Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām

قال الشيخ رحمه الله فوقت الظهر من بعد زوال الشمس الى أن يرجع الفئ سبعي الشخص ثم ذكر ما يعرف به زوال الشمس الى قوله ووقت العصر ووقت الظهر على ثلاثة أضرب من لم يصل شيئا من النوافل فوقته حين تزول الشمس بلا تأخير ومن صلى النافلة فوقتها حين صارت على قدمين أو سبعين وما أشبه ذلك ووقت المضطر يمتد الى اصفرار الشمس فأما الذي يدل على الاول

The Shaykh (Al-Mufid), may Allah (swt) support him, said: “The time for Dhuhr is from after the sun passes the meridian (zawal) until the shadow returns to being equal to twice the length of a person.” Then he mentioned how to determine the sun’s passing the meridian, until he said: “The time for ‘asr and Dhuhr is of three kinds: for one who has not prayed any of the nawafil (supererogatory prayers), its time begins as soon as the sun passes the meridian, without delay; for one who has prayed the nawafil, its time is when the shadow reaches two feet or something close to that; and the time for the one in hardship (mudtarr) extends until the yellowing of the sun.” As for what indicates the first category:

مَا رَوَاهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أَبَانٍ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ اَلْحَسَنِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ:« أَوَّلُ اَلْوَقْتِ زَوَالُ اَلشَّمْسِ وَ هُوَ وَقْتُ اَللَّهِ اَلْأَوَّلُ وَ هُوَ أَفْضَلُهُمَا»

Sa’d ibn Abdillah narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn Sa’id from Ali ibn Mahziyar from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from ‘Umar ibn Aban from Sa’id ibn al-Hasan. He said: Abu Ja’far (a.s) said: “The beginning of the time (for Dhuhr) is the sun’s passing the meridian (zawal), and that is the first time of Allah (swt), and it is the best of the two times.”

وَ عَنْهُ عَنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ وَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ اَلْبَرْقِيِّ وَ اَلْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ مَعْرُوفٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ اَلْقَاسِمِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ وَقْتِ اَلظُّهْرِ وَاَلْعَصْرِ فَقَالَ« إِذَا زَالَتِ اَلشَّمْسُ دَخَلَ اَلظُّهْرُ وَ اَلْعَصْرُ جَمِيعاً إِلاَّ أَنَّ هَذِهِ قَبْلَ هَذِهِ ثُمَّ أَنْتَ فِي وَقْتٍ مِنْهُمَا جَمِيعاً حَتَّى تَغِيبَ اَلشَّمْسُ

And from him, from Al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id and Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Barqi and Al-‘Abbas ibn Ma‘ruf, all from Al-Qasim ibn ‘Urwah, from ‘Ubayd ibn Zurarah, who said: I asked Abu Abdillah (a.s) about the time of Dhuhr and ‘Asr. Imam (a.s) said: "When the sun passes the meridian, the time for both Dhuhr and ‘Asr has entered, except that this one (Dhuhr) is before that one (‘Asr). Then you remain in the time for both of them together until the sun sets."

وعنه عن يعقوب بن يزيد عن الحسن بن علي الوشا عن أحمد بن عمر عن أبي الحسن عليه السلام قال سألته عن وقت الظهر والعصر فقال وقت الظهر إذا زاغت الشمس الى أن يذهب الظل قامة ووقت العصر قامة ونصف الى قامتين

And from him, from Ya‘qub ibn Yazid, from Al-Hasan ibn Ali al-Washsha’, from Ahmad ibn ‘Umar, from Abu al-Hasan (a.s), who said: I asked him about the time of Dhuhr and ‘Asr. He said: “The time of Dhuhr is from when the sun declines (from the meridian) until the shadow reaches the length of one forearm, and the time of ‘Asr is from one and a half forearms to two forearms.”

وعنه عن أبي جعفر أحمد بن محمد عن علي بن الحكم عن عبد الله بن بكير عن زرارة عن أبي عبد الله ع قال صلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله بالناس الظهر والعصر حين زالت الشمس في جماعة من غير علة

And from him, from Abu Ja‘far Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Ali ibn al-Hakam, from Abdillah ibn Bukayr, from Zurarah, from Abu Abdillah (a.s), who said: The Messenger of Allah (swt), may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, prayed with the people Dhuhr and ‘Asr when the sun had passed the meridian, in congregation, without any excuse.

عنه عن محمد بن الحسين عن الحكم بن مسكين عن النضر ابن سويد عن عبد الله بن بكير عن زرارة عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال إذا زالت الشمس دخل الوقتان الظهر والعصر وإذا غابت الشمس دخل الوقتان المغرب والعشاء الآخرة وأما الذي يدل على الضرب الآخر وهو وقت من يصلي النوافل

From him, from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn, from al-Hakam ibn Miskin, from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd, from Abdillah ibn Bukayr, from Zurarah, from Abu Ja’far (a.s), who said: (Imam (a.s) said): “When the sun passes the meridian, the time of both prayers, Dhuhr and ‘Asr, enters, and when the sun sets, the time of both prayers, Maghrib and ‘Isha’ al-Akhirah, enters. As for that which indicates the other type (of timing), it is the time for one who performs the supererogatory (nawafil) prayers.”

ما رواه الحسين بن سعيد عن محمد بن سنان عن ابن مسكان عن زرارة عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال سألته عن وقت الظهر فقال ذراع من زوال الشمس ووقت العصر ذراع من وقت الظهر فذلك أربعة أقدام من زوال الشمس وقال زرارة قال لي أبو جعفر ع حين سألته عن ذلك إن حايط مسجد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله كان قامة فكان إذا مضى من فيئه ذراع صلى الظهر وإذا مضى من فيئه ذراعان صلى العصر ثم قال أتدري لم جعل الذراع والذراعان؟ قلت لم جعل ذلك؟ قال لمكان النافلة فان لك ان تنتفل من زوال الشمس الى أن يمضي الفئ ذراعا فإذا بلغ فيئك ذراعا من الزوال بدأت بالفريضة وتركت النافلة قال ابن مسكان وحدثني بالذراع والذراعين سليمان بن خالد وأبو بصير المرادي وحسين صاحب القلانس وابن أبي يعفور ومن لا أحصيه منهم وفي هذا الخبر تصريح بما عقدنا عليه الباب ان هذه الاوقات إنما جعلت لمكان النافلة

That which was narrated by Al-Husayn ibn Sa’id, from Muhammad ibn Sinan, from Ibn Miskan, from Zurarah, from Abu Ja’far (a.s), who said: I asked Him (a.s) about the time of Dhuhr and Imam (a.s) said: “One forearm's length (of shadow) from the sun's zenith; and the time of ‘Asr is one forearm's length from the time of Dhuhr, so that makes four forearms from the sun’s zenith. And Zurarah said: “Abu Ja’far (a.s), said to me when I asked Him (a.s) about that: “The wall of the mosque of the Messenger of Allah (swt), may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, was a man's height, and when the shadow from it extended one forearm, he would pray Dhuhr, and when the shadow extended two forearms, he would pray ‘Asr.” Then Imam (a.s) said: "Do you know why one forearm and two forearms were appointed?" I said: “Why was that set?” Imam (a.s) said: “Because of the supererogatory prayers. For you are allowed to perform supererogatory prayers from the sun’s zenith until the shadow reaches one forearm in length; and when your shadow reaches one forearm from the zenith, you begin with the obligatory prayer and leave the supererogatory prayer.” Ibn Miskan said: “And Sulayman ibn Khalid and Abu Basir al-Muradi and Husayn, the one with the caps, and Ibn Abi Ya’fur, and others whom I cannot enumerate, also narrated to me regarding the one forearm and the two forearms.” And in this narration, there is a clear indication of what we have based this chapter upon, that these times were designated for the purpose of offering the supererogatory prayers.

وروى محمد بن يعقوب عن علي بن إبراهيم عن محمد بن عيسى عن يونس عن يزيد بن خليفة قال قلت لابي عبد الله عليه السلام ان عمر بن حنظلة أتانا عنك بوقت فقال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام إذن لا يكذب علينا قلت ذكر انك قلت ان أول صلاة افترضها الله تعالى على نبيه صلى الله عليه وآله الظهر وهو قول الله عزوجل أقم الصلاة لدلوك الشمس فإذا زالت الشمس لم يمنعك الا سبحتك ثم لا تزال في وقت الظهر الى أن يصير الظل قامة وهو آخر الوقت فإذا صار الظل قامة دخل وقت العصر فلم تزل في وقت العصر حتى يصير الظل قامتين وذلك المساء قال صدق

Muhammad ibn Ya’qub narrated from Ali ibn Ibrahim, from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa, from Yunus, from Yazid ibn Khalifah, who said: I said to Abu Abdillah (a.s): “Indeed, ‘Umar ibn Hanzalah came to us with a timing from you.” So Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: “Then he does not lie upon us.” I (narrator) said: “He (ibn Hanzalah) mentioned that you said: ‘Verily, the first prayer that Allah (swt), the Exalted, made obligatory upon His Prophet, may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, was Dhuhr, and it is the saying of Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic: ‘Establish the prayer at the declining of the sun’ (Surah Isra 17:78). So when the sun passes the meridian, nothing prevents you (from praying) except your tasbih (supererogatory prayer), and you remain in the time of Dhuhr until the shadow becomes one forearm’s length, and that is the end of the time. Then when the shadow becomes one forearm, the time of ‘Asr enters, and you remain in the time of ‘Asr until the shadow becomes two forearms, and that is the evening.” Imam (a.s) said: “He (ibn Hanzalah) has spoken the truth.”

وعنه عن محمد بن يحيى عن سلمة بن الخطاب عن علي بن سيف ابن عميرة عن أبيه عن عمر بن حنظلة عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إذا زالت الشمس فقد دخل وقت الظهر إلا أن بين يديها سبحة وذلك إليك إن شئت طولت وإن شئت قصرت

And from him, from Muhammad ibn Yahya, from Salamah ibn al-Khattab, from Ali ibn Sayf ibn ‘Umayrah, from his father, from ‘Umar ibn Hanzalah, from Abu Abdillah (a.s), who said: (Imam (a.s) said) “When the sun passes the meridian, the time for Dhuhr has entered, except that there is a supererogatory prayer before it, and that is up to you, if you wish, you may lengthen it, and if you wish, you may shorten it.”

وروى محمد بن أحمد بن يحيى الاشعري عن العباس بن معروف عن صفوان بن يحيى عن اسحاق بن عمار عن إسماعيل الجعفي عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله إذا كان فئ الجدار ذراعا صلى الظهر وإذا كان ذراعين صلى العصر قال قلت: ان الجدار يختلف بعضها قصير وبعضها طويل فقال: كان جدار مسجد النبي صلى الله عليه وآله يومئذ قامة

Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Ash’ari narrated from al-Abbas ibn Ma’ruf, from Safwan ibn Yahya, from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar, from Isma’il al-Ju’fi, from Abu Ja’far (a.s), who said: (Imam (a.s) said) “The Messenger of Allah (swt), may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, when the shadow of the wall reached one forearm, He (saws) would pray Dhuhr, and when it reached two forearms, He (saws) would pray ‘Asr.” I asked: “The walls differ, some are short and some are tall.” Imam (a.s) said: “The wall of the Prophet’s mosque, may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, at that time was one man's height.”

وروى الحسين بن سعيد عن فضالة عن حسين بن عثمان عن عبد الله بن مسكان عن إسماعيل بن عبد الخالق قال: سألت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام عن وقت الظهر فقال: بعد الزوال بقدم أو نحو ذلك إلا في يوم الجمعة أو في السفر فان وقتها حين نزول

Al-Husayn ibn Sa’id narrated from Fadalah, from Husayn ibn Uthman, from Abdillah ibn Miskan, from Isma’il ibn Abd al-Khaliq, who said: I asked Abu Abdillah (a.s) about the time of Dhuhr. Imam (a.s) said: “After the sun passes the meridian by one foot or something close to that, except on the day of Jumu’ah or during travel, for its time is at the moment of decline.”

وعنه عن فضالة عن حماد بن عثمان عن عيسى بن أبي منصور قال قال لي أبو عبد الله عليه السلام إذا زالت الشمس فصليت سبحتك فقد دخل وقت الظهر

And from him, from Fadalah, from Hammad ibn Uthman, from ‘Isa ibn Abi Mansur, who said: Abu Abdillah (a.s), said to me: “When the sun passes the meridian, and you have prayed your supererogatory prayer, then the time for Dhuhr has entered.”

وعنه عن أحمد بن محمد قال سألته عن وقت صلاة الظهر والعصر فكتب قامة للظهر وقامة للعصر

And from him, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, who said: I asked Him (a.s) about the time of the Dhuhr and ‘Asr prayers, so He (a.s) wrote: “One forearm’s length (of shadow) for Dhuhr, and one forearm’s length for ‘Asr.”

وَ رَوَى سَعْدٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اَلْجَبَّارِ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ وَقْتِ صَلاَةِ اَلظُّهْرِ فِي اَلْقَيْظِ فَلَمْ يُجِبْنِي فَلَمَّا أَنْ كَانَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ لِعَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ هِلاَلٍ« إِنَّ زُرَارَةَ سَأَلَنِي عَنْ وَقْتِ صَلاَةِ اَلظُّهْرِ فِي اَلْقَيْظِ فَلَمْ أُخْبِرْهُ فَحَرِجْتُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَأَقْرِئْهُ مِنِّي اَلسَّلاَمَ وَ قُلْ لَهُ إِذَا كَانَ ظِلُّكَ مِثْلَكَ فَصَلِّ اَلظُّهْرَ وَ إِذَا كَانَ ظِلُّكَ مِثْلَيْكَ فَصَلِّ اَلْعَصْرَ»

Sa’d narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Muhammad ibn Abd al-Jabbar, from al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Faddal, from Abdillah ibn Bukayr, from Zurarah, who said: I asked Abu Abdillah (a.s) about the time of the Dhuhr prayer during intense heat, but He (a.s) did not answer me. Then, sometime afterward, Imam (a.s) said to ‘Amr ibn Sa’id ibn Hilal: “Zurarah asked me about the time of the Dhuhr prayer during intense heat, and I did not inform him, and I felt uneasy about that. So convey my greetings to him and say to him: ‘When your shadow becomes equal to your height, then pray Dhuhr; and when your shadow becomes twice your height, then pray ‘Asr.’”

والذي يدل على أن هذه الاوقات خاصة لمن صلى النوافل

And that which indicates that these times are specifically for the one who performs the supererogatory (nawafil) prayers.

مَا رَوَاهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ اَلْحَسَنِ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ اَللُّؤْلُؤِيِّ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنِ اَلْحَارِثِ بْنِ اَلْمُغِيرَةِ اَلنَّصْرِيِّ وَ عُمَرَ بْنِ حَنْظَلَةَ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ حَازِمٍ قَالُوا: كُنَّا نَعْتَبِرُ اَلشَّمْسَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ بِالذِّرَاعِ فَقَالَ لَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ« أَ لاَ أُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِأَبْيَنَ مِنْ هَذَا» قَالُوا بَلَى جَعَلَنَا اَللَّهُ فِدَاكَ قَالَ« إِذَا زَالَتِ اَلشَّمْسُ فَقَدْ دَخَلَ وَقْتُ اَلظُّهْرِ إِلاَّ أَنَّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا سُبْحَةً وَ ذَلِكَ إِلَيْكَ فَإِنْ أَنْتَ خَفَّفْتَ سُبْحَتَكَ فَحِينَ تَفْرُغُ مِنْ سُبْحَتِكَ وَ إِنْ أَنْتَ طَوَّلْتَ فَحِينَ تَفْرُغُ مِنْ سُبْحَتِكَ»

That which was narrated by Sa’d ibn Abdillah, from Musa ibn al-Hasan, from al-Hasan ibn al-Husayn al-Lu’lu’i, from Safwan ibn Yahya, from al-Harith ibn al-Mughirah al-Nasri and ‘Umar ibn Hanzalah, from Mansur ibn Hazim, who said: (Narrator said) ‘We used to measure the sun in Medina by the forearm. So Abu Abdillah (a.s) said to us: “Shall I not inform you of something clearer than this?”’ They said: “Yes, may we be your ransom.” Imam (a.s) said: “When the sun passes the meridian, then the time for Dhuhr has entered, except that there is a supererogatory prayer before it, and that is up to you. So if you shorten your supererogatory prayer, then (the time for Dhuhr begins) when you finish your supererogatory prayer, and if you lengthen it, then (it begins) when you finish your supererogatory prayer.”

وليس لاحد أن يقول كيف يمكنكم العمل على هذه الاحاديث مع اختلاف الفاظها وتضاد معانيها؟ لان بعضها يتضمن ذكر القامة وبعضها يتضمن ذكر الذراع وبعضها يتضمن ذكر القدم وهذه مقادير مختلفة لان اللفظ وان اختلف فان المعاني ليست مختلفة من وجوه أحدها انا قد بينا أنه إذا زالت الشمس فقد دخل وقت الظهر الا لمن يصلي النافلة السبحة وصلاة السبحة تختلف باختلاف المصلين فمن صلى بقدر ما تصير الشمس على قدم فذلك وقته ومن صلى على ذراع فكذلك حينئذ وقته ومن صلى إلى أن تصير الشمس على قامة فذلك وقته وقد صرح بهذا أبو عبد الله عليه السلام في الخبر الذي قدمناه عن منصور بن حازم من قوله الا أنبئكم بابين من هذا ثم قَالَ:« إِذَا زَالَتِ اَلشَّمْسُ فَقَدْ دَخَلَ وَقْتُ اَلظُّهْرِ إِلاَّ أَنَّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا سُبْحَةً فَإِنْ أَنْتَ خَفَّفْتَ فَحِينَ تَفْرُغُ مِنْهَا وَ إِنْ أَنْتَ طَوَّلْتَ فَحِينَ تَفْرُغُ مِنْهَا». والثاني أن يكون جميع ما تضمنت هذه الاخبار من ذكر القامة والذراع المراد به الذراع وقد بينوا عليهم السلام ذلك روى ذلك

And no one has the right to say: ‘How can you act upon these narrations when their wordings differ and their meanings seem contradictory?!’ For some of them mention a ‘qamah’ (forearm’s length), some of them mention a ‘dhira’ (arm’s length), and some mention a ‘qadam’ (foot), and these are different measures. The response is that although the wording differs, the meanings are not contradictory from several aspects. One of them is: we have already explained that when the sun passes the meridian, the time for Dhuhr has entered, except for one who wishes to perform the supererogatory prayer (‘al-subhah’). And the performance of ‘subhah’ varies according to the individuals praying. So, whoever performs it in the time it takes for the sun to reach one ‘qadam’, then that is his time; and whoever prays until it reaches one ‘dhira’, then that is his time; and whoever continues until the sun’s shadow is one ‘qamah’, then that is his time. And Abu Abdillah (a.s), clearly stated this in the narration which we previously mentioned from Mansur ibn Hazim, From His (a.s) words: ‘Shall I not inform you of something clearer than this? Then Imam (a.s) said: When the sun passes the meridian, the time for Dhuhr has entered, except that there is a supererogatory prayer before it. So if you shorten it, then the time (of Dhuhr) is when you finish it; and if you lengthen it, then the time is when you finish it.’ And the second (point): That all which these narrations contain of the mention of ‘qamah’ (standing height), ‘dhira’ (forearm), and ‘qadam’ (foot), what is meant by them is the ‘dhira’ (forearm), and they, peace be upon them, have clarified this. It was narrated:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ اَلْحَسَنِ اَلطَّاطَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَنْظَلَةَ قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ:« اَلْقَامَةُ وَ اَلْقَامَتَانِ اَلذِّرَاعُ وَ اَلذِّرَاعَانِ فِي كِتَابِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ»

Ali ibn al-Hasan al-Tatari narrated from Muhammad ibn Ziyad, from Ali ibn Hanzalah, who said: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said to me: “The ‘qamah’ and the two ‘qamahs’, the ‘dhira’ and the two ‘dhiras’, are (equivalent) in the Book of Ali (a.s), peace be upon him.”

وَعَنْهُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ:« اَلْقَامَةُ هِيَ اَلذِّرَاعُ»

And from him, from Ali ibn Asbat, from Ali ibn Abi Hamzah, who said: I heard Abu Abdillah (a.s) say: “The ‘qamah’ is the ‘dhira’.”

وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: قَالَ لَهُ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ كَمِ اَلْقَامَةُ قَالَ فَقَالَ« ذِرَاعٌ إِنَّ قَامَةَ رَحْلِ رَسُولِ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ كَانَتْ ذِرَاعاً»

And from him, from Muhammad ibn Ziyad, from Ali ibn Abi Hamzah, from Abu Abdillah (a.s): Abu Basir said to Him (a.s): “How much is a ‘qamah’?” Imam (a.s) said: “A ‘dhira’ (forearm). Indeed, the ‘qamah’ of the saddle of the Messenger of Allah (swt), may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, was a ‘dhira’.”

والثالث ان الشخص القائم الذي يعتبر به الزوال يختلف ظله بحسب اختلاف الاوقات فتارة ينتهي الظل منه في القصور حتى لا يبقى بينه وبين أصل العمود المنصوب أكثر من قدم وتارة ينتهي الى حد يكون بينه وبينه ذراع وتارة يكون مقداره مقدار الخشب المنصوب فإذا رجع الظل إلى الزيادة وزاد مثل ما كان قد انتهى إليه من الحد فقد دخل الوقت سواء كان قدما أو ذراعا أو مثل الجسم المنصوب فالاعتبار بالظل على جميع الاحوال لا بالجسم المنصوب والذي يدل على هذا المعنى

And the third (point) is that the standing person by whom the time of the sun's decline (‘zawal’) is determined, his shadow differs according to the changing times. At times, his shadow in the summer shrinks so much that nothing remains between it and the base of the upright post except a ‘qadam’ (foot), and at other times it extends to a point where the distance between it and the base is a ‘dhira’ (forearm), and at other times its length is equal to the height of the erected object. So, when the shadow begins to increase again and reaches the same amount as the distance it had previously reached at its shortest extent, then the time (of Dhuhr) has entered, whether that was a ‘qadam’, a ‘dhira’, or the height of the erected body. Thus, the consideration is always with the ‘shadow’ in all conditions, not with the height of the object itself. And that which indicates this meaning is:

مَا رَوَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ صَالِحِ اِبْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ بَعْضِ رِجَالِهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَمَّا جَاءَ فِي اَلْحَدِيثِ« أَنْ صَلِّ اَلْعَصْرَ إِذَا كَانَتِ اَلشَّمْسُ قَامَةً وَ قَامَتَيْنِ وَ ذِرَاعاً وَ ذِرَاعَيْنِ وَ قَدَماً وَ قَدَمَيْنِ مِنْ هَذَا وَ مِنْ هَذَا» فَمَتَى هَذَا وَ كَيْفَ هَذَا وَ قَدْ يَكُونُ اَلظِّلُّ فِي بَعْضِ اَلْأَوْقَاتِ نِصْفَ قَدَمٍ قَالَ« إِنَّمَا قَالَ ظِلُّ اَلْقَامَةِ وَ لَمْ يَقُلْ قَامَةُ اَلظِّلِّ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ ظِلَّ اَلْقَامَةِ يَخْتَلِفُ مَرَّةً وَ يَكْثُرُ مَرَّةً وَ يَقِلُّ وَ اَلْقَامَةُ قَامَةٌ أَبَداً لاَ تَخْتَلِفُ» ثُمَّ قَالَ« ذِرَاعٌ وَ ذِرَاعَانِ وَ قَدَمٌ وَ قَدَمَانِ فَصَارَ ذِرَاعٌ وَ ذِرَاعَانِ تَفْسِيرَ اَلْقَامَةِ وَاَلْقَامَتَيْنِ فِي اَلزَّمَانِ اَلَّذِي يَكُونُ فِيهِ ظِلُّ اَلْقَامَةِ ذِرَاعاً وَظِلُّ اَلْقَامَتَيْنِ ذِرَاعَيْنِ فَيَكُونُ ظِلُّ اَلْقَامَةِ وَاَلْقَامَتَيْنِ وَاَلذِّرَاعِ وَاَلذِّرَاعَيْنِ مُتَّفِقَيْنِ فِي كُلِّ زَمَانٍ مَعْرُوفَيْنِ مُفَسَّراً أَحَدُهُمَا بِالْآخَرِ مُسَدَّداً بِهِ فَإِذَا كَانَ اَلزَّمَانُ يَكُونُ فِيهِ ظِلُّ اَلْقَامَةِ ذِرَاعاً كَانَ اَلْوَقْتُ ذِرَاعاً مِنْ ظِلِّ اَلْقَامَةِ وَكَانَتِ اَلْقَامَةُ ذِرَاعاً مِنَ اَلظِّلِّ وَإِذَا كَانَ ظِلُّ اَلْقَامَةِ أَقَلَّ أَوْ أَكْثَرَ كَانَ اَلْوَقْتُ مَحْصُوراً بِالذِّرَاعِ وَ اَلذِّرَاعَيْنِ فَهَذَا تَفْسِيرُ اَلْقَامَةِ وَ اَلْقَامَتَيْنِ وَ اَلذِّرَاعِ وَ اَلذِّرَاعَيْنِ»

That which was narrated by Muhammad ibn Ya’qub, from Ali ibn Ibrahim, from his father, from Salih ibn Sa’id, from Yunus, from some of his men, from Abu Abdillah (a.s), who said: I asked Him (a.s), peace be upon him, about what came in the hadith: ‘Pray ‘Asr when the sun is at one qamah (height), two qamahs, one dhira (forearm), two dhiras, one qadam (foot), two qadams, from this and from that’, so when is this, and how is this, while at some times the shadow is only half a qadam?” Imam (a.s) said: ‘Indeed, he said ‘the shadow of the qamah’ and did not say ‘the qamah of the shadow’, because the shadow of the qamah varies, sometimes it increases, sometimes it decreases, while the qamah (the standing height) remains a qamah forever, it does not change.’ Then Imam (a.s) said: ‘One dhira and two dhiras, one qadam and two qadams, so the one dhira and two dhiras are the explanation of the qamah and the two qamahs during the time when the shadow of the qamah is one dhira, and the shadow of the two qamahs is two dhiras. Thus, the shadow of the qamah and the two qamahs, and the dhira and the two dhiras, are consistent in every time, known, and explained, one interpreted by the other, supported by it. So when the time is such that the shadow of the qamah is a dhira, then the time is a dhira of the shadow of the qamah, and the qamah is a dhira of the shadow. And if the shadow of the qamah is less or more, then the time is confined to the dhira and the two dhiras. This is the explanation of the qamah and the two qamahs, and the dhira and the two dhiras.”’

وأما القسم الاخير من الذي ذكرناه وهو وقت المضطر فيدل على ذلك

As for the final category which we have mentioned, and that is the time of necessity (‘waqt al-mudtarr’), what indicates that is:

ما رواه سعد بن عبد الله عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى عن الحسين بن سعيد ومحمد بن خالد البرقي والعباس بن معروف جميعا عن القاسم بن عروة عن عبيد بن زرارة قال سألت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام عن وقت الظهر والعصر فقال إذا زالت الشمس دخل وقت الظهر والعصر جميعا إلا أن هذه قبل هذه ثم أنت في وقت منهما جميعا حتى تغيب الشمس

That which was narrated by Sa’d ibn Abdillah, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa, from al-Husayn ibn Sa’id and Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Barqi and al-Abbas ibn Ma’ruf, all from al-Qasim ibn ‘Urwah, from ‘Ubayd ibn Zurarah, who said: I asked Abu Abdillah (a.s) about the time of Dhuhr and ‘Asr. Imam (a.s) said: “When the sun passes the meridian, the time for both Dhuhr and ‘Asr enters, except that this one (Dhuhr) is before that one (‘Asr). Then you remain within the time of both of them together until the sun sets.”

وَ رَوَى اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ بَكْرٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «أَحَبُّ اَلْوَقْتِ إِلَى اَللَّهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ أَوَّلُهُ حِينَ يَدْخُلُ وَقْتُ اَلصَّلاَةِ فَصَلِّ اَلْفَرِيضَةَ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَإِنَّكَ فِي وَقْتٍ مِنْهُمَا حَتَّى تَغِيبَ اَلشَّمْسُ»

Al-Husayn ibn Sa’id narrated from Fadalah ibn Ayyub, from Musa ibn Bakr, from Zurarah, who said: Abu Ja’far (a.s) said: “The most beloved time to Allah (swt), Mighty and Majestic, is its beginning, when the time of prayer enters. So perform the obligatory prayer. But if you do not do so, then you are still within the time of both of them until the sun sets.”

وَ رَوَى سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ اَلصَّلْتِ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ اِبْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ أَبِي يَزِيدَ وَ هُوَ دَاوُدُ بْنُ فَرْقَدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« إِذَا زَالَتِ اَلشَّمْسُ فَقَدْ دَخَلَ وَقْتُ اَلظُّهْرِ حَتَّى يَمْضِيَ مِقْدَارُ مَا صَلَّى اَلْمُصَلِّي أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ فَإِذَا مَضَى ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ دَخَلَ وَقْتُ اَلظُّهْرِ وَ اَلْعَصْرِ حَتَّى يَبْقَى مِنَ اَلشَّمْسِ مِقْدَارُ مَا يُصَلِّي أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ فَإِذَا بَقِيَ مِقْدَارُ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ خَرَجَ وَقْتُ اَلظُّهْرِ وَ بَقِيَ وَقْتُ اَلْعَصْرِ حَتَّى تَغِيبَ اَلشَّمْسُ»

Sa’d ibn Abdillah narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa and Musa ibn Ja’far ibn Abi Ja’far, from Abu Talib Abdillah ibn al-Salt, from al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Faddal, from Dawud ibn Abi Yazid, and he is Dawud ibn Farqad, from some of our companions: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: “When the sun passes the meridian, the time of Dhuhr has entered until the amount of time passes in which a person can pray four rak’ahs. When that has passed, then the time of Dhuhr and ‘Asr both have entered, and that continues until there remains from the sun’s presence the amount of time needed to pray four rak’ahs. When that amount of time remains, then the time of Dhuhr has ended and the time of ‘Asr remains until the sun sets.”

سَعْدٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ اَلْحَجَّالِ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ مَعْمَرِ بْنِ يَحْيَى قَالَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ:« وَقْتُ اَلْعَصْرِ إِلَى غُرُوبِ اَلشَّمْسِ»

Sa’d narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Abdillah ibn Muhammad al-Hajjal, from Tha’labah ibn Maymun, from Ma’mar ibn Yahya, who said: I heard Abu Ja’far (a.s) say: “The time of ‘Asr is until the setting of the sun.”

وَ رَوَى أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنِ اَلضَّحَّاكِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى« أَقِمِ اَلصَّلاٰةَ لِدُلُوكِ اَلشَّمْسِ إِلىٰ غَسَقِ اَللَّيْلِ» قَالَ« إِنَّ اَللَّهَ تَعَالَى اِفْتَرَضَ أَرْبَعَ صَلَوَاتٍُ أَوَّلُ وَقْتِهَا مِنْ زَوَالِ اَلشَّمْسِ إِلَى اِنْتِصَافِ اَللَّيْلِ مِنْهَا صَلاَتَانِ أَوَّلُ وَقْتِهِمَا مِنْ عِنْدِ زَوَالِ اَلشَّمْسِ إِلَى غُرُوبِ اَلشَّمْسِ إِلاَّ أَنَّ هَذِهِ قَبْلَ هَذِهِ وَ مِنْهَا صَلاَتَانِ أَوَّلُ وَقْتِهِمَا مِنْ غُرُوبِ اَلشَّمْسِ إِلَى اِنْتِصَافِ اَللَّيْلِ إِلاَّ أَنَّ هَذِهِ قَبْلَ هَذِهِ»

Zayd, from ‘Ubayd ibn Zurarah: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said regarding the saying of the Most High: ‘Establish the prayer at the declining of the sun until the darkness of the night”’ (Surah Isra 17:78). Imam (a.s) said: “Indeed, Allah (swt), the Exalted, made four prayers obligatory, the beginning of whose time is from the sun’s decline until midnight. Among them are two prayers whose beginning time is from the sun’s decline until sunset, except that this one is before that one. And among them are two prayers whose beginning time is from sunset until midnight, except that this one is before that one.”

وَ رَوَى أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ اَلْبَرْقِيِّ عَنِ اَلْقَاسِمِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ:« إِذَا زَالَتِ اَلشَّمْسُ فَقَدْ دَخَلَ وَقْتُ اَلصَّلاَتَيْنِ اَلظُّهْرِ وَاَلْعَصْرِ إِلاَّ أَنَّ هَذِهِ قَبْلَ هَذِهِ ثُمَّ أَنْتَ فِي وَقْتٍ مِنْهُمَا حَتَّى تَغِيبَ اَلشَّمْسُ»

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa narrated from al-Barqi, from al-Qasim ibn ‘Urwah, from ‘Ubayd ibn Zurarah, who said: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: “When the sun passes the meridian, the time for the two prayers, Dhuhr and ‘Asr, has entered, except that this one (Dhuhr) is before that one (‘Asr). Then you are within the time for both of them until the sun sets.”

والذي يدل على ان ما تضمنته هذه الاخبار من قوله ثم أنت في وقت منهما الى أن تغيب الشمس إنما وردت رخصة للمضطر وصاحب العذر

And that which indicates that what is contained in these narrations, from the statement ‘then you are within the time for both of them until the sun sets’, was only mentioned as a concession (‘rukhsah’) for the one in necessity (‘mudtarr’) or the one who has an excuse (‘sahib al-’udhr’), is: (following narration)

مَا رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ اَلْكَرْخِيِّ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا اَلْحَسَنِ مُوسَى عَ مَتَى يَدْخُلُ وَقْتُ اَلظُّهْرِ قَالَ« إِذَا زَالَتِ اَلشَّمْسُ» فَقُلْتُ مَتَى يَخْرُجُ وَقْتُهَا فَقَالَ« مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا يَمْضِي مِنْ زَوَالِهَا أَرْبَعَةُ أَقْدَامٍ إِنَّ وَقْتَ اَلظُّهْرِ ضَيِّقٌ لَيْسَ كَغَيْرِهِ» قُلْتُ فَمَتَى يَدْخُلُ وَقْتُ اَلْعَصْرِ فَقَالَ« إِنَّ آخِرَ وَقْتِ اَلظُّهْرِ هُوَ أَوَّلُ وَقْتِ اَلْعَصْرِ» فَقُلْتُ فَمَتَى يَخْرُجُ وَقْتُ اَلْعَصْرِ فَقَالَ« وَقْتُ اَلْعَصْرِ إِلَى أَنْ تَغْرُبَ اَلشَّمْسُ وَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ عِلَّةٍ وَ هُوَ تَضْيِيعٌ» فَقُلْتُ لَهُ لَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلاً صَلَّى اَلظُّهْرَ بَعْدَ مَا يَمْضِي مِنْ زَوَالِ اَلشَّمْسِ أَرْبَعَةُ أَقْدَامٍ أَ كَانَ عِنْدَكَ غَيْرَ مُؤَدٍّ لَهَا فَقَالَ« إِنْ كَانَ تَعَمَّدَ ذَلِكَ لِيُخَالِفَ اَلسُّنَّةَ وَ اَلْوَقْتَ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ مِنْهُ كَمَا لَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلاً أَخَّرَ اَلْعَصْرَ إِلَى قُرْبِ أَنْ تَغْرُبَ اَلشَّمْسُ مُتَعَمِّداً مِنْ غَيْرِ عِلَّةٍ لَمْ تُقْبَلْ مِنْهُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ ص قَدْ وَقَّتَ لِلصَّلَوَاتِ اَلْمَفْرُوضَاتِ أَوْقَاتاً وَ حَدَّ لَهَا حُدُوداً فِي سُنَّتِهِ لِلنَّاسِ فَمَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ سُنَّةٍ مِنْ سُنَنِهِ اَلْمُوجَبَاتِ كَانَ مِثْلَ مَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ فَرَائِضِ اَللَّهِ تَعَالَى»

Narrated by Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa, from al-Hasan ibn Mahbub, from Ibrahim al-Karkhi, who said: I asked Abu al-Hasan Musa (a.s): “When does the time of Dhuhr begin?” Imam (a.s) said: “When the sun passes the meridian.” I asked: “When does its time end?” Imam (a.s) said: “After four forearms (aqdam) have passed from its zenith. Verily, the time of Dhuhr is narrow, not like other times.” I asked: “When does the time of ‘Asr begin?” Imam (a.s) said: “The end of the time of Dhuhr is the beginning of the time of ‘Asr.” I asked: “When does the time of ‘Asr end?” Imam (a.s) said: “The time of ‘Asr is until the sun sets, and that is in case of an excuse, and it is a form of negligence.” I said to him: “If a man were to pray Dhuhr after four forearms had passed from the sun's zenith, would he be considered, in your view, as not having fulfilled it?” Imam (a.s) said: “If he did that deliberately to oppose the Sunnah and the prescribed time, it would not be accepted from him, just as if a man were to delay ‘Asr until it is near sunset, deliberately, without excuse, it would not be accepted from him. Verily, the Messenger of Allah (swt), may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, assigned times for the obligatory prayers and set boundaries for them in his Sunnah for the people. So whoever turns away from one of his obligatory Sunnahs is like one who turns away from the obligations of Allah (swt), the Exalted.”

فأما ما ذكره رحمه الله من اعتبار الزوال بالاصطرلاب والدائرة الهندسية فالمرجع فيه الى أهل الخبرة وليس مأخوذا من جهة الاثر فاما الاعتبار بالعود المنصوب

As for what He (a.s), may Allah (swt) have mercy on him, mentioned regarding determining the sun's zenith (‘zawal’) using the astrolabe and the geometrical circle, the reference in that matter is to the experts, and it is not derived from transmitted reports (‘athar’). As for determining it by means of the upright stick (‘al-’ud al-mansub’):

فَقَدْ رَوَى أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى رَفَعَهُ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مَتَى وَقْتُ اَلصَّلاَةِ فَأَقْبَلَ يَلْتَفِتُ يَمِيناً وَ شِمَالاً كَأَنَّهُ يَطْلُبُ شَيْئاً فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُ ذَلِكَ تَنَاوَلْتُ عُوداً فَقُلْتُ هَذَا تَطْلُبُ قَالَ «نَعَمْ» فَأَخَذَ اَلْعُودَ فَنَصَبَ بِحِيَالِ اَلشَّمْسِ ثُمَّ قَالَ« إِنَّ اَلشَّمْسَ إِذَا طَلَعَتْ كَانَ اَلْفَيْءُ طَوِيلاً ثُمَّ لاَ يَزَالُ يَنْقُصُ حَتَّى تَزُولَ اَلشَّمْسُ فَإِذَا زَالَتْ زَادَتْ فَإِذَا اِسْتَبَنْتَ اَلزِّيَادَةَ فَصَلِّ اَلظُّهْرَ ثُمَّ تَمَهَّلْ قَدْرَ ذِرَاعٍ وَ صَلِّ اَلْعَصْرَ»

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa narrated it with a raised chain from Sama’ah, who said: I said to Abu Abdillah (a.s): “May I be your ransom, when is the time of prayer?” He (a.s) began turning to the right and left, as if he were looking for something. When I saw that, I picked up a stick and said: “Is this what you are looking for?” Imam (a.s) said: “Yes.” Then He (a.s) took the stick and set it upright facing the sun, and said: “When the sun rises, the shadow is long, and it continues to decrease until the sun passes the meridian. When it passes the meridian, it begins to increase again. When you clearly see the increase, then pray Dhuhr. Then wait the time it takes for one forearm, and pray ‘Asr.”

اَلْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ قَالَ: ذُكِرَ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ زَوَالُ اَلشَّمْسِ قَالَ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ« تَأْخُذُونَ عُوداً طُولُهُ ثَلاَثَةُ أَشْبَارٍ وَ إِنْ زَادَ فَهُوَ أَبْيَنُ فَيُقَامُ فَمَا دَامَ تَرَى اَلظِّلَّ يَنْقُصُ فَلَمْ تَزُلْ فَإِذَا زَادَ اَلظِّلُّ بَعْدَ اَلنُّقْصَانِ فَقَدْ زَالَتْ»

Al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Sama’ah narrated from Sulayman ibn Dawud, from Ali ibn Abi Hamzah, who said: The ‘zawal’ (sun’s meridian) was mentioned in the presence of Abu Abdillah (a.s), so Abu Abdillah (a.s), said: “You take a stick whose length is three spans (‘shibr’), and if it is longer, that is clearer. It should be erected upright. As long as you see the shadow decreasing, the sun has not yet passed the meridian. But when the shadow begins to increase after its decrease, then the sun has passed the meridian (‘zalat’).”

قال الشيخ رحمه الله ووقت المغرب مغيب الشمس الى قوله ووقت الفجر

The Shaykh (Al-Mufid), may Allah (swt) support him, said: ‘And the time of Maghrib is the setting of the sun”’, up to his statement: ‘And the time of Fajr”’.

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ اَلْبَغْدَادِيِّ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ اَلْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَ يَقُولُ فِي اَلْمَغْرِبِ: «إِذَا تَوَارَى اَلْقُرْصُ كَانَ وَقْتُ اَلصَّلاَةِ وَ أَفْطِرْ»

Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Mahbub narrated from Musa ibn Ja’far al-Baghdadi, from al-Hasan ibn Ali al-Washsha’, from Abdillah ibn Sinan, from ‘Amr ibn Abi Nasr, who said: I heard Abu Abdillah (a.s) say regarding Maghrib: “When the disk (of the sun) disappears, the time for prayer has entered, and break your fast.”

وَ رُوِيَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنِ اَلْقَاسِمِ مَوْلَى أَبِي أَيُّوبَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« إِذَا غَرَبَتِ اَلشَّمْسُ فَقَدْ دَخَلَ وَقْتُ اَلصَّلاَتَيْنِ إِلَى نِصْفِ اَللَّيْلِ إِلاَّ أَنَّ هَذِهِ قَبْلَ هَذِهِ وَ إِذَا زَالَتِ اَلشَّمْسُ دَخَلَ وَقْتُ اَلصَّلاَتَيْنِ إِلاَّ أَنَّ هَذِهِ قَبْلَ هَذِهِ»

It was narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr, from al-Qasim, the freed slave of Abu Ayyub, from ‘Ubayd ibn Zurarah: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: “When the sun sets, the time for the two prayers has entered until midnight, except that this one (Maghrib) is before that one (‘Isha’). And when the sun passes the meridian, the time for the two prayers has entered, except that this one (Dhuhr) is before that one (‘Asr).”

وَرُوِيَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ اَلْحَكَمِ عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ: أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنْ وَقْتِ اَلْمَغْرِبِ فَقَالَ« إِذَا غَابَ كُرْسِيُّهَا» قُلْتُ وَ مَا كُرْسِيُّهَا قَالَ« قُرْصُهَا» فَقُلْتُ مَتَى يَغِيبُ قُرْصُهَا قَالَ« إِذَا نَظَرْتَ إِلَيْهِ فَلَمْ تَرَهُ»

It was narrated from Ahmad ibn Ali ibn al-Hakam, from someone who narrated it from one of the two Imams, peace be upon them: He (a.s) was asked about the time of Maghrib. Imam (a.s) said: “When its ‘kursi’ disappears.” I asked: “What is its ‘kursi’?” Imam (a.s) said: “Its disk (the sun’s disk).” I asked: “When does its disk disappear?” Imam (a.s) said: “When you look at it and you no longer see it.”

وَ رَوَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي اَلصُّهْبَانِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَلرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اَلْحَمِيدِ عَنْ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ اَلشَّحَّامِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَجُلٌ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أُؤَخِّرُ اَلْمَغْرِبَ حَتَّى تَسْتَبِينَ اَلنُّجُومُ قَالَ« فَقَالَ خَطَّابِيَّةٌ إِنَّ جَبْرَئِيلَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ نَزَلَ بِهَا عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ حِينَ سَقَطَ اَلْقُرْصُ»

It was narrated from Muhammad ibn Abi al-Suhban, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Hammad, from Ibrahim ibn Abd al-Hamid, from Abu Usamah al-Shahham, who said: A man said to Abu Abdillah (a.s): “I delay Maghrib until the stars become visible.” Imam (a.s) said: “That is the practice of the Khattabiyyah! Verily, Jibra’il (a.s), peace be upon him, brought it down upon Muhammad (saws), may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, at the time when the disk (of the sun) had set.”

اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ اَلنَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ:« وَقْتُ اَلْمَغْرِبِ إِذَا غَرَبَتِ اَلشَّمْسُ فَغَابَ قُرْصُهَا» قَالَ وَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ« أَخَّرَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ لَيْلَةً مِنَ اَللَّيَالِي اَلْعِشَاءَ اَلْآخِرَةَ مَا شَاءَ اَللَّهُ فَجَاءَ عُمَرُ فَدَقَّ اَلْبَابَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ نَامَ اَلنِّسَاءُ نَامَ اَلصِّبْيَانُ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ فَقَالَ« لَيْسَ لَكُمْ أَنْ تُؤْذُونِي وَ لاَ تَأْمُرُونِي إِنَّمَا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تَسْمَعُوا وَ تُطِيعُوا»»

Al-Husayn ibn Sa’id narrated from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd, from Abdillah ibn Sinan, who said: I heard Abu Abdillah (a.s) say: “The time of Maghrib is when the sun sets and its disk disappears.” And I (narrator) heard him (a.s) say: “One night, the Messenger of Allah (swt), may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, delayed the Isha prayer as long as Allah (swt) willed. So ‘Umar came and knocked on the door and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah (swt), the women have fallen asleep, the children have fallen asleep.’ The Messenger of Allah (swt), may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, then came out and said: ‘You do not have the right to annoy me or to command me. It is upon you only to listen and obey.’”

سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ اَلصَّلْتِ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ أَبِي يَزِيدَ وَ هُوَ دَاوُدُ بْنُ فَرْقَدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَ قَالَ:« إِذَا غَابَتِ اَلشَّمْسُ فَقَدْ دَخَلَ وَقْتُ اَلْمَغْرِبِ حَتَّى يَمْضِيَ مِقْدَارُ مَا يُصَلِّي اَلْمُصَلِّي ثَلاَثَ رَكَعَاتٍ فَإِذَا مَضَى ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ دَخَلَ وَقْتُ اَلْمَغْرِبِ وَ اَلْعِشَاءِ اَلْآخِرَةِ حَتَّى يَبْقَى مِنِ اِنْتِصَافِ اَللَّيْلِ مِقْدَارُ مَا يُصَلِّي اَلْمُصَلِّي أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ فَإِذَا بَقِيَ مِقْدَارُ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ خَرَجَ وَقْتُ اَلْمَغْرِبِ وَ بَقِيَ وَقْتُ اَلْعِشَاءِ اَلْآخِرَةِ إِلَى اِنْتِصَافِ اَللَّيْلِ»

Sa’d ibn Abdillah narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa and Musa ibn Ja’far, from Abu Ja’far, from Abu Talib Abdillah ibn al-Salt, from al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Faddal, from Dawud ibn Abi Yazid, and he is Dawud ibn Farqad, from some of our companions: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: “When the sun sets, the time of Maghrib has entered, until the amount of time in which a person may pray three rak’ahs passes. When that has passed, the time of Maghrib and ‘Isha’ al-Akhirah has entered, until there remains from midnight the amount of time needed for a person to pray four rak’ahs. When that amount remains, then the time of Maghrib has ended, and the time of ‘Isha’ al-Akhirah remains until midnight.”

فاما الذي يدل على اعتبار مغيب الشمس

As for that which indicates the consideration of the setting of the sun (‘Maghrib’), using the actual disappearance of the sun as the marker, then it is:

مَا رَوَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَشْيَمَ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ ع قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ:« وَقْتُ اَلْمَغْرِبِ إِذَا ذَهَبَتِ اَلْحُمْرَةُ مِنَ اَلْمَشْرِقِ وَ تَدْرِي كَيْفَ ذَاكَ» قُلْتُ لاَ قَالَ« لِأَنَّ اَلْمَشْرِقَ مُطِلٌّ عَلَى اَلْمَغْرِبِ هَكَذَا وَ رَفَعَ يَمِينَهُ فَوْقَ يَسَارِهِ فَإِذَا غَابَتْ هَاهُنَا ذَهَبَتِ اَلْحُمْرَةُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا»

That which was narrated by Muhammad ibn Ya’qub, from Muhammad ibn Yahya, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Ashyam, from some of our companions, from Abu Abdillah (a.s), said: I heard Him (a.s) say: “Time of Maghrib is when the redness disappears from the east.” Then Imam (a.s) said: “Do you know how that is?” I said: “No.” Imam (a.s) said: “Because the east overlooks the west like this”, and He (a.s) raised his right hand above his left, “so when it disappears here (in the west), the redness disappears from there (in the east).”

وَعَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ وَاَلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ اَلْقَاسِمِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« إِذَا غَابَتِ اَلْحُمْرَةُ مِنْ هَذَا اَلْجَانِبِ يَعْنِي مِنْ نَاحِيَةِ اَلْمَشْرِقِ فَقَدْ غَابَتِ اَلشَّمْسُ مِنْ شَرْقِ اَلْأَرْضِ وَ مِنْ غَرْبِهَا»

And from him, from Muhammad ibn Yahya, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Muhammad ibn Khalid and al-Husayn ibn Sa’id, from al-Qasim ibn ‘Urwah, from Burayd ibn Mu’awiyah: Abu Ja’far (a.s) said: “When the redness disappears from this side, meaning from the direction of the east, then the sun has set from the east of the earth and from its west.”

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ اِبْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ اَلْقَاسِمِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ اَلْعِجْلِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ عَ يَقُولُ: «إِذَا غَابَتِ اَلْحُمْرَةُ مِنْ هَذَا اَلْجَانِبِ يَعْنِي نَاحِيَةَ اَلْمَشْرِقِ فَقَدْ غَرَبَتِ اَلشَّمْسُ فِي شَرْقِ اَلْأَرْضِ»

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa narrated from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr, from al-Qasim ibn ‘Urwah, from Burayd ibn Mu’awiyah al-’Ijli, who said: I heard Abu Ja’far (a.s) say: “When the redness disappears from this side, meaning the direction of the east, then the sun has set in the east of the earth.”

وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ سَيْفٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ: صَحِبْتُ اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فِي اَلسَّفَرِ فَرَأَيْتُهُ يُصَلِّي اَلْمَغْرِبَ إِذَا أَقْبَلَتِ اَلْفَحْمَةُ مِنَ اَلْمَشْرِقِ يَعْنِي اَلسَّوَادَ

And from him, from Ali ibn Sayf, from Muhammad ibn Ali, who said: I (narrator) accompanied (Imam) al-Ridha (a.s), during travel, and I saw Him (a.s) pray Maghrib when the darkness appeared from the east, meaning the blackness (of night).

فَأَمَّا مَا رَوَاهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ اَلْحَسَنِ وَ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ هِلاَلٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فِي اَلْمَغْرِبِ إِنَّارُ بَّمَا صَلَّيْنَا وَ نَحْنُ نَخَافُ أَنْ تَكُونَ اَلشَّمْسُ خَلْفَ اَلْجَبَلِ أَوْ قَدْ سَتَرَنَا مِنْهَا اَلْجَبَلُ قَالَ فَقَالَ« لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ صُعُودُ اَلْجَبَلِ»

As for what was narrated by Sa’d ibn Abdillah from Musa ibn al-Hasan and al-Hasan ibn Ali, from Ahmad ibn Hilal, from Muhammad ibn Abi ‘Umayr, from Ja’far ibn Uthman, from Sama’ah ibn Mihran, who said: I said to Abu Abdillah (a.s) regarding Maghrib: “Sometimes we pray while we fear that the sun may still be behind the mountain, or the mountain may be concealing it from us.” Imam (a.s) said: “You are not required to climb the mountain.”

ليس بمناف لما ذكرناه من اعتبار غيبوبة الشمس لانه لا يمتنع أن تكون الحمرة قد زالت عن المشرق وإن كانت الشمس باقية خلف الجبل لان الشمس إنما تغرب على قوم وتطلع على آخرين

That is not in contradiction with what we have mentioned regarding considering the disappearance of the sun, because it is not impossible that the redness has disappeared from the east even though the sun remains behind the mountain, since the sun sets for some people while it is rising for others.

فَأَمَّا مَا رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ اَلصَّلْتِ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلَهُ سَائِلٌ عَنْ وَقْتِ اَلْمَغْرِبِ قَالَ« إِنَّ اَللَّهَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ فِي كِتَابِهِ لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ« فَلَمّٰا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ اَللَّيْلُ رَأىٰ كَوْكَباً» فَهَذَا أَوَّلُ اَلْوَقْتِ وَآخِرُ ذَلِكَ غَيْبُوبَةُ اَلشَّفَقِ وَأَوَّلُ وَقْتِ اَلْعِشَاءِ ذَهَابُ اَلْحُمْرَةِ وَآخِرُ وَقْتِهَا إِلَى غَسَقِ اَللَّيْلِ يَعْنِي نِصْفَ اَللَّيْلِ»

As for what was narrated by Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Salt, from Bakr ibn Muhammad, from Abu Abdillah (a.s), who said: A man asked Him (a.s) about the time of Maghrib. Imam (a.s) said: “Indeed, Allah (swt), the Exalted, says in His Book regarding Ibrahim (a.s), peace be upon him: ‘So when the night enveloped him, he saw a star…’ (Surah An'am 6:76), this is the beginning of the time. And the end of that is the disappearance of the twilight. The beginning of the time of ‘Isha’ is the fading of the redness, and its end is until the darkness of the night, meaning midnight.”

وَ مَا رَوَاهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي هَمَّامٍ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ هَمَّامٍ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ وَ كُنَّا عِنْدَهُ لَمْ يُصَلِّ اَلْمَغْرِبَ حَتَّى ظَهَرَتِ اَلنُّجُومُ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَلَّى بِنَا عَلَى بَابِ دَارِ اِبْنِ أَبِي مَحْمُودٍ

And that which was narrated by Sa’d ibn Abdillah from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Abu Hammam Isma’il ibn Hammam, who said: I saw (Imam) al-Ridha (a.s), and we were with Him (a.s), and He (a.s) did not pray Maghrib until the stars had appeared. Then He (a.s) stood and led us in prayer at the door of the house of Ibn Abi Mahmud.

وَعَنْهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَبْدِ اَللَّهِ اِبْنَيْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ دَاوُدَ اَلصَّرْمِيِّ قَالَ: كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي اَلْحَسَنِ اَلثَّالِثِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَوْماً فَجَلَسَ يُحَدِّثُ حَتَّى غَابَتِ اَلشَّمْسُ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِشَمْعٍ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ يَتَحَدَّثُ فَلَمَّا خَرَجْتُ عَنِ اَلْبَيْتِ نَظَرْتُ وَ قَدْ غَابَ اَلشَّفَقُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ اَلْمَغْرِبَ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِالْمَاءِ فَتَوَضَّأَ وَ صَلَّى

And from him, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Abdillah, the two sons of Muhammad ibn ‘Isa, from Dawud al-Sarmi, who said: I was with Abu al-Hasan al-Thalith (a.s), peace be upon him, one day, and He (a.s) sat speaking until the sun had set. Then He (a.s) called for a candle while He (a.s) continued sitting and speaking. When I left the house, I looked and saw that the twilight had disappeared before He (a.s) had prayed Maghrib. Then He (a.s) called for water, performed wudu’, and prayed.

فهذه الاخبار محمولة على حال الضرورة لان مع الضرورة يجوز تأخير الصلاة عن أول وقتها والذي يدل على ذلك ما رواه

So these narrations are to be understood as pertaining to a state of necessity (‘darurah’), because in a case of necessity it is permissible to delay the prayer beyond its initial time. What indicates this is what was narrated:

مَا رَوَاهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اَلْجَبَّارِ عَنْ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ اَلصَّلْتِ عَنِ اَلْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ اَلْجَوْهَرِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَكُونُ مَعَ هَؤُلاَءِ وَ أَنْصَرِفُ مِنْ عِنْدِهِمْ عِنْدَ اَلْمَغْرِبِ فَأَمُرُّ بِالْمَسَاجِدِ فَأُقِيمَتِ اَلصَّلاَةُ فَإِنْ أَنَا نَزَلْتُ أُصَلِّي مَعَهُمْ لَمْ أَتَمَكَّنْ مِنَ اَلْأَذَانِ وَ اَلْإِقَامَةِ وَ اِفْتِتَاحِ اَلصَّلاَةِ فَقَالَ« اِئْتِ مَنْزِلَكَ وَ اِنْزِعْ ثِيَابَكَ وَ إِنْ أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَتَوَضَّأَ فَتَوَضَّأْ وَ صَلِّ فَإِنَّكَ فِي وَقْتٍ إِلَى رُبُعِ اَللَّيْلِ»

That which was narrated by Sa’d ibn Abdillah, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa and Muhammad ibn Abd al-Jabbar, from Abu Talib Abdillah ibn al-Salt, from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad al-Jawhari, from Abdillah ibn Sinan, from ‘Umar ibn Yazid, who said: I said to Abu Abdillah (a.s): “I am with these people and leave them at the time of Maghrib. As I pass by the mosques, the prayer has been established. If I were to stop and pray with them, I would not be able to perform the adhan and iqamah and begin the prayer properly.” So Imam (a.s) said: “Go to your home, take off your clothes, and if you wish to perform wudu’, then perform wudu’, and pray, for you are still within the time until one-fourth of the night has passed.”

وَ رَوَى اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يُونُسَ وَ عَلِيٍّ اَلصَّيْرَفِيِّ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَكُونُ فِي جَانِبِ اَلْمِصْرِ فَتَحْضُرُ اَلْمَغْرِبُ وَ أَنَا أُرِيدُ اَلْمَنْزِلَ فَإِنْ أَخَّرْتُ اَلصَّلاَةَ حَتَّى أُصَلِّيَ فِي اَلْمَنْزِلِ كَانَ أَمْكَنَ لِي وَأَدْرَكَنِي اَلْمَسَاءُ أَفَأُصَلِّي فِي بَعْضِ اَلْمَسَاجِدِ قَالَ فَقَالَ« صَلِّ فِي مَنْزِلِكَ»

Al-Husayn ibn Sa’id narrated from Muhammad ibn Abi ‘Umayr, from Muhammad ibn Yunus and Ali al-Sayrafi, from ‘Umar ibn Yazid, who said: I said to Abu Abdillah (a.s): “I am on the outskirts of the city, and the time of Maghrib comes while I am intending to go home. If I delay the prayer until I reach home, it is more convenient for me, but evening overtakes me, so should I pray in one of the mosques?” Imam (a.s) said: “Pray in your home.”

وَرَوَى سَعْدٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ اَلْمَدَائِنِيِّ عَنْ مُصَدِّقِ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ مُوسَى اَلسَّابَاطِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ صَلاَةِ اَلْمَغْرِبِ إِذَا حَضَرَتْ هَلْ يَجُوزُ أَنْ تُؤَخَّرَ سَاعَةً قَالَ« لاَ بَأْسَ إِنْ كَانَ صَائِماً أَفْطَرَ وَ إِنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ حَاجَةٌ قَضَاهَا ثُمَّ صَلَّى»

Sa’d narrated from Ahmad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Faddal, from ‘Amr ibn Sa’id al-Mada’ini, from Musaddiq ibn Sadaqah, from ‘Ammar ibn Musa al-Sabati, from Abu Abdillah (a.s), who said: I asked Him (a.s) about the Maghrib prayer, when its time arrives, is it permissible to delay it for a while? Imam (a.s) said: “There is no harm, if he is fasting, he may break his fast, and if he has a need, he may take care of it, then pray.”

وَرَوَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اَلْجَبَّارِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُذَافِرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ وَقْتِ اَلْمَغْرِبِ فَقَالَ« إِذَا كَانَ أَرْفَقَ بِكَ وَ أَمْكَنَ لَكَ فِي صَلاَتِكَ وَ كُنْتَ فِي حَوَائِجِكَ فَلَكَ أَنْ تُؤَخِّرَهَا إِلَى رُبُعِ اَللَّيْلِ» قَالَ قَالَ لِي« هَذَا وَ هُوَ شَاهِدٌ فِي بَلَدِهِ»

And it was narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn, from Muhammad ibn Abd al-Jabbar, from Muhammad ibn ‘Umar ibn Yazid, from Muhammad ibn ‘Udhafir, from ‘Umar ibn Yazid, who said: I asked Abu Abdillah (a.s) about the time of Maghrib. Imam (a.s) said: “If it is more convenient for you and easier for you in your prayer, and you are occupied with your needs, then you may delay it until one-fourth of the night.” Imam (a.s) said to me: “This is while he is present in his own town.”

وَ رُوِيَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ خَلِيفَةَ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ إِنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ حَنْظَلَةَ أَتَانَا عَنْكَ بِوَقْتٍ قَالَ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ« إِذَنْ لاَ يَكْذِبُ عَلَيْنَا» قُلْتُ قَالَ« وَقْتُ اَلْمَغْرِبِ إِذَا غَابَ اَلْقُرْصُ إِلاَّ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ كَانَ إِذَا جَدَّ بِهِ اَلسَّيْرُ أَخَّرَ اَلْمَغْرِبَ وَ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَهَا وَ بَيْنَ اَلْعِشَاءِ» فَقَالَ« صَدَقَ» وَ قَالَ« وَقْتُ اَلْعِشَاءِ اَلْآخِرَةِ حِينَ يَغِيبُ اَلشَّفَقُ إِلَى ثُلُثِ اَللَّيْلِ وَ وَقْتُ اَلْفَجْرِ حِينَ يَبْدُو حَتَّى يُضِيءَ»

And it was narrated from Muhammad ibn Ya’qub, from Ali ibn Ibrahim, from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa, from Yunus, from Yazid ibn Khalifah, who said: I said to Abu Abdillah (a.s): “‘Umar ibn Hanzalah came to us with a timing from you.” So Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: “Then he does not lie upon us.” I said: “He (Umar ibn Hanzalah) said: ‘The time of Maghrib is when the disk (of the sun) disappears, except that the Messenger of Allah (swt), may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, when travel became intense upon him, would delay Maghrib and combine it with ‘Isha’.” Imam (a.s) said: “He (Umar ibn Hanzalah) has spoken the truth.” And Imam (a.s) said: “The time of ‘Isha’ al-Akhirah is from when the twilight disappears until one-third of the night, and the time of Fajr is from when it first appears until it brightens.”

وَ رَوَى أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ:« أَنَّ اَلنَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ كَانَ فِي اَللَّيْلَةِ اَلْمَطِيرَةِ يُؤَخِّرُ مِنَ اَلْمَغْرِبِ وَ يُعَجِّلُ مِنَ اَلْعِشَاءِ فَيُصَلِّيهِمَا جَمِيعاً وَ يَقُولُ« مَنْ لاَ يَرْحَمْ لاَ يُرْحَمْ»»

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa narrated from Muhammad ibn Yahya, from Talhah ibn Zayd, from Ja’far, from his father, peace be upon them both: (Imam al-Sadiq (a.s) said) “That the Prophet, may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, on a rainy night would delay Maghrib and hasten ‘Isha’, and He (saws) would pray them together, and He (saws) would say: “Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.”

وَ عَنْهُ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَقْطِينٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَقْطِينٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَقْطِينٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ اَلرَّجُلِ تُدْرِكُهُ صَلاَةُ اَلْمَغْرِبِ فِي اَلطَّرِيقِ أَ يُؤَخِّرُهَا إِلَى أَنْ يَغِيبَ اَلشَّفَقُ قَالَ« لاَ بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ فِي اَلسَّفَرِ فَأَمَّا فِي اَلْحَضَرِ فَدُونَ ذَلِكَ شَيْئاً»

And from him, from al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Yaqtin, from his brother al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn Yaqtin, from Ali ibn Yaqtin, who said: I asked Him (a.s) about a man who is overtaken by the time of Maghrib while on the road, may he delay it until the twilight disappears? Imam (a.s) said: “There is no harm in that during travel. As for when in residence (not traveling), then something less than that (delay is appropriate).”

فهذه الاخبار كلها دالة على أن هذه الاوقات لصاحب الاعذار لانها مقيدة بالموانع وما يجري مجراها والذي يكشف عما ذكرناه وانه لا يجوز تأخير المغرب عن غيبوبة الشمس إلا عن عذر ما ثبت انه مأمور في هذا الوقت بالصلاة والامر عندنا على الفور فيجب أن تكون الصلاة عليه واجبة في هذه الحال ويدل عليه أيضا

So all of these narrations indicate that these timings are for the one who has excuses (‘sahib al-a’dhar’), because they are restricted by obstacles and what is similar to them. What further clarifies what we have mentioned, that it is not permissible to delay Maghrib beyond the disappearance of the sun except due to an excuse, is the established fact that a person is commanded to perform the prayer at this time, and in our view, the command is immediate (‘ala al-fawr’). Therefore, the prayer becomes obligatory upon him in this state. What also indicates this is:

ما رواه محمد بن علي بن محبوب عن محمد بن أبي الصهبان عن عبد الرحمن بن حماد عن إبراهيم بن عبد الحميد عن أبي اسامة زيد الشحام قال قال رجل لابي عبد الله عليه السلام أؤخر المغرب حتى تستبين النجوم؟ قال فقال خطابية؟ ان جبرئيل عليه السلام نزل على محمد صلى الله عليه وآله حين سقط القرص

That which was narrated by Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Mahbub, from Muhammad ibn Abi al-Suhban, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Hammad, from Ibrahim ibn Abd al-Hamid, from Abu Usamah Zayd al-Shahham, who said: A man said to Abu Abdillah (a.s): “Shall I delay Maghrib until the stars become visible?” Imam (a.s) said: “Khattabiyyah? Verily, Jibra’il (a.s), peace be upon him, descended upon Muhammad (saws), may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, at the time when the disk (of the sun) had set.”

وَ رَوَى أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جَنَاحٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنِ اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« إِنَّ أَبَا اَلْخَطَّابِ قَدْ كَانَ أَفْسَدَ عَامَّةَ أَهْلِ اَلْكُوفَةِ وَ كَانُوا لاَ يُصَلُّونَ اَلْمَغْرِبَ حَتَّى يَغِيبَ اَلشَّفَقُ وَ إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ لِلْمُسَافِرِ وَ اَلْخَائِفِ وَ لِصَاحِبِ اَلْحَاجَةِ»

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa narrated from Sa’id ibn Janah, from some of our companions: (Imam) al-Ridha (a.s) said: “Indeed, Abu al-Khattab had corrupted most of the people of Kufah, and they would not pray Maghrib until the twilight had disappeared. But that (delay) is only for the traveler, the one in fear, and the person with a need.”

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ قَالَ:« مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ أَخَّرَ اَلْمَغْرِبَ طَلَبَ فَضْلِهَا»

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa narrated from Muhammad ibn Abi Hamzah, from someone who mentioned it: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: “Cursed is the one who delays Maghrib seeking its (imagined) merit.”

وَ رَوَى سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ مَا تَقُولُ فِي اَلرَّجُلِ اَلَّذِي يُصَلِّي اَلْمَغْرِبَ بَعْدَمَا يَسْقُطُ اَلشَّفَقُ فَقَالَ« لِعِلَّةٍ لاَ بَأْسَ» قُلْتُ فَالرَّجُلُ يُصَلِّي اَلْعِشَاءَ اَلْآخِرَةَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَسْقُطَ اَلشَّفَقُ فَقَالَ« لِعِلَّةٍ لاَ بَأْسَ»

Narrated Sa'd ibn Abdillah from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Faddal from Jamil ibn Darraj. He said: I said to Abu Abdillah (a.s): "What do you say about a man who performs the Maghrib prayer after the redness (of the horizon) has disappeared?" Imam (a.s) said: "Due to a valid excuse, there is no problem." I asked: "And a man who performs the ‘Ishaʾ al-Akhirah (the last evening prayer) before the redness disappears?" Imam (a.s) said: "Due to a valid excuse, there is no problem."

وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ اَلْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ مَعْرُوفٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ اَلْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ ذَرِيحٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ إِنَّ أُنَاساً مِنْ أَصْحَابِ أَبِي اَلْخَطَّابِ يُمَسُّونَ بِالْمَغْرِبِ حَتَّى تَشْتَبِكَ اَلنُّجُومُ قَالَ« أَبْرَأُ إِلَى اَللَّهِ مِمَّنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ مُتَعَمِّداً»

Narrated Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Mahbub from al-Abbas ibn Ma’ruf from Abdullah ibn al-Mughirah from Dhurayh. He said: I said to Abu Abdillah (a.s): "Indeed, some people from among the companions of Abu al-Khattab delay the Maghrib prayer until the stars become interwoven." Imam (a.s) said: "I detach myself before Allah (swt) from whoever does that deliberately."

فأما وقت العشاء الآخرة فهو سقوط الحمرة من المغرب حسب ما ذكره رحمه الله في الكتاب وآخره ثلث الليل وفي بعض الروايات الى نصف الليل ويكون ذلك لصاحب الاعذار والحوائج الضرورية يدل على ذلك طرف مما قدمناه من الاخبار لان أكثر الروايات يتضمن وقت الصلاتين ويزيد ذلك بيانا

As for the time of the ‘Ishaʾ al-Akhirah (the last evening prayer), it is the disappearance of the redness (from the western horizon), as he, may Allah (swt) have mercy on him, mentioned in the book. Its end is a third of the night, and in some narrations, until midnight. This applies to one who has excuses and pressing needs. This is indicated by some of the reports we have previously mentioned, because most of the narrations include the timing of both prayers, and this is further clarified by the following:

مَا رَوَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ اَلْحَجَّالِ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ اَلْحَلَبِيِّ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ مَتَى تَجِبُ اَلْعَتَمَةُ قَالَ« إِذَا غَابَ اَلشَّفَقُ وَ اَلشَّفَقُ اَلْحُمْرَةُ» فَقَالَ عُبَيْدُ اَللَّهِ أَصْلَحَكَ اَللَّهُ إِنَّهُ يَبْقَى بَعْدَ ذَهَابِ اَلْحُمْرَةِ ضَوْءٌ شَدِيدٌ مُعْتَرِضٌ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ« إِنَّ اَلشَّفَقَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ اَلْحُمْرَةُ وَ لَيْسَ اَلضَّوْءُ مِنَ اَلشَّفَقِ»

Narrated by Muhammad ibn Ya’qub from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Hajjal from Tha’labah ibn Maymun from ‘Imran ibn Ali al-Halabi. He said: I asked Abu Abdillah (a.s): "When does the ‘Atamah (‘Ishaʾ prayer) become obligatory?" Imam (a.s) said: "When the shafaq disappears, and shafaq is the redness (in the sky)." ‘Ubaydullah asked: "May Allah (swt) set you right, indeed after the redness disappears, there remains a strong light spread across (the horizon)." Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: "Indeed, the shafaq is only the redness, and the light is not from the shafaq."

فَأَمَّا مَا رَوَاهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ اَلصَّلْتِ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَطِيَّةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ وَأَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنِ اَلرَّجُلِ يُصَلِّي اَلْعِشَاءَ اَلْآخِرَةَ قَبْلَ سُقُوطِ اَلشَّفَقِ فَقَالاَ« لاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ»

As for what was narrated by Sa’d ibn Abdillah from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Abu Talib Abdullah ibn al-Salt from al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Faddal from al-Hasan ibn ‘Atiyyah from Zurarah, who said: I asked Aba Ja’far (a.s) and Abu Abdillah (a.s) about a man who performs the ‘Ishaʾ al-Akhirah (the last evening prayer) before the disappearance of the shafaq (redness), and they both said, "There is no problem with it."

وَ مَا رَوَاهُ بِهَذَا اَلْإِسْنَادِ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِاَللَّهِ وَ عِمْرَانَ اِبْنَيْ عَلِيٍّ اَلْحَلَبِيَّيْنِ قَالاَ: كُنَّا نَخْتَصِمُ فِي اَلطَّرِيقِ فِي اَلصَّلاَةِ صَلاَةِ اَلْعِشَاءِ اَلْآخِرَةِ قَبْلَ سُقُوطِ اَلشَّفَقِ وَ كَانَ مِنَّا مَنْ يَضِيقُ بِذَلِكَ صَدْرُهُ فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فَسَأَلْنَاهُ عَنْ صَلاَةِ اَلْعِشَاءِ اَلْآخِرَةِ قَبْلَ سُقُوطِ اَلشَّفَقِ فَقَالَ «لاَ بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ» قُلْنَا وَ أَيُّ شَيْءٍ اَلشَّفَقُ فَقَالَ« اَلْحُمْرَةُ»

And what was narrated with this chain from al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Faddal from Tha’labah ibn Maymun from ‘Ubaydullah and ‘Imran, the two sons of Ali al-Halabi, who said: We used to argue on the road about the prayer, the ‘Ishaʾ al-Akhirah, before the disappearance of the shafaq, and some among us would feel uneasy about that. So we entered upon Abu Abdillah (a.s) and asked him about performing the ‘Ishaʾ al-Akhirah before the disappearance of the Shafaq. Imam (a.s) said: "There is no problem with that." We asked: "And what is the shafaq?" Imam (a.s) said: "The redness."

وَبِهَذَا اَلْإِسْنَادِ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ اَلْبَطِيحِيِّ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ صَلَّى اَلْعِشَاءَ اَلْآخِرَةَ قَبْلَ سُقُوطِ اَلشَّفَقِ ثُمَّ اِرْتَحَلَ

And with this chain from al-Hasan ibn Ali from Ishaq al-Batihi, who said: I saw Abu Abdillah (a.s) perform the ‘Ishaʾ al-Akhirah (the last evening prayer) before the disappearance of the shafaq (redness), then He (a.s) departed.

فتحتمل هذه الاخبار وجهين أحدهما أن تكون مخصوصة بحال الاضطرار وهو لمن يعلم أو يظن أنه إن لم يصل في هذا الوقت وانتظر سقوط الشفق لم يتمكن من ذلك لحائل يحول بينه وبين الصلاة أو مانع يمنعه منه والذي يدل على ذلك

These narrations can bear two possible interpretations: The first is that they are specific to a state of necessity, referring to one who knows or assumes that if he does not pray at this time and waits for the disappearance of the shafaq, he will not be able to do so due to an obstacle that would prevent him from performing the prayer, or a hindrance that would bar him from it. What indicates this is:

مَا رَوَاهُ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ اِبْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ اَلْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« لاَ بَأْسَ بِأَنْ تُعَجِّلَ اَلْعِشَاءَ اَلْآخِرَةَ فِي اَلسَّفَرِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَغِيبَ اَلشَّفَقُ»

Narrated by Ali ibn Ibrahim from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabi: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: "There is no problem in hastening the ‘Ishaʾ al-Akhirah (the last evening prayer) during travel before the disappearance of the shafaq."

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ اَلْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِاَللَّهِ اَلْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« لاَ بَأْسَ أَنْ تُؤَخِّرَ اَلْمَغْرِبَ فِي اَلسَّفَرِ حَتَّى يَغِيبَ اَلشَّفَقُ وَ لاَ بَأْسَ بِأَنْ تُعَجِّلَ اَلْعَتَمَةَ فِي اَلسَّفَرِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَغِيبَ اَلشَّفَقُ»

Narrated by Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ja’far ibn Bashir from Hammad ibn Uthman from Muhammad ibn Ali al-Halabi from ‘Ubaydullah al-Halabi: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: "There is no problem in delaying the Maghrib prayer during travel until the shafaq disappears, and there is no problem in hastening the ‘Atamah (‘Ishaʾ prayer) during travel before the shafaq disappears."

اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ عَنْ حُسَيْنٍ عَنِ اِبْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ: «كَانَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ إِذَا كَانَتْ لَيْلَةٌ مُظْلِمَةٌ وَ رِيحٌ وَ مَطَرٌ صَلَّى اَلْمَغْرِبَ ثُمَّ مَكَثَ قَدْرَ مَا يَتَنَفَّلُ اَلنَّاسُ ثُمَّ أَقَامَ مُؤَذِّنُهُ ثُمَّ صَلَّى اَلْعِشَاءَ اَلْآخِرَةَ ثُمَّ اِنْصَرَفُوا»

Narrated by al-Husayn ibn Sa’id from Fadalah from Husayn from Ibn Muskan from Abu ‘Ubaydah, who said: I heard Aba Ja’far (a.s) say: "When there was a dark night with wind and rain, the Messenger of Allah (swt) (may Allah (swt) bless him and his family) would perform the Maghrib prayer, then wait for the amount of time it would take for the people to pray their recommended prayers, then His (saws) muʾadhdhin would give the iqamah, and He (saws) would then perform the ‘Ishaʾ al-Akhirah (the last evening prayer), and then they would disperse."

والثاني ان تكون رخصة للدخول في الصلاة لمن يعلم أنه يسقط الشفق قبل فراغه من الصلاة لانه متى كان الامر على ما وصفناه فانه يجزيه وليس في شئ من هذه الاخبار انه يجوز له أن يصلي قبل سقوط الشفق وان علم انه يفرغ منها مع بقاء الشفق فإذا احتمل ما ذكرناه حملناه على ذلك والذي يدل على ان ذلك جائز ما رواه

The second (interpretation) is that it is a concession to enter the prayer for one who knows that the shafaq will disappear before he finishes the prayer, because whenever the matter is as we have described, then it suffices him. And there is nothing in any of these narrations indicating that it is permissible for him to pray before the disappearance of the shafaq while knowing that he will finish the prayer while the shafaq still remains. So, if the meaning we mentioned is possible, we interpret it accordingly. What indicates that this is permissible is what has been narrated:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنِ اِبْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ رَبَاحٍ[ رَبَاحٍ خ ل] عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« إِذَا صَلَّيْتَ وَ أَنْتَ تَرَى أَنَّكَ فِي وَقْتٍ وَ لَمْ يَدْخُلِ اَلْوَقْتُ فَدَخَلَ اَلْوَقْتُ وَ أَنْتَ فِي اَلصَّلاَةِ فَقَدْ أَجْزَأَتْ عَنْكَ»

Narrated Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Mahbub from Ya’qub ibn Yazid from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Isma’il ibn Rabah: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: "If you pray while thinking that you are within the time (of the prayer), and the time has not yet actually begun, and then the time enters while you are in the prayer, then it suffices for you."

قال الشيخ رحمه الله وأول وقت صلاة الغداة اعتراض الفجر وهو البياض الى قوله ولكل صلاة من الفرائض وقتان

The Shaykh (Al-Mufid), may Allah (swt) have mercy on him, said: “The beginning time of the morning prayer is the appearance of the dawn, which is the whiteness [in the horizon]” until his statement: “And for every obligatory prayer there are two times.”

سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَدِيدٍ وَ عَبْدِ اَلرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« كَانَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيِ اَلصُّبْحِ وَ هِيَ اَلْفَجْرُ إِذَا اِعْتَرَضَ اَلْفَجْرُ وَ أَضَاءَ حُسْناً»

Narrated by Sa’d ibn Abdillah from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn Hadid and Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Najran from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz ibn Abdillah from Zurarah: Abu Ja’far (a.s) said: "The Messenger of Allah (swt), may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, used to perform the two rak’ahs of the morning, which is the Fajr, when the dawn appeared and spread horizontally and gave a beautiful illumination."

عَلِيٌّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ خَلِيفَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« وَقْتُ اَلْفَجْرِ حِينَ يَبْدُو حَتَّى يُضِيءَ»

Narrated by Ali from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from Yazid ibn Khalifah: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: "Fajr time is from when it first appears until it becomes bright."

وَ رَوَى اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنِ اَلْعَلاَءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ رَجُلٌ صَلَّى اَلْفَجْرَ حِينَ طَلَعَ اَلْفَجْرُ فَقَالَ« لاَ بَأْسَ»

Narrated by al-Husayn ibn Sa’id from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from al-’Alaʾ ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Muslim, who said: I said to Abu Abdillah (a.s): "A man prayed Fajr when the dawn appeared." Imam (a.s) said: "There is no problem."

وَ رَوَى أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ اَلْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ بَكْرٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« وَقْتُ صَلاَةِ اَلْغَدَاةِ مَا بَيْنَ طُلُوعِ اَلْفَجْرِ إِلَى طُلُوعِ اَلشَّمْسِ»

Narrated by Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa from Abdullah ibn al-Mughirah from Musa ibn Bakr from Zurarah: Abu Ja’far (a.s) said: "The time of the morning prayer is between the rising of the dawn and the rising of the sun."

وَرَوَى أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ اَلْحُصَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي اَلْحُصَيْنِ قَالَ: كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ اِخْتَلَفَ مَوَالِيكَ فِي صَلاَةِ اَلْفَجْرِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يُصَلِّي إِذَا طَلَعَ اَلْفَجْرُ اَلْأَوَّلُ اَلْمُسْتَطِيلُ فِي اَلسَّمَاءِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يُصَلِّي إِذَا اِعْتَرَضَ فِي أَسْفَلِ اَلْأَرْضِ وَاِسْتَبَانَ وَ لَسْتُ أَعْرِفُ أَفْضَلَ اَلْوَقْتَيْنِ فَأُصَلِّيَ فِيهِ فَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ يَا مَوْلاَيَ جَعَلَنِي اَللَّهُ فِدَاكَ أَنْ تُعَلِّمَنِي أَفْضَلَ اَلْوَقْتَيْنِ وَ تَحُدَّ لِي كَيْفَ أَصْنَعُ مَعَ اَلْقَمَرِ وَ اَلْفَجْرُ لاَ يَتَبَيَّنُ حَتَّى يَحْمَرَّ وَ يُصْبِحَ وَ كَيْفَ أَصْنَعُ مَعَ اَلْقَمَرِ وَ مَا حَدُّ ذَلِكَ فِي اَلسَّفَرِ وَ اَلْحَضَرِ فَعَلْتُ إِنْ شَاءَ اَللَّهُ فَكَتَبَ بِخَطِّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ« اَلْفَجْرُ يَرْحَمُكَ اَللَّهُ اَلْخَيْطُ اَلْأَبْيَضُ وَ لَيْسَ هُوَ اَلْأَبْيَضَ صُعُداً وَ لاَ تُصَلِّ فِي سَفَرٍ وَ لاَ فِي حَضَرٍ حَتَّى تَتَبَيَّنَهُ رَحِمَكَ اَللَّهُ فَإِنَّ اَللَّهَ لَمْ يَجْعَلْ خَلْقَهُ فِي شُبْهَةٍ مِنْ هَذَا فَقَالَ تَعَالَى« كُلُوا وَ اِشْرَبُوا حَتّٰى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ اَلْخَيْطُ اَلْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ اَلْخَيْطِ اَلْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ اَلْفَجْرِ» فَالْخَيْطُ اَلْأَبْيَضُ هُوَ اَلْفَجْرُ اَلَّذِي يَحْرُمُ بِهِ اَلْأَكْلُ وَ اَلشُّرْبُ فِي اَلصِّيَامِ وَ كَذَلِكَ هُوَ اَلَّذِي يُوجِبُ اَلصَّلاَةَ»

Narrated by Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn Sa’id from al-Husayn ibn Abi al-Husayn, who said: I wrote to Abu Ja’far (a.s); “May I be your ransom, your followers have differed regarding the time of the Fajr prayer. Some of them pray when the first, vertical dawn appears in the sky, and some of them pray when it spreads horizontally at the lower part of the horizon and becomes clear. I do not know which of the two times is better, so I may pray at that time. If you would, O my master, may Allah (swt) make me your ransom, teach me which of the two times is better, and set for me a standard regarding what I should do when the moon is present and the Fajr is not clearly visible until it reddens and brightens. And how should I act concerning the moon? And what is the limit of that in both travel and residence? May you do so, if Allah (swt) wills.” So He (a.s) wrote back in his own handwriting (peace be upon him): "The Fajr, may Allah (swt) have mercy on you, is the white thread, and it is not the whiteness that rises upward. Do not pray, in travel or in residence, until it becomes clearly distinguishable. May Allah (swt) have mercy on you. Indeed, Allah (swt) has not placed His (swt) creation in confusion regarding this matter. He (swt), the Exalted, said: ‘'Eat and drink until the white thread becomes clear to you from the black thread of the dawn'‘ (Surah Baqarah 2:187), the white thread is the Fajr which makes eating and drinking prohibited in fasting, and likewise it is the one that makes prayer obligatory."

وَرَوَى أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَلرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَفْضَلِ اَلْمَوَاقِيتِ فِي صَلاَةِ اَلْفَجْرِ قَالَ« مَعَ طُلُوعِ اَلْفَجْرِ إِنَّ اَللَّهَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ« إِنَّ قُرْآنَ اَلْفَجْرِ كٰانَ مَشْهُوداً» يَعْنِي صَلاَةَ اَلْفَجْرِ يَشْهَدُهُ مَلاَئِكَةُ اَللَّيْلِ وَ مَلاَئِكَةُ اَلنَّهَارِ فَإِذَا صَلَّى اَلْعَبْدُ صَلاَةَ اَلصُّبْحِ مَعَ طُلُوعِ اَلْفَجْرِ أُثْبِتَ لَهُ مَرَّتَيْنِ تُثْبِتُهُ مَلاَئِكَةُ اَللَّيْلِ وَ مَلاَئِكَةُ اَلنَّهَارِ»

Narrated by Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr from Abd al-Rahman ibn Salim from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar, who said: I said to Abu Abdillah (a.s): "Inform me about the best time for the Fajr prayer." Imam (a.s) said: "At the time of the rising of the dawn. Indeed, Allah (swt), the Exalted, says: ‘'Indeed, the recitation of Fajr is witnessed'‘ (Surah Isra 17:78), meaning the Fajr prayer is witnessed by the angels of the night and the angels of the day. So when the servant performs the morning prayer at the time of the rising of the dawn, it is recorded for him twice, the angels of the night record it and the angels of the day record it."

وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ اَلْهُذَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي اَلْحَسَنِ اَلْمَاضِي عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ وَقْتِ صَلاَةِ اَلْفَجْرِ فَقَالَ« حِينَ يَعْتَرِضُ اَلْفَجْرُ فَتَرَاهُ مِثْلَ نَهَرِ سُورَاءَ»

Narrated by Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Mahbub from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn from Fadalah from Hisham ibn al-Hudhayl from Abu al-Hasan al-Madi (peace be upon him), who said: I asked Him (a.s) about the time of the Fajr prayer, and Imam (a.s) said: "When the dawn spreads horizontally, and you see it like a stream of light across the horizon."

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ اِبْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَطِيَّةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« اَلصُّبْحُ هُوَ اَلَّذِي إِذَا رَأَيْتَهُ مُعْتَرِضاً كَأَنَّهُ بَيَاضُ سُورَاءَ»

Narrated by Ali ibn Ibrahim from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Ali ibn ‘Atiyyah: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: "The Subh (morning) is that which, when you see it spreading horizontally, it is as if it were the whiteness of a stream."

فأما الحديث المقدم ذكره وهو حديث زرارة عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال وقت صلاة الغداة ما بين طلوع الفجر الى طلوع الشمس وما رواه

As for the previously mentioned narration, which is the hadith of Zurarah from Abu Ja’far (a.s), who said: "The time of the morning prayer is between the rising of the dawn and the rising of the sun", and what was narrated:

وَ مَا رَوَاهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي اَلْخَطَّابِ وَ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي جَمِيلَةَ اَلْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ طَرِيفٍ عَنِ اَلْأَصْبَغِ بْنِ نُبَاتَةَ قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ:« مَنْ أَدْرَكَ مِنَ اَلْغَدَاةِ رَكْعَةً قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ اَلشَّمْسِ فَقَدْ أَدْرَكَ اَلْغَدَاةَ تَامَّةً»

And what was narrated by Sa’d ibn Abdillah from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn ibn Abi al-Khattab and Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ‘Amr ibn Uthman from Abu Jamilah al-Mufaddal ibn Salih from Sa’d ibn Tarif from al-Asbagh ibn Nubatah, who said: Commander of the Faithful (Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s)) said: "Whoever catches a rak’ah of the morning prayer before the rising of the sun has caught the full morning prayer."

فالمراد بهذه الاخبار صاحب الاعذار والحوائج حسب ما ذكرناه في غيره من الصلوات والذي يدل على ذلك ما رواه

So the intended meaning of these narrations is (concerning) the one who has excuses and pressing needs, just as we have mentioned regarding other prayers. What indicates this is what has been narrated:

مَا رَوَاهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مُصَدِّقِ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ مُوسَى اَلسَّابَاطِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ:« فِي اَلرَّجُلِ إِذَا غَلَبَتْهُ عَيْنُهُ أَوْ عَاقَهُ أَمْرٌ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ اَلْمَكْتُوبَةَ مِنَ اَلْفَجْرِ مَا بَيْنَ أَنْ يَطْلُعَ اَلْفَجْرُ إِلَى أَنْ تَطْلُعَ اَلشَّمْسُ وَ ذَلِكَ فِي اَلْمَكْتُوبَةِ خَاصَّةً فَإِنْ صَلَّى رَكْعَةً مِنَ اَلْغَدَاةِ ثُمَّ طَلَعَتِ اَلشَّمْسُ فَلْيُتِمَّ وَ قَدْ جَازَتْ صَلاَتُهُ»

Narrated by Sa’d ibn Abdillah from Ahmad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Faddal from ‘Amr ibn Sa’id from Musaddiq ibn Sadaqah from ‘Ammar ibn Musa al-Sabati: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: "Regarding a man who is overcome by sleep or hindered by something from performing the obligatory Fajr prayer, (he may pray it) between the rising of the dawn and the rising of the sun, and that is specific to the obligatory prayer. So if he performs one rak’ah of the morning prayer and then the sun rises, he should complete (the prayer), and his prayer is valid."

وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ اِبْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ اَلْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« وَقْتُ اَلْفَجْرِ حِينَ يَنْشَقُّ اَلْفَجْرُ إِلَى أَنْ يَتَجَلَّلَ اَلصُّبْحُ اَلسَّمَاءَ وَ لاَ يَنْبَغِي تَأْخِيرُ ذَلِكَ عَمْداً لَكِنَّهُ وَقْتٌ لِمَنْ شُغِلَ أَوْ نَسِيَ أَوْ نَامَ»

Narrated by Muhammad ibn Ya’qub from Ali ibn Ibrahim from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabi: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: "The time of Fajr is from when the dawn splits until the morning light covers the sky. It is not appropriate to delay it deliberately, but it is a valid time for one who is preoccupied, forgets, or sleeps."

وَ رَوَى اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ اَلنَّضْرِ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ حُمَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ اَلْمَكْفُوفِ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنِ اَلصَّائِمِ مَتَى يَحْرُمُ عَلَيْهِ اَلطَّعَامُ فَقَالَ« إِذَا كَانَ اَلْفَجْرُ كَالْقُبْطِيَّةِ اَلْبَيْضَاءِ» قُلْتُ فَمَتَى تَحِلُّ اَلصَّلاَةُ فَقَالَ« إِذَا كَانَ كَذَلِكَ» فَقُلْتُ أَ لَسْتُ فِي وَقْتٍ مِنْ تِلْكَ اَلسَّاعَةِ إِلَى أَنْ تَطْلُعَ اَلشَّمْسُ فَقَالَ« لاَ إِنَّمَا نَعُدُّهَا صَلاَةَ اَلصِّبْيَانِ» ثُمَّ قَالَ« إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ يُحْمَدُ اَلرَّجُلُ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ فِي اَلْمَسْجِدِ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعَ فَيُنَبِّهَ أَهْلَهُ وَ صِبْيَانَهُ»

Narrated by al-Husayn ibn Sa’id from al-Nadr from ‘Asim ibn Humayd from Abu Basir al-Makfuf, who said: I asked Abu Abdillah (a.s) about the fasting person; when does food become forbidden for him? Imam (a.s) said: "When the dawn is like the white Coptic garment." I asked: "Then when does the prayer become permissible?" Imam (a.s) said: "When it is like that." I asked: "Am I not within the time (of prayer) from that moment until the sun rises?" Imam (a.s) said: "No, we only count that as the prayer of children." Then Imam (a.s) said: "Indeed, it was not commendable for a man to pray in the mosque and then return to wake up his family and children"

وَرَوَى اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ اَلنَّضْرِ وَفَضَالَةَ عَنِ اِبْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« لِكُلِّ صَلاَةٍ وَقْتَانِ وَ أَوَّلُ اَلْوَقْتَيْنِ أَفْضَلُهُمَا وَقْتُ صَلاَةِ اَلْفَجْرِ حِينَ يَنْشَقُّ اَلْفَجْرُ إِلَى أَنْ يَتَجَلَّلَ اَلصُّبْحُ اَلسَّمَاءَ وَ لاَ يَنْبَغِي تَأْخِيرُ ذَلِكَ عَمْداً لَكِنَّهُ وَقْتُ مَنْ شُغِلَ أَوْ نَسِيَ أَوْ سَهَا أَوْ نَامَ وَ وَقْتُ اَلْمَغْرِبِ حِينَ تَجِبُ اَلشَّمْسُ إِلَى أَنْ تَشْتَبِكَ اَلنُّجُومُ وَ لَيْسَ لِأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ آخِرَ اَلْوَقْتَيْنِ وَقْتاً إِلاَّ مِنْ عُذْرٍ أَوْ عِلَّةٍ»

Narrated by al-Husayn ibn Sa’id from al-Nadr and Fadalah from Ibn Sinan: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: "For every prayer there are two times, and the first of the two is the better. The time of the Fajr prayer is from the moment the dawn splits until the morning light covers the sky, and it is not appropriate to delay that deliberately, but it is the time for one who is preoccupied, forgets, is heedless, or sleeps. And the time of Maghrib is from the setting of the sun until the stars become interwoven. And no one should make the latter of the two times their time (of prayer), except due to an excuse or a valid reason."

قال الشيخ رحمه الله ولكل صلاة من الفرائض الخمس وقتان أول وآخر فالاول لمن لا عذر له والثاني لاصحاب الاعذار ولا ينبغي لاحد أن يؤخر الصلاة عن أول وقتها وهو ذاكر لها غير ممنوع منها فان أخرها ثم اخترم في الوقت قبل أن يؤديها كان مضيعا لها وان بقي حتى يؤديها في آخر الوقت أو فيما بين الاول والآخر عفي عن ذنبه في تأخيرها قد بينا فيما تقدم ان آخر الوقت وقت لصاحب العذر والحاجة وان من لا عذر له فوقته أول الوقت ويؤكد ذلك أيضا ما رواه

The Shaykh (Al-Mufid), may Allah (swt) support him, said: "And every one of the five obligatory prayers has two times: an initial time and a final time. The first is for one who has no excuse, and the second is for those with excuses. And it is not appropriate for anyone to delay the prayer beyond its initial time while being mindful of it and not prevented from performing it. If he delays it and then dies during the time before performing it, he has neglected it. But if he remains until he performs it at the end of the time or between the first and the last time, he is excused for the delay." We have already clarified previously that the end of the time is for one who has an excuse or a pressing need, and that one who has no excuse, his time is the beginning of the time. What further confirms this is what was narrated:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اَلرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ:« لِكُلِّ صَلاَةٍ وَقْتَانِ وَ أَوَّلُ اَلْوَقْتِ أَفْضَلُهُ وَ لَيْسَ لِأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ آخِرَ اَلْوَقْتَيْنِ وَقْتاً إِلاَّ فِي عُذْرٍ مِنْ غَيْرِ عِلَّةٍ»

Narrated by Muhammad ibn Ya’qub from Ali ibn Ibrahim from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus ibn Abd al-Rahman from Abdullah ibn Sinan, who said: I heard Abu Abdillah (a.s) say: "For every prayer there are two times, and the beginning of the time is the best of it. And it is not for anyone to make the latter of the two times his (designated) time except in a case of excuse without (blameworthy) reason."

وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ أَوِ اِبْنِ وَهْبٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ:« لِكُلِّ صَلاَةٍ وَقْتَانِ وَأَوَّلُ اَلْوَقْتِ أَفْضَلُهُمَا»

Narrated by Muhammad ibn Ya’qub from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa’id from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from Mu’awiyah ibn ‘Ammar or Ibn Wahb, who said: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: "For every prayer there are two times, and the beginning of the time is the better of the two."

وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ اَلْعَبَّاسِ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ:« لَفَضْلُ اَلْوَقْتِ اَلْأَوَّلِ عَلَى اَلْأَخِيرِ خَيْرٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ مِنْ وَلَدِهِ وَ مَالِهِ»

Narrated by Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Mahbub from al-Abbas from Bakr ibn Muhammad, who said: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: "The superiority of the first time (of prayer) over the last is better for the believer than his children and his wealth."

وَ رَوَى اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ اِبْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَصْلَحَكَ اَللَّهُ وَقْتُ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ أَوَّلُ اَلْوَقْتِ أَفْضَلُ أَوْ وَسَطُهُ أَوْ آخِرُهُ فَقَالَ« أَوَّلُهُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ« إِنَّ اَللَّهَ يُحِبُّ مِنَ اَلْخَيْرِ مَا يُعَجَّلُ»»

Narrated by al-Husayn ibn Sa’id from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ‘Umar ibn Udhaynah from Zurarah, who said: I said to Abu Ja’far (a.s): "May Allah (swt) set you right, is the beginning of the time for each prayer better, or the middle, or the end?" Imam (a.s) said: "The beginning." He (a.s) then said: “The Messenger of Allah (swt), may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, said: ‘Indeed, Allah (swt) loves from goodness that which is done promptly.’"

وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي خَلَفٍ عَنْ أَبِي اَلْحَسَنِ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« اَلصَّلَوَاتُ اَلْمَفْرُوضَاتُ فِي أَوَّلِ وَقْتِهَا إِذَا أُقِيمَ حُدُودُهَا أَطْيَبُ رِيحاً مِنْ قَضِيبِ اَلْآسِ حِينَ يُؤْخَذُ مِنْ شَجَرِهِ فِي طِيبِهِ وَ رِيحِهِ وَ طَرَاوَتِهِ فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالْوَقْتِ اَلْأَوَّلِ»

Narrated by Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Yahya from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from al-Hasan ibn Mahbub from Sa’d ibn Abi Khalaf: (Imam) Abu al-Hasan Musa (a.s), peace be upon him, said: "The obligatory prayers, when performed at their initial time while fulfilling their proper conditions, are more fragrant than the myrtle branch when it is freshly taken from its tree in its fragrance, scent, and freshness. So adhere to the first time (of prayer)."

وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ اَلْخَطَّابِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ سَيْفِ بْنِ عَمِيرَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ قُتَيْبَةَ اَلْأَعْشَى عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« إِنَّ فَضْلَ اَلْوَقْتِ اَلْأَوَّلِ عَلَى اَلْأَخِيرِ كَفَضْلِ اَلْآخِرَةِ عَلَى اَلدُّنْيَا»

Narrated by Muhammad ibn Ya’qub from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Salamah ibn al-Khattab from Ali ibn Sayf ibn ‘Amirah from his father from Qutaybah al-A’sha: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: "Indeed, the superiority of the first time (of prayer) over the last is like the superiority of the Hereafter over this world."

وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ:« اِعْلَمْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَ اَلْوَقْتِ أَبَداً أَفْضَلُ فَتَعَجَّلِ اَلْخَيْرَ مَا اِسْتَطَعْتَ وَ أَحَبَّ اَلْأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَادَامَ اَلْعَبْدُ عَلَيْهِ وَ إِنْ قَلَّ»

Narrated from him from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Ziyad from Hariz from Zurarah, who said: Abu Ja’far (a.s) said: "Know that the beginning of the time is always better, so hasten toward good as much as you are able. And the most beloved of deeds to Allah (swt), Mighty and Majestic, is that which the servant remains consistent upon, even if it is little."

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ اَلْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ اَلْخَزَّازِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ:« إِذَا دَخَلَ وَقْتُ صَلاَةٍ فُتِحَتْ أَبْوَابُ اَلسَّمَاءِ لِصُعُودِ اَلْأَعْمَالِ فَمَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَصْعَدَ عَمَلٌ أَوَّلُ مِنْ عَمَلِي وَ لاَ يُكْتَبَ فِي اَلصَّحِيفَةِ أَحَدٌ أَوَّلُ مِنِّي»

Narrated by Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Abu Ayyub al-Khazzaz from Muhammad ibn Muslim, who said: I heard Abu Abdillah (a.s) say: "When the time of a prayer enters, the gates of the heavens are opened for the ascent of deeds. So I do not wish that any deed ascends before mine, nor that anyone's name is recorded in the scroll (of deeds) before mine."

وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ سَهْلٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ رِبْعِيٍّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَ قَالَ:« إِنَّا لَنُقَدِّمُ وَ نُؤَخِّرُ وَ لَيْسَ كَمَا يُقَالُ مَنْ أَخْطَأَ وَقْتَ اَلصَّلاَةِ فَقَدْ هَلَكَ وَ إِنَّمَا اَلرُّخْصَةُ لِلنَّاسِي وَ اَلْمَرِيضِ وَ اَلْمُدْنِفِ وَ اَلْمُسَافِرِ وَ اَلنَّائِمِ فِي تَأْخِيرِهَا»

And from him, from Isma‘il ibn Sahl from Hammad from Rib‘i: Abu Abdillah (a.s) said: “Indeed, we advance and delay (the prayer), and it is not as people say: ‘Whoever misses the time of prayer has perished.’ Rather, there is a concession for the one who forgets, the sick person, the severely ill, the traveller, and the one asleep, in delaying it.”

وليس لاحد أن يقول إن هذه الاخبار إنما تدل على ان اول الاوقات أفضل ولا تدل على انه يجب في أول الوقت لانه إذا ثبت انها في أول الوقت أفضل ولم يكن هناك منع ولا عذر فانه يجب أن يفعل ومتى لم يفعل والحال على ما وصفناه استحق اللوم والتعنيف ولم يرد بالوجوب هاهنا ما يستحق بتركه العقاب لان الوجوب على ضروب عندنا منها ما يستحق بتركه العقاب ومنها ما يكون الاولى فعله ولا يستحق الاخلال به العقاب وإن كان يستحق به ضرب من اللوم والعتب ثم ذكر الشيخ رحمه الله تفضيل الوقتين لكل صلاة الى آخر الباب وقد مضى شرح ذلك مستوفى

And no one has the right to say that these narrations merely indicate that the beginning of the time is better, but do not indicate that it is obligatory (to pray) at the beginning of the time, because when it has been established that the beginning of the time is superior, and there is no barrier or excuse, then it becomes obligatory to act accordingly. And whenever one does not act in such a case as we have described, he deserves blame and reproach. However, what is meant by "obligation" (wujub) here is not the type whose abandonment incurs punishment, because obligation, according to us, is of various kinds: among them is that whose abandonment brings about punishment, and among them is that which is preferable to do but whose abandonment does not incur punishment, even if it deserves a type of blame and reprimand. Then the Shaykh, may Allah (swt) have mercy on him, mentioned the preference of the two time intervals for each prayer until the end of the chapter, and the explanation of that has already been covered in full.