The Time of Morning Salah (Prayer)

“Abu al-Hassan ibn al-Husayn once wrote to Abu Ja‘far, al-Thaniy (a.s.), ‘With me, I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, people of your followers disagree on timing of dawn Salah (prayer). Certain ones of them perform when it is the first dawn in which a rectangular line appears in the sky, and others among them perform the morning Salah (prayer) when it (brightness) is at the bottom of the horizon and it has just appeared. I do not know which one is better, so I perform my Salah (prayer) in that time. If you consider it proper, instruct me about the time, which is better. Define it for me and how I should deal with the moon and the dawn with which it is not distinguishable, until it becomes red and it is dawn; and how should I deal with clouds and what are the limits for it during a journey or when one is at home. I will follow your instructions. 5 He (the Imam) wrote back with his own handwriting and I read it: “Dawn, Allah has granted you kindness, is when the white line appears sideways; and it is not vertical, during which time you do not perform Salah (prayer) on a journey or when at home until it is obvious. Allah, most Blessed, most High, does not leave His creatures in confusion in this matter so He has said, ‘Eat and drink until a white line appears from a darkness line at dawn. 5 (2:187) The white line is that which is sideways and after the appearance of which eating and drinking become unlawful because of fasting, and so also Salah (prayer) becomes obligatory at such time.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), to teach me about the most excellent time for the morning Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) (a.s.), said, ‘About the coming of dawn, Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, says, “You must perform Salah (prayer)) and the recitation at dawn. The recitation at dawn certainly was witnessed.” (17:78) It is a reference to the morning Salah (prayer) which is witnessed (attended) by the angels of the night and the angels of the day. When a servant of Allah performs Salah (prayer) at dawn, it is written in his favor twice: once by the angels of the night and once by the angels of the day.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Dawn is when you find a white line like the whiteness of Sur 5 (a certain section of Euphrates river in Iraq) 5 ”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The time for morning Salah (prayer) is when it (the white line) appears until the coming out of rays (of the sun).’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The time for morning Salah (prayer) begins when dawn opens, until morning (with rays) brightens the sky. It is not proper to delay purposely; however, there is time for those who are preoccupied, forget or are sleeping.”

“Abu al-Hassan, al-‘Askariy (a.s.), has said, ‘At midnight a white spot appears in the middle of the sky like a pillar of iron, because of which it gives light in the world. This is there for an hour, then it goes out and it becomes dark. When there is one-third of the night left, whiteness appears in the east, which gives light to the world and it after an hour goes out. That is the time for Salah (prayer) of night. It then becomes dark before dawn: then the true dawn appears from the east.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Those who like to perform Salah (prayer) of night at midnight that is for them.’”