Ruling on delaying Dhuhr and Asr prayers one hour.
Question I work at a national company with about 50 other employers. I normally am working at the time of Dhuhr and Asr. The problem is that the employers agreed to set a fixed times for Dhuhr at 12.45 and Asr at 3.40 in both summer and winter. As they think it is better this…
Question
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
There is nothing wrong with delaying Zuhr and ‘Asr prayers
for about an hour after the adhaan.
The reason for that is that the time for Zuhr prayer lasts
from when the sun passes the meridian until the time for ‘Asr begins, so all
of this time is the time for Zuhr prayer, and it is not makrooh to do the
prayer at any point within this time.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “The time for Zuhr is so long as ‘Asr has not come.” Narrated by
Muslim (612). There are two times for ‘Asr: the preferred time, which is
until the sun turns yellow, and the time of necessity, which is until
sunset. That is because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “The time for ‘Asr is so long as the sun has not turned
yellow.” Narrated by Muslim (612). This is the preferred time. As for the
time of necessity, that is because the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever catches up with a rak’ah of ‘Asr before
the sun sets has caught up with ‘Asr.” Narrated by Muslim (608).
What is meant by the preferred time is that it is permissible
to do the prayer at any point within that time, and it is not makrooh.
Delaying the prayer for about an hour after the adhaan does
not mean that it is delayed beyond the preferred time.
There is nothing wrong with you praying at the beginning of
the time, so long as there is a congregation (jamaa’ah). But if you are
going to pray alone, it is better to wait until you can pray in
congregation.
It is better to bring the prayer forward to the beginning of
its time, but if delaying it enables the employees to gather and pray
together, there is nothing wrong with that.
And Allaah knows best.
