Can you pray before prayer time? Shaikh Saleh Academy

Prayer is a pillar of Islam, and one of its conditions for validity is the entry of its prescribed time. However, some people may be traveling and wish to perform the prayer before its due time. In this article, Shaikh Saleh Academy will explore the question: can you pray before prayer time? And what is the ruling on this matter in Islamic Sharia.

Is it permissible to pray before the designated prayer time?

Can you pray before prayer time? This is one of the most frequently asked questions by many people. In reality, a person’s prayer is not valid if its time has not entered. Allah (SWT) has specified a specific time for each prayer, as stated in His saying:

(إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَوْقُوتًا)

’Inna al-salata kanat ‘ala al-mu’mineena kitaban mawquta’

“Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times.” (Quran 4:103)

It is not permissible for an individual to perform prayer before its specified time has begun. If someone does so, they must repeat the prayer and not do it again. This is because one of the conditions for a valid prayer is the entry of its prescribed time.

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What time is forbidden to pray?

The time when prayer is forbidden is the short time that is before the following prayer. At this time, it is not permissible for an individual to perform the prayer. If someone prays in this short time, the prayer is accepted, but he is considered sinful for delaying it from its due time. There are also times when prayer is disliked, and they are as follows:

After Fajr prayer until sunrise.
When the sun has risen to the height of a spear.
When the sun is at its zenith and begins to decline westward.
After Asr prayer until sunset.
When the sun’s rays turn yellow at sunset.

These five times are disliked for prayer, based on the hadith narrated by Uqba ibn Amir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

(ثلاثُ ساعاتٍ كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ينهانا أن نصلي فيهن، أو أن نَقْبُرَ فيهِن مَوْتَانا: حين تطلُع الشمسُ بازغةً حتى ترتفع، وحين يقوم قائم الظهيرة حتى تميل الشمس، وحين تَضَيَّفَ الشمسُ للغروب حتى تغرب)

“There were three times when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to forbid us to pray or to bury our dead: when the sun begins to rise until it is fully up, when the sun is at its zenith until it begins to decline, and when the sun is inclined towards setting until it has set.” (Muslim)

Can you pray early if going to work?

Some people wonder, “Is it permissible to perform prayer before its due time?” in order to go to work. The correct answer is that it is not permissible to perform the prayer before its time has begun. This is because one of the conditions for the validity of prayer is the beginning of its time. This is based on the saying of Allah (SWT):

(إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَوْقُوتًا)

’Inna al-salata kanat ‘ala al-mu’mineena kitaban mawquta’

“Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times.”

Whoever intentionally prays before the prescribed time is sinful and must repent, seek forgiveness, turn back to Allah (SWT), and not repeat this action again.

Praying a few minutes early by accident?

If a person performs the prayer before its time by mistake, it is not valid and they must repeat it when its time begins. There is no sin on them, based on the saying of Allah (SWT):

(وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَا أَخْطَأْتُمْ بِهِ وَلَكِنْ مَا تَعَمَّدَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا)

’Wa laysa ‘alaykum junahun feema akhta’tum bihi wa lakin ma ta’ammadat quloobukum wa kana Allahu Ghafooran Raheema’

“And there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred but [only for] what your hearts intended. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.” (Quran 33:5)

It is not permissible for a Muslim to pray before the Adhan, and this is by the consensus of Muslims. This is in the context of answering the question: Can you pray before adhan?

Can you pray salah before its time? The scholars agree that it is not permissible to perform the prayer before its due time, and whoever does so intentionally is sinful and their prayer is invalid. They must repeat the prayer and resolve not to do it again.

Can you pray early if travelling?

It is not permissible for a traveler to pray early before its due time, but it is permissible for them to combine prayers, such as Dhuhr with Asr and Maghrib with Isha. Allah (SWT) has made it easier for the traveler by allowing them to shorten their prayers. This means that they pray the four-rakat prayers, such as Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha, as only two rakats.

As for the Fajr and Maghrib prayers, they are prayed as they are, without shortening. This is because the shortening is only for the four-rakat prayers, and this is in following the example of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who used to pray two rakats when traveling until he returned.

A person’s prayer is not valid if they perform it before its due time, and must repeat it. This is the answer to the question: Can you pray salah before its time?

How many times a day do Islam pray? Muslims pray five times a day, and this is obligatory upon every sane and adult Muslim.

What is the best way to ensure I pray on time?

A Muslim should seek to hear the Adhan to know the times of prayer, as the entry of its prescribed time is one of the most important conditions for a valid prayer. You can also download a prayer time application on your phone to remind you of prayer times.

Can we recite Quran during zawal time? Reciting the Quran is permissible at any time, and there is no objection to that.

Can I pray at home if I cannot attend the prayer at the mosque?

Yes, it is permissible for a Muslim to perform prayer at home if they are unable to go to the mosque. However, it is preferable to preserve prayer in the mosque, especially for men, due to its great reward. This is based on the hadith of the Prophet (ﷺ) who said:

(مَنْ غَدَا إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ وَرَاحَ، أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُزُلَهُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ كُلَّمَا غَدَا أَوْ رَاحَ)

“Whoever goes to the mosque in the morning or the afternoon, Allah prepares for him an abode in Paradise every time he goes in the morning or the afternoon.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Islamic prayer steps are: intention, Takbir, reciting Al-Fatiha and what is easy from the Quran, bowing (Ruku) and rising from bowing, then prostrating (Sujood) and rising from prostration, the Tashahhud, and the Tasleem.

Can I make a voluntary prayer before the obligatory prayer starts?

There is no objection to performing a voluntary prayer before the start of the obligatory prayer, if its time has not entered. However, if the time of the obligatory prayer has entered, it is obligatory to leave the voluntary prayer until after finishing the obligatory prayer, unless it is a Sunnah prayer that is usually performed before the obligatory one.

Can I pray zuhr 10 minutes before asr? Yes, it is permissible, but the prayer must be performed on time and not delayed from its prescribed time. Whoever does this intentionally is sinful.

What are fard prayers? Allah (SWT) has obligated five prayers upon Muslims every day and night, which are Fajr prayer, Dhuhr prayer, Asr prayer, Maghrib prayer, and Isha prayer.

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Can you pray before prayer time?