
The starting time of ẓuhr is when the sun begins to move down from the middle of the sky. Its ending is when the shadow of an object becomes longer than its original length, or, in the view of some scholars, equal to its length, after the minimal noon shadow. The more precise calculation and scholarly differences belong to detailed fiqh, which you will study later.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"The time for ẓuhr is when the sun passes the zenith and a man’s shadow is equal to his height, so long as the time for ʿaṣr has not come."
(Muslim)
Ẓuhr connects the believer to Allah in the middle of work, study, or other daily activities. It reminds a Muslim to stop, even in the busiest hours, and stand in humility before Allah.
ʿAṣr: The Late Afternoon Prayer
ʿAṣr comes when the day is beginning to move toward its end, but the sun is still above the horizon. Missing this prayer is described as a very serious loss.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Whoever misses the ʿaṣr prayer, it is as if he has been deprived of his family and his wealth."
(Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)
ʿAṣr begins when the time of ẓuhr ends, that is when the shadow of an object passes a certain length after noon. It continues until the sun becomes yellow or close to setting. Praying at the last possible moments, when the sun is low and yellow, is disliked though still valid, because the believer should not delay the prayer without a valid reason.
He ﷺ said:
"The time for ʿaṣr is so long as the sun has not turned yellow."
(Muslim)
ʿAṣr begins after the end of ẓuhr time and ends with the start of sunset. To delay intentionally until the sun is very low and yellow is sinful, and to let the sun set before praying without excuse is a major sin.
ʿAṣr reminds the believer, near the end of the working day, that worldly efforts will end, but standing before Allah will remain.
Maghrib: The Sunset Prayer
Maghrib begins immediately after sunset. As soon as the disk of the sun fully disappears below the horizon, the time of maghrib starts. It does not require waiting for the sky to become dark.
Allah says:
"So be patient over what they say and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting."
(Sūrah Qāf 50:39)
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"The time for maghrib is so long as the twilight has not disappeared."
(Muslim)
The twilight is the red glow that remains after the sun sets. When this red light disappears from the sky, maghrib time ends and ʿishāʾ begins.
Maghrib time is relatively short compared to the other prayers. Because of this, scholars strongly encourage praying maghrib soon after the adhan. The Prophet ﷺ often prayed it at the beginning of its time.
Maghrib starts with the disappearance of the sun below the horizon and ends when the red twilight disappears. Deliberately delaying the prayer until the twilight is about to vanish without a reason risks falling into sin and missing the time.
Maghrib marks the transition from day to night. It trains the believer to remember Allah at the moment when people turn from outdoor activity to the home and family.
ʿIshāʾ: The Night Prayer
ʿIshāʾ begins when maghrib ends, that is when the red twilight has disappeared from the sky. It continues until the middle of the night, according to one group of scholars, and until the appearance of true dawn according to another scholarly view. The hadith that we saw earlier uses the expression "until midnight."
He ﷺ said:
"The time for ʿishāʾ is until midnight."
(Muslim)
From this many scholars conclude that the preferred time is before the halfway point between sunset and true dawn. In some narrations the Prophet ﷺ explained that if it were not difficult for the people, he would have delayed ʿishāʾ, which shows that praying it later in its time can be better for those who are able.
Allah refers to prayer at night when He says:
"And from [part of] the night, pray with it as additional [worship] for you. It is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station."
(Sūrah al-Isrāʾ 17:79)
ʿIshāʾ begins when the red twilight disappears and, according to the safer and widely followed view, ends at the middle of the night. Delaying the prayer beyond this, without excuse, is sinful, even if some scholars consider the extension of time until dawn.
ʿIshāʾ closes the day. It reminds the believer to end the day in remembrance and obedience, not in heedlessness.
Fixed Times and the Call to Prayer
The adhan announces each prayer time. Bilāl رضي الله عنه and other muʾadhdhins in the time of the Prophet ﷺ would call when the time entered, based on watching the sky and the sun. Today, people commonly rely on timetables and calculations, but the principle is the same. The time itself is set by Allah’s signs in the sky.
The adhan itself is a reminder that prayer is linked to specific periods, not performed at random. Allah says:
"O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumuʿah, then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew."
(Sūrah al-Jumuʿah 62:9)
If this is the command for the weekly Friday prayer, which has a special sermon and gathering, then being responsive at the daily adhan is also clearly encouraged. A Muslim should be eager to pray near the beginning of the time, except in situations where the Sunnah prefers delay for wisdom, which is explained in more advanced study.
The rule is: perform each obligatory prayer within its fixed time, and consider the beginning of the time the best and safest period, unless there is a specific reason in the Sunnah to delay.
Praying on Time as a Mark of Faith
The pattern of prayer times creates a rhythm that shapes the believer’s entire life. Each time of prayer is a meeting with Allah, and keeping these appointments is a sign of true faith and seriousness.
The Qurʾān praises those who guard their prayers in both performance and timing:
"And those who carefully maintain their prayers,
They will be in gardens, honored."
(Sūrah al-Maʿārij 70:34‑35)
In another place, Allah links success directly with guarding the prayers:
"And they who carefully maintain their prayers,
Those are the inheritors,
Who will inherit al‑Firdaws. They will abide therein eternally."
(Sūrah al‑Muʾminūn 23:9‑11)
Learning the exact rulings, differences of opinion, and special cases belongs to the detailed study of fiqh. At this level, the most important points are simple and clear. Every Muslim must know that there are five obligatory prayers, that each one has a beginning and an ending, and that praying at its correct time is an essential part of worshipping Allah with obedience and love.