Fatwa ID: 07405
Answered by: Maulana Sarfraz Mohammad
Question:
Given that Isha is late and the gap between Isha and fajr is quite close, is it permissible for me to pray Isha earlier than its time I.e. after Maghrib?
I only need to do this Tuesday- Friday due to work as I need to be up at 6am.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
It is of great importance to know and understand that Allah تعالي has instructed the believers to observe the five daily salāh in their respective times. This command is illustrated in the following verse of the holy Qurān:
{ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَوْقُوتًا} [النساء: 103]
“Indeed the Salah is enjoined upon the Mu’mineen in their specific times”
From this verse it is clearly understood that no salāh can be performed outside of its fixed time. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing be upon him) did not perform any compulsory salāh except in its respective time, only on the occasion of the final Hajj did he perform a salāh outside of its prescribed time and that was at Ararah and Muzdalifah.
So with regards to the Isha prayer, the entrance of the time is the end of the maghrib time and that is when the whiteness on the horizon disappears and Isha prayer ends right before fajr begins, which is when the white light spreads across the horizon. It is permissible to pray the Isha prayer anytime in this period. However, it is recommended (mustahab) to perform the Isha before one-third of the night passes. It is disliked (makruh) without a valid excuse to delay the Isha prayer until after midnight.
What can be done since it is not allowed to pray Isha prayer in maghrib time, is to go to bed immediately after maghrib and to get up before fajr time comes in and perform the Isha prayer then.
المبسوط للسرخسي (1 / 149):
“وقال عمر – رضي الله تعالى عنه -: إنّ من أكبر الكبائر الجمع بين الصلاتين، فكما لايجمع بين العشاء والفجر ولا بين الفجر والظهر؛ لاختصاص كل واحد منهما بوقت منصوص عليه شرعاً فكذلك الظهر مع العصر، والمغرب مع العشاء. وتأويل الأخبار أنّ الجمع بينهما كان فعلاً لا وقتاً، وبه نقول
«الفتاوى العالمكيرية = الفتاوى الهندية» (1/ 52):
”ولا يجمع بين الصلاتين في وقت واحد لا في السفر ولا في الحضر بعذر ما عدا عرفة والمزدلفة.
«فتح القدير للكمال ابن الهمام وتكملته ط الحلبي» (1/ 228):
«يَنْدُبُ تَأْخِيرُهَا إلَى مَا قَبْلَ الثُّلُثِ وَيُصَلِّيهَا إذْ ذَاكَ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ إلَى النِّصْفِ انْتَفَى النَّدْبُ وَكَانَ مُبَاحًا، وَمَا بَعْدَهُ مَكْرُوهٌ»
Only Allahتعالي Knows Best.
Written by Maulana Sarfraz Mohammad
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
