The Time of Salah (Prayer) In a Cloudy Day, Windy and One Who Has Performed Salah (Prayer) Without Facing the Direction of Qiblah

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about performing Salah (prayer) during the night and during the day when the sun, the moon and stars cannot be seen. He (the Imam) said, ‘ Strive to come up with your best opinion about al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah).’”

“A man from our people once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘In a cloudy day sometimes the identifying the exact time becomes confusing.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Are you aware of the existence of these birds, in Iraq, called al-Dikah (rooster)?’ He (the man) replied, ‘Yes, I am aware.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘When they raise their voices and others respond, it is the time when the sun declines toward the west at noontime, or that he (the Imam) said, ‘You must perform Salah (prayer).”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘You may perform a Salah (prayer) without facing al- Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah). You must perform it again, only if you realize it in time. If the time is gone, it is not obligatory for you to perform it again.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about a man who performs the morning Salah (prayer) during the night mistakenly because of moon light and then goes to sleep until sunrise and he then is informed of having performed his morning Salah (prayer) during the night, has said, ‘He must perform it again.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I am a Mu’adhdhin (caller for Salah (prayer)). On a cloudy day I cannot find when time for a Salah (prayer) begins.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘When the rooster crows three times consecutively, it is time when the sun has declined toward the west at noontime, thus it is time for Salah (prayer).”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘One who performs a Salah (prayer) when it is not its time; his Salah (prayer) is not valid.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Al-Taharriy (investigation) is always sufficient in the issue of finding al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah).’”

“Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that a man may perform a Salah (prayer) without facing proper al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah). He may realize it before completing the Salah (prayer). If his face is within one hundred eighty degrees of the al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah) he must turn to al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah) as soon as he realizes. If his back is toward al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah), he must discontinue the Salah (prayer), then turn to al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah) and begin the Salah (prayer) again.”’

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who is in unpopulated land on a cloudy day and performs Salah (prayer) facing a wrong direction. Clouds then clear and he finds out about his Salah (prayer) having been performed facing a wrong direction. What he must do? He (the Imam) said, ‘If there is still time, he must do his Salah (prayer) again but if the time is passed, then whatever investigation he has done is sufficient.’”

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah) for one who is confused. He (the Imam) said, ‘He performs as he wishes.’ It is also narrated that he performs Salah (prayer) facing four directions.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If you perform Salah (prayer) and you think it is time, when in fact is not time yet, but the time comes when you are still performing that Salah (prayer) it is sufficient.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Did the Messenger of Allah perform Salah (prayer) facing Bayt al-Maqdis?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘Yes, he did so.’ I then asked, ‘Would he turn his back toward al-Ka‘bah?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘When in Makkah he did not do so; but when he migrated to al-Madinah, he did so until he turned to al-Ka‘bah.’”