Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badat
Question:
I had a question regarding when ‘Ishā’ time expires.
I recently heard that the common view that ‘Ishā’ time lasts until Fajr is incorrect.
Can you kindly verify or let me know when the time of ‘Ishā’ expires according to the Ḥanafī school of Islamic law?
Answer:
بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Thank you for contacting Mathabah for your question.
In response to your concern, kindly note that the timing of ‘Ishā’ lasts until the begging time of Fajr, which is at true dawn (just before fajr ṣalāh).
The famous Ḥanafī jurist, Imam Abul Ḥasan Al Qudūrī writes in his Ḥanafī fiqh manual,
“The beginning of the ‘Ishā’ time is when the twilight departs, and the end of it’s time (‘Ishā’), is as long as the second fajr (true dawn) has not appeared.” (Mukhtaṣar Al Qudūrī)
It is also worthy to note the even though the validity of ‘Ishā’ timing stretches through-out the night up until the morning true dawn, the fuqahā (jurists) have debated matters regarding the preferred timing for ‘Ishā’ prayer. On this note, kindly be aware of the following:
Ḥanafī Stance
The Ḥanafī position is that it is mustaḥab (preferred) to delay the ‘Ishā’ prayer up to the third or just before half the night. (I’alā Al Sunan)
Ḥanbalī View
According to the Ḥanbalī school, there are two timings for ‘Ishā’;
a) waqt Ikhtiyārī (preferred time) which is from the disappearance of the twilight to passing of the first third of the night.
b) waqt dharūrah (final time) which is from the beginning of the second third of the night until true dawn . According to the Ḥanbalī view, ‘Ishā’ ṣalāh performed after the second third up until the true dawn, is considered valid and adā (fulfilled), however one will be regarded as sinful. (Al Fiqh ‘Alā Madhāhib Al Arba’ah)
Mālikī Position
The Mālikī school suggests that the waqt ikhtiyārī (preferred time) for ‘Ishā’ prayer begins from the disappearance of the evening red twilight and ends at the completion of the first third of the night, while the waqt dharūrī (final delayable time) is the timing after that up until true dawn. In the Mālikī school, however, a person will only be regarded as sinful, when performing after the first third of the night, if the individual does not have a genuine necessity to perform ṣalāh with such delay. (Al Fiqh ‘Alā Madhāhib Al Arba’ah)
Some of the above discussion regarding the preferred time for ‘Ishā’ is due to narrations such as the following:
“Had I not feared difficulty upon my nation, I would have instructed them to delay the ‘Ishā’ prayer up to the third or half of the night”. (Tirmidhī)
And Allāh Knows Best