This article explains the prescribed times for the five daily prayers, prohibited times for prayer, and the rulings related to missed prayers according to the Hanbali madhhab, from Sharh Muntaha al-Iradat, Kashshaf al-Qina, and Matalib Uli al-Nuha.

Prescribed Prayer Times and Making Up Missed Prayers

This article explains the prescribed times for the five daily prayers and the rulings related to missed prayers according to the Hanbali madhhab, based on Sharh Muntaha al-Iradat, Kashshaf al-Qina, and Matalib Uli al-Nuha.

Prayer Times

Each of the five daily prayers has a prescribed beginning and ending time. A prayer performed before its time begins is invalid, except where the Shariah permits combining prayers.

General Rulings

It is recommended to perform each prayer at the beginning of its time unless there is a legislated reason to delay it.
Delaying the prayer is recommended when doing so removes hardship, such as overcoming hunger or the urge to relieve oneself, provided the prayer is still performed within its prescribed time.
Delaying the prayer is obligatory when necessary to learn Surat al-Fatihah or another obligatory remembrance.
A prayer is considered to have been performed on time if the opening takbir is said before its prescribed time ends, even if the remainder of the prayer is completed afterward. This also applies to Jumuah.
If a person cannot determine the prayer time and no trustworthy person is available to inform him, he should use his best judgment. If it later becomes clear that he prayed before the time entered, he must repeat the prayer.
A trustworthy person who knows the prayer times may be relied upon to inform others of them.

Prescribed Times for the Five Daily Prayers

Prayer	Beginning of the time	Normal/optional time ends	Time of necessity	Preferred time	Exceptions and disliked matters
Fajr	Appearance of true dawn (al-fajr al-sadiq), the whiteness that spreads horizontally across the eastern horizon.	Sunrise	—	Pray early during the darkness of dawn.	—
Zuhr	Zawal, when the sun passes its meridian and the shadow begins to increase.	When an object’s shadow becomes equal to the object’s length, in addition to the shadow present at zawal.	—	Pray early.	It is recommended to delay it during extreme heat, and in cloudy weather for those praying in congregation.
Asr	When the time of Zuhr ends, when an object’s shadow becomes equal to its length in addition to the shadow present at noon.	When the object’s shadow becomes twice its length, in addition to the shadow present at noon.	Until sunset.	Pray early without delay.	—
Maghrib	Sunset.	Disappearance of the red twilight (al-shafaq al-ahmar).	—	Pray immediately after sunset.	It is recommended to delay it at Muzdalifah for pilgrims combining prayers, and in cloudy weather for congregational prayer.
Isha	Disappearance of the red twilight (al-shafaq al-ahmar), the reddish light remaining in the western direction after sunset.	First third of the night.	Until true dawn.	Delay it until the end of the first third of the night if doing so does not cause hardship.	Sleeping before it or engaging in unnecessary conversation afterward is disliked.

Times in Which Prayer Is Prohibited

The five prohibited times are divided into non-severe and severe times.

Non-Severe Prohibited Times

From the appearance of fajr until shortly before sunrise.
After performing Asr until sunset.

For Fajr, the prohibition begins at the appearance of fajr, not after performing Fajr. Thus, voluntary prayer is prohibited except the two rakahs of the Fajr ratibah and Salat al-Fajr.

For Asr, the prohibition begins after performing Asr, even if it was combined with Zuhr through jam taqdim. The relevant consideration is having performed Asr, not the entry of its normal time. Whoever has not performed Asr may perform voluntary prayers, even if others have already prayed it. If one begins Asr and then interrupts it, changes it into a voluntary prayer, or performs it alone, the ruling depends on whether he has actually performed Asr: if he has, voluntary prayer is prohibited.

The regular sunnah of Zuhr may be made up after combined Asr, including after jam takhir.

Salat al-Janazah may be performed during non-severe prohibited times.

Severe Prohibited Times

There are three:

From sunrise until the sun rises to the height of a spear: beginning when any part of the sun’s disk appears and ending when it has risen approximately a spear’s length. One generally waits about twelve to fifteen minutes after sunrise.
From the sun’s zenith until it passes the meridian: midday, calculated as the midpoint between sunrise and sunset.
From when the sun begins to set until it completely sets.

Salat al-Janazah is not performed during these three times when there is no fear of the body decomposing. Even if someone dies during them, the janazah is delayed until the prohibited time ends. If there is fear of decomposition, it may be performed during these severe times.

Prayers Permitted During All Five Prohibited Times

The following are permitted even during severe prohibited times:

A pledged prayer (nadhr), including one vowed without specifying a time.
A prayer specifically vowed for a prohibited time, because it becomes obligatory.
Making up an obligatory prayer. For example, one who wakes immediately after sunrise having missed Fajr prays it without waiting until the sun has risen to the height of a spear.
The two rakahs after tawaf, even if the prohibited time has begun.
Repeating a congregational prayer, subject to its conditions. If one is already in the mosque when the congregation is established, he may repeat the prayer even if he previously prayed it. If he is not in the mosque, it is not recommended to enter merely to repeat the prayer.

Voluntary Prayers Prohibited During All Prohibited Times

It is prohibited to begin a voluntary prayer, or any part of one, during any prohibited time, except the sunnah of Fajr before Salat al-Fajr.

This includes voluntary prayers with a specific cause, such as:

sujud at-tilawah outside prayer;
sujud ash-shukr;
salat al-kusuf;
making up a regular sunnah (ratibah);
tahiyyat al-masjid;
prayer after wudu;
istikharah;
prayer over a grave;
prayer over an absent deceased person.

A voluntary prayer begun during a prohibited time is invalid even if the person is unaware of the prohibition or that the time is prohibited. One begun before the prohibited time remains valid when the prohibited time enters, although completing it is sinful.

Tahiyyat al-Masjid During the Friday Khutbah

Tahiyyat al-masjid is permitted when entering the mosque during the Friday khutbah, regardless of the season and whether the person knows of the prohibition.

Making Up Missed Prayers

If a person allows an obligatory prayer to pass beyond its prescribed time, he must make it up. There are two principal matters concerning missed prayers:

Immediate performance (al-fawr)
Maintaining the order (al-tartib)

When a Prayer Must Be Made Up

A prayer must be made up if its time entered while a person was legally accountable and free of any excuse, and then an excuse such as menstruation or insanity arose before he or she prayed.

Likewise, a prayer must be made up if a person becomes legally accountable, or an excuse ends, while enough time remains to perform the opening takbir. In this case, that prayer must be made up, along with any prayer that may be combined with it before it.

Immediate Performance

A missed prayer must generally be made up immediately when it is remembered.

Therefore, if someone remembers that he missed Asr during the time of Isha, he cannot deliberately postpone making it up until after finishing his lesson or returning home. He must make it up immediately.

Delaying a missed prayer is permitted for a valid reason, such as:

Waiting for a congregation.
Avoiding physical harm.
Preventing the loss of necessary income.

Otherwise, missed prayers should be made up without delay.

Maintaining the Order

Missed obligatory prayers should generally be performed in chronological order.

For example, if someone has not prayed Maghrib and the time of Isha has entered, he should first pray Maghrib and then pray Isha.

The requirement of order is waived in the following cases:

Fear That the Current Prayer’s Time Will End

If maintaining the order would cause the current prayer to leave its prescribed or preferred time, the order is waived.

For example, if someone sleeps after Maghrib and wakes shortly before sunrise with only five minutes remaining, praying Isha first could cause the time of Fajr to expire. He therefore prays Fajr first in order to catch its time, then prays Isha.

Forgetfulness

If a person forgets that he owes a missed prayer and performs the current prayer, then remembers the missed prayer afterward, he does not repeat the current prayer. The requirement of order is excused because of forgetfulness.

Doubt About Missed Prayers

Whoever is uncertain about the number or identity of his missed prayers must continue making them up until he is certain that his obligation has been fulfilled.

If the identity of a missed prayer is unknown, he should perform enough prayers to remove all doubt.

Salah Times & Missed Salah According to the Hanbali Madhhab