Can You Delay Dhuhr and `Asr Prayers One Hour?

Question: 84977

I work at a national company with about 50 other employers. I normally am working at the time of Dhuhr and Asr. The problem is that the employers agreed to set a fixed times for Dhuhr at 12:45 and Asr at 3:40 in both summer and winter. As they think it is better this way for all employers to be gathered.

Thus, as you know, the gap between the Adhan and the Iqamah can be more than an hour.

My question: is setting a fixed time for the Iqamah while delaying the prayer itself to the end of the permitted time permissible knowing that there is no excuse apart from gathering the employers?

Also, is it permissible for me to pray alone on time and not wait for the congregation? Or pray with one or two brothers on time and not delay?

Summary of answer

There is nothing wrong with delaying Dhuhr and `Asr prayers for about an hour after the Adhan if delaying them enables Muslims to gather and pray in congregation.

Answer

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and his family.

There is nothing wrong with delaying Dhuhr and `Asr prayers for about an hour after the Adhan.

The reason for that is that the time for Dhuhr prayer lasts from when the sun passes the meridian until the time for `Asr begins, so all of this time is the time for Dhuhr prayer, and it is not disliked to do the prayer at any point within this time.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The time for Dhuhr is so long as `Asr has not come.” (Narrated by Muslim, 612)

There are two times for `Asr :

The preferred time, which is until the sun turns yellow, and the time of necessity, which is until sunset. That is because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The time for `Asr is so long as the sun has not turned yellow.” (Narrated by Muslim, 612) This is the preferred time.
As for the time of necessity, that is because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever catches up with a Rak`ah of `Asr before the sun sets has caught up with `Asr.” (Narrated by Muslim, 608)

What is meant by the preferred time is that it is permissible to do the prayer at any point within that time, and it is not disliked.

Delaying the prayer for about an hour after the Adhan does not mean that it is delayed beyond the preferred time.

There is nothing wrong with you praying at the beginning of the time, so long as there is a congregation. But if you are going to pray alone, it is better to wait until you can pray in congregation.

It is better to bring the prayer forward to the beginning of its time , but if delaying it enables the employees to gather and pray together , there is nothing wrong with that.

And Allah knows best.

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