The Times of Maghrib and ‘Isha’ Salah (Prayer)

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ وَقْتُ الْمَغْرِبِ إِذَا ذَهَبَتِ الْحُمْرَةُ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَ تَدْرِي كَيْفَ ذَاكَ قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ لِأَنَّ الْمَشْرِقَ مُطِلٌّ عَلَى الْمَغْرِبِ هَكَذَا وَ رَفَعَ يَمِينَهُ فَوْقَ يَسَارِهِ فَإِذَا غَابَتْ هَاهُنَا ذَهَبَتِ الْحُمْرَةُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا.

‘It is time for al-Maghrib Salah (prayer) when the redness disappears in the east. Do you know how it happens? 5 I replied, ‘No, I do not know. 5 He (the Imam) said that it is because the east is under-hanged in relation to the west like this. 5 He (the Imam) raised his right hand over his left hand. ‘When it is sunset

إِذَا غَابَتِ الْحُمْرَةُ مِنْ هَذَا الْجَانِبِ يَعْنِي مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ فَقَدْ غَابَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ شَرْقِ الْأَرْضِ وَ غَرْبِهَا.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), ‘When the redness disappears from this side, that is, from the east, it is proof that it is sunset in the east and west.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَ حِجَاباً مِنْ ظُلْمَةٍ مِمَّا يَلِي الْمَشْرِقَ‌[1] وَ وَكَّلَ بِهِ مَلَكاً فَإِذَا غَابَتِ الشَّمْسُ اغْتَرَفَ ذَلِكَ الْمَلَكُ غُرْفَةً بِيَدِهِ ثُمَّ اسْتَقْبَلَ بِهَا الْمَغْرِبَ يَتْبَعُ الشَّفَقَ وَ يُخْرِجُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ قَلِيلًا قَلِيلًا وَ يَمْضِي فَيُوَافِي الْمَغْرِبَ عِنْدَ سُقُوطِ الشَّفَقِ فَيُسَرِّحُ [فِي الظُّلْمَةِ] الظُّلْمَةَ ثُمَّ يَعُودُ إ

"Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Allah has created a barrier of darkness from near the east and has appointed for it an angel. When it is sunset, that angel fills up his hand with it, then faces toward the west, following the brightness and it moves out of his two hands little by little. He passes by until he comes t

وَقْتُ سُقُوطِ الْقُرْصِ وَ وُجُوبِ الْإِفْطَارِ أَنْ تَقُومَ بِحِذَاءِ الْقِبْلَةِ وَ تَتَفَقَّدَ الْحُمْرَةَ الَّتِي تَرْتَفِعُ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ فَإِذَا جَازَتْ قِمَّةَ الرَّأْسِ إِلَى نَاحِيَةِ الْمَغْرِبِ‌[3] فَقَدْ وَجَبَ الْإِفْطَارُ وَ سَقَطَ الْقُرْصُ.

"Abu ’Abd Allah has said, ‘The disappearance of the disk (the sun), the necessary time to discontinue fasting is when facing its direction and the disappearance of the redness that rise from the east upon its reaching overhead toward the west at such time fasting is discontinued; the (disappearance of the disk (sunset)

قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع‌ وَقْتُ الْمَغْرِبِ إِذَا غَابَ الْقُرْصُ فَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ وَ قَدْ صَلَّيْتَ فَأَعِدِ الصَّلَاةَ[4] وَ مَضَى صَوْمُكَ وَ تَكُفُّ عَنِ الطَّعَامِ إِنْ كُنْتَ أَصَبْتَ مِنْهُ شَيْئاً.

"The time for Maghrib is when the disc (of the sun) has disappeared. If you see (the sun) after that and you have prayed, then repeat the prayer, and your fast remains valid. You should refrain from food if you have eaten anything."

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ حَنْظَلَةَ أَتَانَا عَنْكَ بِوَقْتٍ قَالَ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِذاً لَا يَكْذِبُ عَلَيْنَا قُلْتُ قَالَ وَقْتُ الْمَغْرِبِ إِذَا غَابَ الْقُرْصُ إِلَّا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص كَانَ إِذَا جَدَّ بِهِ السَّيْرُ أَخَّرَ الْمَغْرِبَ وَ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَهَا وَ بَيْنَ الْعِشَاءِ فَقَالَ صَدَقَ وَ قَالَ وَقْتُ الْعِشَاءِ حِينَ يَغِيبُ الشَّفَقُ إِلَى ثُلُثِ اللَّيْل

“I once said to abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), that ’Umar ibn Hanzalah has reported something from you about the timing. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘Rest assured, he does not forge untrue reports from us.’ I said that he has said, ’It is the time of sunset when the disk disappears (sunset takes place) except that the Messeng

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ وَقْتُ الْمَغْرِبِ إِذَا غَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَغَابَ قُرْصُهَا.

‘It is time for al-Maghrib Salah (prayer) when it is sunset and its (sun’s) disc disappears.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ وَقْتِ الْمَغْرِبِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ جَبْرَئِيلَ ع أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ص لِكُلِّ صَلَاةٍ بِوَقْتَيْنِ غَيْرَ صَلَاةِ الْمَغْرِبِ فَإِنَّ وَقْتَهَا وَاحِدٌ وَ وَقْتَهَا وُجُوبُهَا[1].

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the time of al-Maghrib. He (the Imam) said that Jibril brought to the Holy prophet, two timings for every Salah (prayer) except al-Maghrib Salah (prayer). The time for al-Maghrib is when it becomes obligatory.’”

أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع‌ إِنَّ لِكُلِّ صَلَاةٍ وَقْتَيْنِ غَيْرَ الْمَغْرِبِ فَإِنَّ وَقْتَهَا وَاحِدٌ وَ وَقْتَهَا وُجُوبُهَا وَ وَقْتَ فَوْتِهَا سُقُوطُ الشَّفَقِ‌[2]. - وَ رُوِيَ أَيْضاً أَنَّ لَهَا وَقْتَيْنِ آخِرُ وَقْتِهَا سُقُوطُ الشَّفَقِ. وَ لَيْسَ هَذَا مِمَّا يُخَالِفُ الْحَدِيثَ الْأَوَّلَ إِنَّ لَهَا وَقْتاً وَاحِداً لِأَنَّ الشَّفَقَ هُوَ الْحُمْرَةُ وَ لَيْسَ بَيْنَ غَيْبُوبَةِ الشَّمْسِ وَ بَيْنَ غَيْبُوبَةِ

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘For every Salah (prayer) there are two timings except al- Maghrib; its timing is one and it is the time when it becomes obligatory. It ends with the disappearance of al-Shafaq (redness in the west).”’ “It is also narrated that there are two timings for al-Maghrib and it ends with the disa

سَأَلَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَسْبَاطٍ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع وَ نَحْنُ نَسْمَعُ الشَّفَقُ الْحُمْرَةُ أَوِ الْبَيَاضُ فَقَالَ الْحُمْرَةُ لَوْ كَانَ الْبَيَاضُ كَانَ إِلَى ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ.

‘It is the redness; in the case of the condition of whiteness, it (virtuous time for al-Maghrib) remains up to one third of the night.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَتَى تَجِبُ الْعَتَمَةُ- قَالَ إِذَا غَابَ الشَّفَقُ وَ الشَّفَقُ الْحُمْرَةُ فَقَالَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ إِنَّهُ يَبْقَى بَعْدَ ذَهَابِ الْحُمْرَةِ ضَوْءٌ شَدِيدٌ مُعْتَرِضٌ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّ الشَّفَقَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ الْحُمْرَةُ وَ لَيْسَ الضَّوْءُ مِنَ الشَّفَقِ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about when al-‘Atmah (al-‘Isha’) becomes obligatory? He (the Imam) said, ‘When al-Shafaq (redness) disappears. Al-Shafaq is the redness.’ ‘Ubayd Allah then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep you well, after the disappearance of redness there remains a strong light visible.’ Abu ‘Abd All

إِذَا غَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ دَخَلَ وَقْتُ الصَّلَاتَيْنِ إِلَّا أَنَّ هَذِهِ قَبْلَ هَذِهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When it is sunset, it is time for two Salah (prayer) except that this is before that.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ لَوْ لَا أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لَأَخَّرْتُ الْعِشَاءَ إِلَى ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ. - وَ رُوِيَ أَيْضاً إِلَى نِصْفِ اللَّيْلِ.

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "If it were not for the difficulty it would cause my community, I would have delayed the 'Isha prayer until one-third of the night." It has also been narrated that he would have delayed it until half the night.

قَالَ: وَقْتُ الْمَغْرِبِ فِي السَّفَرِ إِلَى رُبُعِ اللَّيْلِ.

‘The time for al-Maghrib Salah (prayer) on a journey remains until passing of one-fourth of the night.’”

كَتَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ‌[1] الرَّجُلُ يَكُونُ فِي الدَّارِ تَمْنَعُهُ حِيطَانُهَا النَّظَرَ إِلَى حُمْرَةِ الْمَغْرِبِ وَ مَعْرِفَةَ مَغِيبِ الشَّفَقِ وَ وَقْتِ صَلَاةِ الْعِشَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ مَتَى يُصَلِّيهَا وَ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ فَوَقَّعَ ع يُصَلِّيهَا إِذَا كَانَ عَلَى هَذِهِ الصِّفَةِ عِنْدَ قَصْرَةِ النُّجُومِ‌[2] وَ الْمَغْرِبَ عِنْدَ اشْتِبَاكِهَا وَ بَيَاضُ مَغِيبِ الشَّمْسِ قَصْرَةُ النُّجُومِ إِلَى بَيَانِهَا.

‘He performs it (al-‘Isha’) when on this side, stars appear and al-Maghrib when just few stars appear. The clarity of sunset is from the appearance of few stars until their clearly becoming visible.’”

كَتَبْتُ إِلَى الرِّضَا ع ذَكَرَ أَصْحَابُنَا أَنَّهُ إِذَا زَالَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَقَدْ دَخَلَ وَقْتُ الظُّهْرِ وَ الْعَصْرِ وَ إِذَا غَرَبَتْ دَخَلَ وَقْتُ الْمَغْرِبِ وَ الْعِشَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا أَنَّ هَذِهِ قَبْلَ هَذِهِ فِي السَّفَرِ وَ الْحَضَرِ وَ أَنَّ وَقْتَ الْمَغْرِبِ إِلَى رُبُعِ اللَّيْلِ فَكَتَبَ كَذَلِكَ الْوَقْتُ غَيْرَ أَنَّ وَقْتَ الْمَغْرِبِ ضَيِّقٌ وَ آخِرُ وَقْتِهَا ذَهَابُ الْحُمْرَةِ وَ مَصِيرُ

“I once, wrote to al-Rida’ (a.s.), to ask a question. ‘Our people have said that when the sun declines toward the west at noontime, it is the time of al-Dhuhr and al-‘Asr Salah (prayers). When it is sunset it is time of al-Maghrib and al-‘Isha’ al-Akhirah Salah (prayers) except that this is before this. It is the same

كَتَبَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ بْنُ الْحُصَيْنِ إِلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي ع‌ مَعِي جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَدِ اخْتَلَفَتْ مُوَالُوكَ فِي صَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يُصَلِّي إِذَا طَلَعَ الْفَجْرُ الْأَوَّلُ الْمُسْتَطِيلُ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يُصَلِّي إِذَا اعْتَرَضَ فِي أَسْفَلِ الْأُفُقِ وَ اسْتَبَانَ وَ لَسْتُ أَعْرِفُ أَفْضَلَ الْوَقْتَيْنِ فَأُصَلِّيَ فِيهِ فَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ أَنْ تُعَلِّمَنِي أَفْضَلَ ال

1. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn Mahziyar from who has said the following: “Abu al-Hassan ibn al-Husayn once wrote to Abu Ja‘far, al-Thaniy, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, ‘With me, I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, people of your followers disagree on timing of dawn Salah (