Conditions of the Validity of Salat and Prayer times

Firstly: Entrance of the prayer time in Islam( salat times)

For every compulsory prayer, there is a specific time before and after which the Salat would be invalid, except for necessities.

Allah (glorified be He) says: “Verily, as-Salat is enjoined upon the believers at fixed times.” (An-Nisa’: 103).

This means that it is compulsory at scheduled times.

It was reported on the authority of Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari , “A questioner came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ asking him about the Salah and he did not respond. Following that he established the Fajr Salat at its very beginning; being so dark that people could not recognize one another. When Dhur time came he commanded and established it at the time when the sun was descending from its mid-point; in a manner that the onlooker would have said that it was the middle of the morning (but he was more knowledgeable than them). At ‘Asr time he commanded and performed ‘Asr and the sun was still raised in the sky. When Maghrib time came he did the same as the sun had fallen (below the horizon). ‘Isha was established at the time when the twilight had disappeared. Following this on the next day he delayed Fajr until the onlooker would say after leaving from the prayer: “The sun has risen! Or has almost (risen)!” He delayed Dhur until it became close to the time of ‘Asr prayer of the previous day and he delayed ‘Asr until when the one who had finished praying were to look and say that the sun has become red. He delayed Maghrib until it was at the time when the twilight dissipates. Finally he delayed ‘Isha until the first third of the night had passed. Following that the next morning he called the questioner and told him that the time was between those two.” In another narration “Then he prayed Maghrib before the twilight dissipated on the next day.” [ Source: Muslim.]

The prayer(Salat) times are:

1- Time for Fajr (dawn) prayer:

From the appearance of the true dawn - the whiteness (white light) that appears from the direction of the east - until when the sun rises.

2- Time for Dhur (noon) prayer:

From when the sun moves away from the meridian (post meridiem) until when the shadow of an object is up to its length, (i.e. this shadow is) after the first shadow cast by the sun before it changes direction away from the meridian. This is because every object casts its shadow towards the west and this diminishes continuously as the sun rises. Eventually the shadow seizes to diminish and thereafter starts to increase in length (elongate). The time when this elongation starts marks the midday (meridiem).

3- Time for ‘Asr prayer:

From the end of the time of Dhur prayer until when the shadow of an object doubles its height (length), (i.e. this shadow is) after the first shadow cast by the sun before it changes direction away from the meridian.

4- Time for Maghrib (sunset) prayer:

From the sunset until when the red glow disappears. The red glow is the red light which appears at the horizon during the course of the sun setting.

5- Time for ‘Isha prayer:

From the end of Maghrib’s time until the middle of the night, since the Prophet ﷺ said: “…the time of Salat ul-‘Isha extends to the middle of the night.” [ Source: Muslim.]

However, in this day and age the prayer times can be known easily through the use of prayer calendars.

Salat ul Fajr (the Dawn Prayer)

Salat ul -Dhur (the noon Prater)

Salat ul ‘Asr (the Afternoon Prayer)

Salat ul Maghrib (the sunset Prayer)

Salat ul ‘Isha (the Night Prayer)

1- Purification from minor impurities

This is done by performing ablution. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah will not accept the prayer of anyone of you when he becomes impure until he performs ablution.” [ Source: Bukhari.]

2- Purification from major impurity

This is done by taking a ritual bath in accordance with the statement of Allah (Glorified be He): “If you are in a state of Janabah (i.e. after a sexual discharge), purify yourselves (bathe your whole body)” (Maidah : 6).

Whoever remembers that he is, or becomes impure, while performing Salat. His prayer is invalid; and it is incumbent on him to leave the Salah to purify himself, without any Taslim. This is because the prayer is invalidated and has not been completed, as Taslim only signifies the completion of Salat for somebody who is not in a state of Janabah.

1-Purification of cloth(prayer cloth):

This is due to Allah’s saying: “And purify your garments.” (Al-Mudathir : 4).

Purification of a cloth

3-Purification of place:

This is due to the Hadeeth of the bedouin who urinated inside the mosque. The Prophet ﷺ said (regarding his urine): “Leave him (the bedouin), (but) pour a big bucket of water over his urine.” [ Source: Abu Dawud.]

Purification of place

The entire earth is (considered) as a mosque

The entire earth serves as a mosque where the Salat is valid. The Prophet ﷺ said: “And the earth is made as a mosque and cleanser for me; so whenever the time for Salah approaches any of my nation (followers), then he should pray.” [ Agreed upon.]

Exceptions were made of places where there were pronounced prohibitions, like prayer at the grave[ There is an exception for the prayer for the dead.] or in the toilet, for the saying of the Prophet: “The entire earth is a mosque, except the grave and the toilet.” [ Source: At-Tirmidhi.] The watering places of camels are also prohibited. This is due to his ﷺ saying: “Do not pray at the watering places of camels.’’[ Source: At-Tirmidhi.] The watering place of camels is the place where it sleeps and rests.

Prayer in the toilet

Prayer at the graveyard

Fourthly: Covering of the private parts

Man’s private parts: From the navel to the knee.

Woman’s private parts in Salat: All her body except the face and the two palms.