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Can I pray Asr with Shafai imam if I follow Hanafi maslak? Can I pray alone at Shafai timing?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Darulifta-Deoband.com
I have recently come from India to USA. My question is regarding Asr prayer time. In USA the timings are different for Shafai and Hanafi maslak. There is difference of 30 minutes as starting time for Asr in between two. I follow Hanafi maslak. I want to ask you if I am praying behind a local Shafai imam then can I pray at Shafai timing? What is the case when I pray alone, should I pray only after the Hanafi timings start or can I go ahead and pray as Shafai time is already started?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

(Fatwa: 638/638/M=05/1435)

According to Hanafi Fiqh, the time of Asr starts after two mithl. However it starts after first mithl as per Sahibain (Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad) and as per Imam Shafi’i etc. But you should offer salah as per the preferred opinion i.e. after two mithl. It is mentioned in Ahsan Al Fatawa that it is preferable to offer Asr salah after two mithl though jamah is missed. (Ahsan al-Fatawa: vol. 2, p. 145)
If there are more than one Hanafi followers then you should offer Asr salah with jamah as per the Hanafi timing in any suitable place.

Allah knows Best!

Darul Ifta,
Darul Uloom Deoband

This answer was collected from the official ifta website of Darul Uloom Deoband in India.

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