Answered by Shaykh Hamza Karamali, SunniPath Academy Teacher
Suppose, according to a timetable, Maghrib was at 9pm, and Isha is at 11pm. Is there a rukhsa for one to pray Isha before the stated time (say 9:45pm) to have time for enough sleep before fajr (for example for an elderly person, or someone who is physically exhausted). Please clarify because I see this practised regularly (in the summer months) by an elderly man who is very well respected for his knowledge in Shafiee fiqh amongst other religious sciences.
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate
1. There is a position in the Shafi’i school that allows a sick person to join maghrib and isha at the time of maghrib if praying isha in its time would pose a hardship. A past answer related to this topic is available at http://www.sunnipath.com/resources/Questions/qa00003199.aspx. Note, however, that to follow this position, one would have to pray ‘isha almost immediately after maghrib.
2. The time for ‘isha enters before the time that is stated on most prayer timetables. In the Shafi’i school, ‘isha time enters at the disappearance of the red twilight. Most prayer timetables calculate the time for ‘isha according to the disappearance of the white twilight. The exact time when the red twilight disappears varies from place to place. It could be more than 45 minutes, or it could be less that 45 minutes.
3. It would be a good idea to ask the elderly gentleman to explain what he does. Perhaps you misunderstood what he does, or perhaps he knows something that I don’t.
And Allah knows best.
Hamza.