Fatwa ID: 06918

Answered by: Maulana Abdul Malik

Question:

There is a time here in south Sweden when fajr does not occur and we freeze it according to aqrabul-ayyam. But as for the earlier Isha (shafaq ahmar) it will still occur for a while before it to stops occurring. The thing is that it will go on for a very late time.

Fajr and later Isha (shafaq abyad) stops occurring at the same time. Is it permissible to jump over to shafaq abyad isha opinion when it stops occurring and make taqdir of it according to the subul-layl 1/7 method?

Summary: I pray the earlier Isha. When Fajr and later Isha stops occurring I jump over to later Isha opinion so I can make taqdir. I follow Fajr according to aqrabul-ayyam and Isha according to subul-layl meaning that I pray isha when the first 1/7 part has passed.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

During certain times, in places that are situated at extreme latitudes, the time of Esha does not appear, and the time of fajr appears before Esha time comes in. In such situations, it will be necessary to estimate the time of Fajr and Esha according to how they occur during normal days.

With regards to when Esha prayer time begins during normal days, it is when the whiteness in the sky disappears (shafaq al abyadh). This is according to Imam Abu Hanifa (R.A) and when the redness (shafaq al ahmar) disappears according to Imams; Muhammad ibn al Hassan and Abu Yusuf (R.A) (al hidayah, pg 145\146, vol 1)

During those periods when the Esha time does not appear it will be permissible for you to estimate it and pray it according to the subul layl method of estimation.

This is when the time between sunset and sunrise is divided into seven parts.  The first six parts are considered to be the night in which you may perform Ishaa prayer and the final part the beginning of Fajr prayer.

Also, you mentioned, praying the Fajr prayers during these periods using the Aqrabul Ayyam method for estimation, which is the time of the break of (true) dawn on the last day before Esha time failed to appear. This method is permitted according to the jurists.(Raddul Muhtar, pg 18/19, vol 2)

References:

ثم الشفق: هوالبياض اللذي في الأفق بعد الحمرة عند أبي حنيفة. وعندهما هوالحمرة.

Only Allah knows best.

Written by: Maulana Abdul Malik

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham