Fatwa ID: 03547

Answered by: Alimah Nasima Umm Hamza

Question

Assalamu Alaikum.

I am currently doing my exams. Some days the timing is from 2 till 5 and therefore Zuhr and Asr get qadha. What should I do? Is it sinful?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

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

Answer:

Praying each prayer at its designated time is of utmost priority for a Muslim and it is the distinguishing factor which makes us Muslims.

Allah (swt) says:

حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ

“Preserve the obligatory prayers and in particular the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient.”[1]

The Prophet (pbuh) said:

إِنَّ بَيْنَ الرَّجُلِ وَبَيْنَ الشِّرْكِ وَالْكُفْرِ تَرْكَ الصَّلاَةِ

“Verily between man and between polytheism and unbelief is the negligence of prayer.”[2]

Exams are not an excuse for missing the prayers at their times. It is advisable that you speak to the exam invigilators to facilitate your prayers. You can take a prayer mat with you and pray your fardh salah in the corner of the exam room. This will take less than 5 minutes to fulfil. Also, make abundant dua that Allah (swt) makes it easy for you to preserve your salah.

Only Allah knows best

Written by Alimah Nasima Umm Hamza

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1] Surah al-Baqarah, Verse 238

[2] Sahih Muslim, Hadith Number 82