TIMINGS OF SOLAT

FAEZ: In Islam, our solat cannot be performed at our own convenient time. We need to offer solat at the prescribed hour. Under the Muslim calendar, a new day starts from Maghrib time, and not mid-night as we are traditionally practice.

MULIA: The time of the Zuhur (noon prayer) is when the sun passes the meridian and a man’s shadow is of the same length as his height. It lasts until the time of the Asar (afternoon) prayer. The time of the Asar prayer is as long as the sun has not become yellow (during its setting). The time of Magrib (sunset) prayer is as long as the twilight has not disappeared. The time of the Isyak (night) prayer is up to Fajar prayer. And the time of the Fajar (morning) prayer is from the appearance of dawn as long as the sun has not risen. But when the sun rises, please abstain from solat, for it rises between the horns of Satan.

TEGUH: The performance of solat in the earliest hours is more meritorious. However Prophet Muhammad (saw) forbade performing solat (and to bury our dead too) after the Fajar (morning) prayer till the sun rises, and after the Asar (afternoon) prayer till the sun sets. If anyone forgets a solat, he should pray that solat when he remembers it.

AKHTAR: It is not wajib (essential) for a man to cover his head in prayer. Covering the head is sunat (desirable). So the one who does not cover his head in solat should not be reproached or criticized for it.

FAEZ: We used to hear Azan pronounce from nearby mosque, normally 5 times in a day. Azan is meant for calling people toward worship of Allah. The Mu’azim (the caller of azan) gets reward for the solat of all those who hear his azan and those in response turn up for solat.

MULIA: When the azan is pronounced, the satan takes his flight far away in order not the hear the azan. When the azan is completed he comes back, and again takes to his heels when the iqamah (call for solat to start) is pronounced and back again. The satan will whispers into the heart of the person in order to divert his attention from his solat, and makes him remember things which he did not recall to his mind before the solat. This causes him to forget how many rakaat he has prayed.

TEGUH: When should the people get up for the solat? If the iqamah is pronounced, do not stand up for solat till we see the iman (the person who leads the prayer) in front of us. But this is only sunat. In the same manner if the supper is served, start eating it before praying and do not be hasty in finishing it.