Question:

What do the scholars and experts of shari’ah say regarding a person who starts offering a prayer at the very end of its prescribed time, and while he is still praying, the adhan (call to prayer) for the next prayer is given. Will his prayer still be valid and complete, or will it be invalid because the time for the next prayer has begun? What should a person do in such a situation?

Answer:

If a person begins his prayer before the end of its prescribed time, his prayer remains valid and complete even if the adhan for the next salah is made whilst he is still praying. It has been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an: “Indeed, the prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times” (Surah An-Nisāʾ, 4:103). If one starts the prayer within its proper time, he has fulfilled the obligation.  The Prophet ﷺ also said, “Whoever catches one rak‘ah of the prayer before the time expires has caught the prayer” (Bukhari & Muslim). Based on this, all scholars agree that what determines the validity of the prayer is that it begins within its allotted time; even if the time for the next prayer starts while one is still praying, the prayer remains valid.

However, while such a prayer is acceptable, it is not recommended to delay salah until the very end of its time. The Hanafi scholars consider delaying the prayer without a valid reason to be makruh tanzihi (undesirable). The Prophet ﷺ said, “The most beloved deed to Allah is prayer at its earliest time” (Tirmidhi). One should strive to pray early, but if due to necessity or circumstance one starts the prayer just before the time ends, it is still considered valid and accepted by Allah ﷻ.#

And Allah ﷻ knows best

This Fatwa is written by Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Munir Al-Azhari