Fatwa ID: 02632

Answered by: Maulana Imran Mughal

Question

Assalamualaikom
Today in Birmingham sunset time was 8.09pm azan was prayed. But our Imam said it should be 5 minutes later. Please let me know which is the correct.

Answer

Assalamualaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuh

Generally, when the time for sunset is a certain time, the Imam, committee of the masjid or those that issue the calendar would delay it a few minutes (most of the times 5 minutes) just to be safe.

Allamah Ibn Abidin writes in his Fatawa: “It is a condition for the validity of the prayer for the time to enter and to have complete trust that it has entered.”[1]

And Allah SWT alone knows best.

Answered by Maulana Imran Mughal

Checked and approved Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham