If one is late to pray, and has hardly anytime to pray, still prays and the next prayer time comes in, will the salah be valid? Is it necessary to start the salah in its prescribed time or finishing it is a condition? In that case what should one do to shorten the salah?
Bismillahi Ta’ala
Walaikum Assalam Warahmatullah
- Fajr Salah time culminates with the upper dial of sun rising above the horizon. If one starts the fajr salah before this time, and then the salah will invalidate as soon as the sun has started to rise.
- Dhuhr Salah either culminates at 1-shadow, or 2-shadow depending on which opinion from Imam Saheb or Sahibayn one follows. If Dhuhr salah is started in its time, and during salah Asr time starts, then Dhuhr Salah will be valid. One will not need to do Qadha’.
- Asr Salah non-Makruh time remains till the sun starts to change color. This is about 25 minutes before sunset in summer, or 15 minute before sunset in winter. If the Asr Salah is started after this time it will be Makruh (disliked). If Asr Salah is started just before sunset, and during salah the sun sets, then the Asr Salah will be valid, however Makruh. One will not need to do Qadha’.
- Maghreb Salah time ends at either the disappearance of red-twilight or white-twilight depending on which opinion within hanafiya one adopts. If Maghreb salah is started in its time, and during salah Isha’ time starts, then Maghreb Salah will be valid. One will not need to do Qadha’.
- Isha’ Salah culminates at the time of Subh Sadiq. If Isha’ salah is started in its time, and during salah Fajr time starts, then Isha’ Salah will be valid. One will not need to do Qadha’.
In short, all salahs except for Fajr will remain valid if while performing them, next prayer time enters.
If one is faced with a situation where one does not have sufficient time to pray fajr, then one should shorten the surah, du’as at the end of tashahud. However, one should still maintain ta’deel al arkan (properly making every posture). If in doing so one is unable to complete the salah in time, then Qadha’ and Istighfar should be made. One should make effect to chalk out specific time for salah beforehand so it does not go into makruh times.
Wallahu A’lam
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Faisal al-Mahmudi