i
THE PRAYER TIMES CONCEPT OF SHIA
ITHNA ASHARIYYAH
(A Critical Study of Three Prayer Times Applied by Shia
Ithna Ashariyyah)
UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Submitted to the Faculty of Shari‟ah in
Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for Undergraduate Degree
In Islamic Law
By :
MUKHSIN ARI WIBOWO
NIM : 0 7 2 1 1 1 0 7 3
THE FAMILY LAW MAJOR
SHARIAH FACULTY
WALISONGO STATE INSTITUTE FOR ISLAMIC STUDIES
SEMARANG
2011
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M O T T O
“Do the Best for Others and the Others Will Do the Best for You”
م الش ا ي ر ا : ل ا
و ن رب يسطو لى رب # أحسن ن صهيل ليل ف مع
حـبي ل بن أب ط اب # أحسن ن هذ و هذ و ذ
سطريـن د خطش بل ك تب # او اـتشلو ـلب أصـ بـو ب
و حبي أهـل ا ـي ف ج نب # ا ــدل و اتـشوحيد ف ج نب
Imam Syafi‟i r.a. said:
More beautiful than a race-horse neigh in the battle field,
More attractive than a sword collides each other and tinkling
More beautiful and more attractive than anything
The pure love and affection to Ali bin Abi Thalib
If they look into my hearth they‟ll find
Two lines without a writer has been written
Justice and unity of God on the first line
Love and affection to Ahl Bayt on the other line
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DEDICATION
This thesis is dedicated to:
My beloved Parents who introduce me everything
Asātīdz and Ustādzāt in Al-Islam Modern Boarding School
All of teachers who teach me everything
A big family of Islamic Astronomy Concentration 07 (G-STAR)
and
Everybody who appreciates my work
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Glory to God who created all, to man He gave special place in His
creation. He honored man to be His agent, and to that end, endued him with
understanding, purified his affections and gave him spiritual insight. So that man
should understand nature, understand him, and know God through His wondrous
Signs. Glory Him in truth, reverence, and unity. The Glorious God who sent
Muhammad (PBUH) as Messenger, preaching and working in the dim twilight of
history. He stood for all humanity, orphans, women, slaves, and whom the world
neglected or oppressed. He comes to me, bringing the light to lighten the shadow,
disclosing the cover of my indecision and inspiring me with his love to keep
struggling, to win God‟s gifts.
This final assignment entitled THE PRAYER TIMES CONCEPT OF
SHIA ITHNA ASHARIYYAH (A CRITICAL STUDY OF THREE PRAYER
TIMES APPLIED BY SHIA ITHNA ASHARIYYAH) will not be finished on
time if not with the help and encouragement of those who always take their time
to help me accomplishing this final task:
1. My dear parents who always struggle and do their best to support the writer
with everything they can do and they have.
2. My big family (my dear grandma, my cousins Mbak Nie and her husband,
Mbak Yun and her husbad, mbak Laela and her husband, Ika, Syamsul
Huda, and the others), thanks for the encouragement and motivation.
viii
3. The Religious and Islamic Boarding School Education (PD Pontren) of
Ministry of Religious affairs of Indonesia, thanks for fiving a chance to earn
the scholarship and supporting my undergraduate education in IAIN
Walisongo Semarang.
4. Dr. Imam Yahya, M.Ag., as the dean of Sharia Faculty of IAIN Walisongo
Semarang and Drs. H. Muhyiddin, M.Ag as the former dean.
5. Dr. H. Muh. Arja Imroni, M. Ag as the chief of Islamic Astronomy
Concentration, Drs. H. Eman Sulaeman, MH. as the former chief, and the
staff of Islamic Astronomy Concentration (Mr. Maksun, Mr. Suwanto and
Mr. Syifa‟ul Anam), my grateful for their struggle, effort and guidance to
help my study in Sharia faculty of IAIN Walisongo Semarang.
6. KH. Sirodj Chudlori, and H. Ahmad Izzuddin, M.Ag, as my spiritual
advisors who always show and guide to the straight path in Islam.
7. Drs. Slamet Hambali, Drs. Nur Khoirin Yd, Mr. Maksun, Mr. Arja Imroni
and all of the lecturers of Sharia Faculty who taught me every thing in
Islamic law especially about Islamic Astronomy as my main major.
8. Drs. H. Eman Sulaeman, MH and Ahmad Syifaul Anam, SHI, MH as the
advisor in writing this thesis, my deepest grateful for the guidance and
advice to help this thesis writing process.
9. My companions in arms (Rifa, Mannan, Eni, Fauzi, Ansor, Faqih, Hasna,
Encep, Rahman, Syamsul, Pipit, Yuyun, Beka (Arikah), Ifeh (Latifah),
Ayuk, Kitri, Anif, Adah, Faroh, Maryani, Jaelani, Obi, lifah, Oki, Hasan,
Mahya, Sri, Anis, and Inung), all of friends in Daarun Najaah Islamic
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Boarding School especially in Asemrowo massive, thanks for being such a
good friend. I‟d like to express my special thanks to Ukhty (el-Hulwy) who
gave me support and motivation, strengthened me when I was weak and
pushed me up when I was down.
10. My friends in UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta (Apit [Mu‟ammar Zayn
Qadafi], Jaja [M. Attabik Faza], Yunita, and Hanun) who help this research.
Thanks for helping me to find some books and spending your time. For
Ninuk Krismanti who has corrected this thesis, thank you very much.
11. For The Indonesian International Education Fondation and Ohio University,
thanks for the scholarship that allowed me to visit and study in United
States. That was a great chance so I can improve my capability in English.
Finally, I can effort to write this thesis in English language.
12. Last, I really thank to people in my future, my dream family, my love
estuary. I don‟t know who you are, I don‟t know who you‟ll be, but you are
deep in my hearth, in my mind, and my delusion. You are the only reason
why I have to keep fighting, keep going, and keep struggling to get there,
step my feet a head and reach our dream. Your shadow comes across my
life, smiling and strengthening me.
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ENGLISH TRANSLITERATION SYSTEM*
A. Consonant
Arabic Latin Arabic Latin
ẓ ض A ء
ṭ ط B ب
ḍ ظ T ت
‘ ع Th ث
G غ J ج
F ف ḥ ح
Q ق Kh خ
K ك D د
L ل Dz ذ
M م R ر
N ن Z ز
W و S س
H ي Sh ش
Y ي ṣ ص
B. Vowel
Short Long
a ا Ā
u و Ū
i ي Ī
C. Double and Diphthong
Double Diphthong
au or aw أوو iyy (final form i) يي
ai or ay يو uww (final form u) وي
All al ta'rīf ( اي ذعسف ) are written with “al-” except if related with the word dīn or
al-asmā‟ al-ḥusnā. For example, shihābuddīn, uṣūluddīn, abdullāh, etc.
* Quoted from Pedoman Penulisan Skripsi, Fakultas Ushuluddin IAIN
Walisongo, Semarang, 2007, p 120-121.
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TABLE OF CONTENT
PAGE OF TITTLE ........................................................................................... i
ADVISOR APPROVAL .................................................................................. ii
RATIFICATION .............................................................................................. iii
THESIS STATEMENT ................................................................................... iv
MOTTO ........................................................................................................... v
DEDICATION ................................................................................................. vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................... vii
ENGLISH TRANSLITERATION SYSTEM .................................................. x
TABLE OF CONTENT ................................................................................... xi
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................... xiv
CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION
A. Research Background...................................................... 1
B. Formulation of the Problem ............................................ 13
C. Aim and Significance Research ...................................... 13
D. Preview of Literature....................................................... 13
E. Research Methodology.................................................... 19
a. Research Category and Approach ............................. 19
b. The Source and Data Type ........................................ 20
c. The Method of Gathering Data ................................. 20
d. The Method of Analyzing Data................................. 21
F. Research Outline ............................................................. 22
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CHAPTER II : THE GENERAL CONCEPT OF PRAYER TIMES
A. The Obligation of Prayer (Mashrū‟iyyah al-Ṣalāh) ........ 24
B. Definition of Prayer and Prayer Time ............................. 27
C. The Legal Ground of Prayer Times ................................ 31
a. Chapter Al-Nisā Verse 103 ....................................... 31
b. Chapter Hūd Verse 114 ............................................. 33
c. Chapter Al-Isrā‟ Verse 78 ......................................... 34
d. Chapter Ṭā-hā Verse 130 .......................................... 37
e. The Hadith (Tradition) of the Prophet Muhammad
Saw ............................................................................ 39
D. Prayer Times in Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh) ................ 42
a. Ḍuhr .......................................................................... 42
b. Aṣr ............................................................................. 43
c. Magrib ....................................................................... 44
d. Isha ............................................................................ 45
e. Subuh ........................................................................ 46
CHAPTER III : THE PRAYER TIMES CONCEPT IN
PERSPECTIVE OF SHIA ITHNA ASHARIYYAH
A. The History of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah ............................ 48
1. The Emergence of Shia ............................................. 48
2. The Branches of Shia ................................................ 51
3. Shia Ghulat ................................................................ 52
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4. Shia Ismā‟īliyyah ...................................................... 52
5. Shia Zaidiyyah .......................................................... 53
6. Shia Ithna Ashariyyah ............................................... 53
B. Shia Ithna Ashariyyah School of Thought ...................... 54
C. The Concept of Prayer Times in Perspective of Shia
Ithna Ashariyyah ............................................................. 58
1. Zuhrain Time .................................................... 62
2. Isha‟ain Time ................................................... 66
3. Fajr Time .......................................................... 70
CHAPTER IV : ANALYZING THE PRAYER TIMES CONCEPT IN
PERSPECTIVE OF SHIA ITHNA ASHARIYYAH
A. The Concept of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah Prayer Times ..... 71
B. The Legal Grounds of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah in Prayer
Times ............................................................................... 91
CHAPTER V : CLOSING
A. Conclusion ...................................................................... 104
B. Suggestions ..................................................................... 105
C. Closing ............................................................................ 107
BIBLIOGRAPHY
CURRICULUM VITAE
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ABSTRACT
This thesis explores the concept of prayer times in perspective of Shia
Ithna Ashariyyah as one of Islamic school of thought (madzhab). The research
begins when the writer was anxious and interested to know three times of the
obligatory prayers applied by Shia Ithna Ashariyyah. The concept is clearly
different with Sunni school of thought which applies five times for the obligatory
prayers. This is one of the issues, among many others, that the Shia quarrel with
the Sunnis about the form, method, and time of the Prayer (ṣalāt) prescribed on
every male and female believer. The Shia acknowledges five daily prayers: ḍuhr,
Aṣr, Magrib, Isha, and Ṣubuh. However, in practicing these five daily prayers,
they join two prayers between Ḍuhr and Aṣr at one time, and also Magrib and Isha
at one time. The Ṣubuh prayer is prayed at the same time as the Sunnis do.
Therefore, Shia prayer times are known as three-prayer time‟s concept, because of
the joining prayer times.
The category of this research is a qualitative research and the approach of
this research is Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). Considering that the main source and
the data input of this research is book or written text, so this research is also called
“library research” which has two types of data, primary and secondary source.
The primary data source of this research is books that are related to prayer times
of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah such as four main books of Shia (al-Kutub al-Arba‟ah):
al-Kāfī by Abū Ja‟far al-Kulainī, Man Lā Yahẓuruhu al-Faqīh by Abū Ja‟far al-
Qummī, Tahdzīb al-Aḥkām and al-Istibṣār fī Mā Ikhtalafa Min al-Akhbār by Abū
Ja‟far al-Ṭūsī. The secondary data source of this research is the books that
describe about prayer times in any Islamic legal jurisprudence (fiqh) point of
view, the history of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah and hadith books, encyclopedia or
other written text related to this research. After collecting all of the data needed,
the writer will try to analyze these data using content analyzing through
descriptive method. Then, the analysis will continue using comparative method to
compare the concept of prayer time of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah with other concept
of prayer times especially the Sunni‟s concept of prayer times.
After analyzing the sources, this research‟s result is that Shia combines
two prayers (Ḍuhr and Aṣr or Magrib and Isha) just like the Sunni does. The
different is that Sunni compels some certain conditions and requirements such as
journey, rain and fear to combine prayers (jama‟). Otherwise, Shia does not
compel those requirements and conditions to perform jama‟. They are allowed to
combine two prayers whenever and wherever they are. This difference is
produced by the different source of legal ground especially in Hadith (tradition of
the Prophet PBUH). Shia has their own books of reference in hadith which widely
known as al-kutub al-arba‟ah (the four books). On the other hand, Sunni refer
their hadith to al-kutub al-sittah (the six books) which is completely different
from al-kutub al-arba‟ah. In result, they have different opinion about the concept
of prayer times. This is reasonable because the determination of this problem is a
matter of ijtihādī which is based on the method used by jurists.
Keywords: Prayer times, Shia Ithna Ashariyyah, Combining prayers (jama’)
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Research Background
Islamic astronomy is a gyroscopic of astronomy science. As the part of
astronomy, Islamic astronomy specialize the discussion on implementation of
Islamic worship. The using of Islamic astronomy in Islamic worship is to
determine when Moslems have to begin worshiping God or where they have to
face when they practice their worship. In short, Islamic astronomy is an
application of astronomy in term of Islamic worship.
Therefore, Islamic astronomy has many fields. These fields are1:
1. Determination of the direction of Qibla
2. Determination of the beginning of prayer times
3. Determination of the first of month especially lunar months
4. Determination of sun eclipse and lunar eclipse
Among those fields, prayer time is one of the most important and the
most used because Moslems in the world use it in their daily worship. This
importance relates to the Allah commandment in Qur‟an that every Moslem has
to pray every day. Allah says in the Holly Qur‟an:
1 Ahmad Izzuddin, Fiqh Hisab Rukyah di Indonesia, Yogyakarta: Logung Pustaka, 2003, p. 32-
40.
2
Means: And be steadfast in prayer; practise regular charity; and bow down
your heads with those who bow down (in worship). (Al-Baqarah [2]:
43)2
The verse above is one of the verses that command people to pray (ṣalāt).
Hence, prayer (ṣalāt) is an obligatory for every Moslem wherever they are.
There are many verses of Qur‟an discuss about the obligatory of prayer. For
this reason, some Moslem scholars agree that prayer is the second of five
Islamic Pillars.
The obligatory of prayer regarding the verse above is too general. The
verse does not describe how and when a Moslem has to practice or do his
worship (prayer or ṣalāt). Without an explanation to that general verse, people
will be confused on how they implement the order. However, Allah explains
the way and the time of prayer in other verses. The great prophet Muhammad
PBUH also described the way of prayer in many of his traditions (hadith).
In the matter of prayer time, Allah explains it in a specific verse. Allah
SWT says:
2 English Translation Text Copied from DivineIslam's Qur'an Viewer software v2.910
developed by Jamal Al-Nasir
3
Means: When you pass (Congregational) prayers, celebrate Allah's praises,
standing, sitting down, or lying down on your sides; but when you are
free from danger, set up Regular Prayers: For such prayers are
enjoined on believers at stated times. (Al-Nisā [4]: 103)3
Look at the phrase موقوتا كتابا from that verse. The phrase means stated times that
indicates Allah has set up times for regular prayers. This verse asserts that
Moslems are not allowed to practice their obligatory of prayer anytime, but
there is a specific time when they have to pray.
Explicitly, Allah explains the times that obligate Moslems to pray. In the
Holly Qur‟an Allah says:
Means: Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the
night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading
in the morning carry their testimony. (Al-Isrā [17]: 78)4
Muhammad Al-Khuẓari Beik categorized prayer time as a wide
obligatory (al-wājib al-muwassa‟). It means that prayer can be performed on
any time as long as the time. He said that Moslem Scholars compromised that
prayer time is the cause of prayer obligatory. It is a sign and a requirement for
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid.
4
Moslem to pray. Thus, prayer will not be an obligatory before the time.
Therefore, Moslems have to pray on the time and they have to know it5.
Based on the verse, it is also appropriate if I said that prayer times is the
most used Islamic astronomy field in Islamic worship because it has to be
calculated everyday in different times. To calculate prayer times, someone has
to observe the sun motion and it is different in every time and every day, even
in one place. The sun moves every time from east when rises until west when
sunset.
The sun also has an annual motion that is the north-south motion and the
eastward motion. The north-south motion of the sun causes season
commutation like spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The north-south motion
of the sun starts with the vernal or spring equinox on March 21, the official
beginning of spring. The word equinox refers to the fact that, on this day, the
night is equal to the day: each is twelve hours long. Through March, April and
May, the sun moves north from the equator.6
Summer happens on June, July and August. It starts when the sun reaches
its most northerly point 23 1/2° above the equator. This day is called summer
solstice. It is the longest day of the year and the official beginning of summer.
On September 23, the sun, moving south, reaches the equator again. This day is
the official beginning of autumn. The day is called autumnal equinox because
5 Muhammad Khuẓari Beik, Ushūl Fiqh, Beirut: Dār al-Fikr, 1988, p. 33.
6 James Evans, The History & Practice of Ancient Astronomy, Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 1998, p. 53.
5
the length of day and night is equal, 12 hours. On December 22, the sun reaches
its most southerly point. This day is called the winter solstice and is the official
beginning of winter. At noon the sun is straight overhead at points on the
Earth‟s tropic Capricon, 23 1/2° south of the equator.7
The changes produced by the sun‟s eastward motion are more subtle, that
is we can see different stars at different times of the year. Based on this, we can
see that the sun has different position at different times in the year.8 This
different also causes changing of shadow plot that prayer times are based on
this shadow. In short, prayer times have to be calculated bases on this sun
motion.
Furthermore, Allah SWT sent His Angel Jibrīl to the prophet Muhammad
PBUH to teach him more detail about prayer times that is based on sun‟s
motion. This explanation as written on the Prophet tradition narrated by Jābir
bin Abdullah r.a.:
ثن وهب ثـ بن ام رك ن حسي بن ل ل حدش ثـ يي بن آدم حدش حدشبن كيس ن ن ج بر بن د الش وهو لنص ريي أنش ا شبش صلشى الش لي
وسلشم ج ءه جبيل اـق ل م اصل اصلشى اظيهر حي ز ا الشمس ثش ج ءه ا صر اـق ل م اصل اصلشى ا صر حي ص ر ظلي كل ش ء ثـل أو ل ص ر ظلي ثـل ثش ج ءه امغرب اـق ل م اصل اصلشى حي وج الشمس
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid., p. 54.
6
ثش ج ءه ا ل ء اـق ل م اصل اصلشى حي غ ب الشفق ثش ج ءه افجر اـق ل م اصل اصلشى حي بـرق افجر أو ل حي سطع افجر ثش ج ءه ن
اغد الظيهر اـق ل م اصل اصلشى اظيهر حي ص ر ظلي كل ش ء ثـل ثش ج ءه ال صر اـق ل م اصل اصلشى ا صر حي ص ر ظلي كل ش ء ثـلي ثش ج ءه المغرب امغرب و ـت و حد ل يـزل ثش ج ء ال ل ء ا ل ء حي ذهب نصف الشيل أو ل ثـلث الشيل اصلشى ا ل ء ثش ج ءه الفجر حي
رو ه )أسفر جد اـق ل م اصل اصلشى افجر ثش ل بـي هذين و (أمحد
Means: Yaḥya bin Adam Narrated from Ibnu al-Mubārak from Ḥusain bin „Alī, He
said: Wahhāb bin Kaisān Narrated me from Jābir bin Abdullah and he is an
Anṣarī, he said that Jibrīl came to The Apostle of Allah PBUH and said:
Stand up and pray it! Then he (the prophet) prayed Ḍuhr (noon) when the
sun had passed the meridian. Then the Jibrīl came to him at Aṣr (Afternoon)
time and said: Stand up and pray it! Then the Prophet prayed Aṣr when the
shadow of everything was as long as itself. Then the Jibrīl came to him at
Magrib (sunset) and said: stand up and pray it! Then the prophet prayed
Magrib when the sun sets. Then the Jibrīl came to him at Isha (Night) time
and said: stand up and pray it! Then the prophet prayed Isha when the
twilight had ended. Then the Jibrīl came to him at Fajr (dawn) time and said:
stand up and pray it! Then the prophet prayed it when the dawn rises. Then
the Jibrīl came to him on the morrow for Ḍuhr and said: Stand up and pray
it! Then the Prophet prayed Ḍuhr when the shadow of everything was as long
as itself. Then the Jibrīl came to him for Aṣr prayer and said: Stand up and
pray it! Then the prayed Aṣr when the shadow of everything was twice as
long as itself. Then the Jibrīl came to him for Magrib prayer and said: Stand
up and pray it! Then he prayed Magrib at the same time as before. Then the
Jibrīl came to him for Isha prayer and said: stand up and pray it! Then the
Prophet prayed Isha when about the half or the third of the night had passed.
Then the Jibrīl came for Fajr prayer when there was a fair amount of light
9 Aḥmad bin Ḥambal, Musnād Aḥmad, al-Maktabah al-shamilah Iṣdār Thaniy, Vol. 22, p. 408.
7
and said: stand up and pray it! Then the Prophet prayed Fajr. Then the Jibrīl
said: the time is anywhere between two times. (Narrated by Ahmad)
The tradition above gives an explanation about the beginning and the end
of prayer times. The text said that prayer times is based on the sun motion
either above the horizon or under the horizon. The effects of this motion are the
change of length of shadow‟s object, the rising and the setting sun, appearing
red cloud at dawn time and after sunset. The text also tells us that the way to
determine times for prayer is by observing position of the sun. However,
technology improvement has increased so fast. People do not need to observe
directly the sun‟s motion to know prayer times. They can calculate the time
using mathematical astronomy.
From the tradition above, some Moslems scholars summarized that prayer
or ṣalāt has to be done in five separate times. Those separated times are Ḍuhr
(Noon), Aṣr (Afternoon), Magrib (Sunset), Isha (Night), and Fajr (Morning)10
.
1. Ḍuhr (Noon)
Ḍuhr time starts at a moment after the sun across the culmination
point or the middle of the day and ends when „Aṣr time is begun.
2. Aṣr (afternoon)
Aṣr time begins when the length shadow‟s object is equal the object
length or is twice the object length until the sunset in the west sky.
10
Sayyid Sabiq, Fiqh Sunnah, Vol. 1, Cairo: Daar al-Fath al-I‟lam al-Araby, 1990, p. 88-93.
8
3. Magrib (sunset)
Magrib time starts from the end of „Aṣr or when the sun sets until
disappearing of the red cloud.
4. Isha (Night)
Isha time starts after disappearing of the red cloud in the west sky
until midnight or until the last third of the night or until the dawn
(fajr) rises.
5. Fajr (Morning)
Fajr time begins when the dawn rises until the sun rises in the east
sky.
The majority of Moslem scholars headed by four Imams of Sunni11
school of thought (Mālik, Shafi‟ī, Ḥanafī and Aḥmad bin Ḥambal) agree with
this concept of prayer. Their argument built on the tradition from Jābir bin
Abdullah. 12
However, there is a Community of Moslems, which have a little
difference in determining of prayer times or they have another prayer time
concept. They do not use five prayer-times concept, but they use three prayer-
11
The term of “Sunni” is derived from word Sunnah which means tadition of the Prophet
Muhammad PBUH. It refers to people who consistently follow and implement the tradition of the
Prophet Muhammad PBUH in their daily life. They are also called “Ahl al-sunnah”. According to
Abdul Ḥusain Sharafuddin al-Musāwī, this group in term of aqidah (faith) follow Ash‟ari school of
thought and in term of shariah (Islamic law) follow the four Imams of school of thought (Mālik,
Shāfi‟ī, Ḥanafī and Aḥmad bin Ḥambal). For more detail read Abdul Ḥusain Sharafuddin al-Musāwī,
Al-Murāja‟āt, Nejef: al-Adab Press , p. 31. 12
Abdurraḥman al-Jāzirī, Kitāb al-Fiqh „Alā al-Madzāhib al-Arba‟ah, vol. 1, Beirut: Dār al-
Kitāb al-„Ilmiyyah, 1990, p. 166-168.
9
times concept. This three-prayer time‟s concept is day prayer, night prayer and
dawn or morning prayer. The community that applies this concept is Shia Ithna
Ashariyyah13
.
Shia Ithna „Ashariyyah or usually known as Shia Imāmiyyah or Shia
Twelve Imams is one of groups in Shia School of thought. According to al-
Baghdadi, the author of al-Farqu Baina al-Firāq, generally, Shia school of
thought is divided into four groups, which each group is also split up into some
small groups.14
These four groups are Gulāt, Ismā‟iliyyah and its parts,
Zaidiyyah and Ithna Ashariyyah. Yet the survivor among these groups or the
majority is Ithna Ashariyyah or Imāmiyyah (then called “Shia” in this paper),
which has the largest followers than other groups. This group is the majority
citizen of Iran, Iraq, and spread in some other countries like Syria, Kuwait,
Bahrain, India, Saudi Arabia and Russia.15
One of the issues, among many others, that the Shia quarrel with the
Sunnis about is the form, method, and time of the prayer (ṣalāt) prescribed on
every male and female believer. The Shia acknowledges five daily prayers:
13
The term of “Shia” refers to a community of Moslem who believed that the prophet
Muhammad PBUH has determined Imam Ali bin Abu Ṭalib as his successor after his death. Read
Muhammad Jawwād Magniyyah, Al-Shiah wa al-Ḥākimūn, Beirut: Ahliyah Press, 2nd
ed, 1962, p.14.
Ali Muhammad al-Jurjānī (1339-1413 M) also stated a same definition about Shia in his book Al-
Ta‟rifāt (Definitions), he said: “Shia is who follow Ali bin Abu Ṭalib and believe that he is the Imam
after the death of the prophet Muhammad PBUH and believe that “Imāmah” would never go out from
him and his generations. Read Ali bin Muhammad al-Jurjani, Al-Ta‟rifāt, Cairo: Dār al-Kitāb al-Miṣrī,
1991, p. 142. Whereas, the term of “Ithna Ashariyyah” or twelvers refers to the twelve Imams of Shia
who are believed as the caliphates after the death of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. 14
Abū al-Khair bin Ṭahir al-Bagdādī, al-Farqu Baina al-Firāq, Mesir: Muhammad Ali
Shubaih Press, p. 21. 15
Muhammad Abū Zahrah, Tārīkh al-Madzāhib al-Islāmiyyah Vol. 1, Mesir: Dār al-Fikr, 1971,
p. 44.
10
Ḍuhr (Noon), Aṣr (Afternoon), Magrib (Sunset), Isha (Night), and Fajr
(Morning).16
However, in practicing these five daily prayers, they join two
prayers between Ḍuhr and Aṣr at one time, and also Magrib and Isha at one
time. The fajr (Morning) is prayed at the same time as the Sunnis do.17
Shia
prayer times are known as three-prayer time‟s concept, because of the joining
prayer times.
Although Shia joins some prayer times, the prayers in all cases are
distinct or separate. It is not that they pray eight raka'at for Ḍuhr and Aṣr
straight, or seven raka't for Magrib and Isha straight, as part of one prayer. It is
the same regular form of prayer, but combined into one time, not one prayer.
It should also be noted that the Sunnis agree to the combining of prayers
in the case of rain, travel, fear, or other emergencies18
. Two forms are allowed:
Jama‟ Taqdīm (Early Combination) or Jama‟ Ta‟khīr (Late Combination). An
example of Early Combination is the combining of Ḍuhr and Aṣr to be
performed in the time of Ḍuhr, which the example of Late Combination is the
combining of the Ḍuhr and Aṣr to be performed in the time of Aṣr. The
exception among the Sunni schools is the Hanifites (Followers of Abū
16
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_Shias_pray_five_prayers_in_three_times, accessed on
Monday, 10 January 2011. 17
M. Quraish Shihab, Sunnah-Syiah Bergandengan Tangan! Mungkinkah?, Jakarta: Lentera
Hati, 2007, p. 245. 18
Mālikiyyah, Shafi‟iyyah and Hambaliyyah said that the combining of prayers is allowed in
case of travel, rain and sick. Imam Ahmad bin Hambal added that it is recomended to combine early
combination (Jama‟ Taqdīm) between Ḍuhr and Aṣr when wuqf (stop) in Arafah and late combination
(Jama‟ Ta‟khīr) when passing the night in Muzdzalifah. For more detail read Kitāb al-Fiqh „Alā al-
Madzāhib al-Arba‟ah, vol. 1, p. 438-442.
11
Hānifah): They contend that combination of prayers is not legal even in
traveling19
.
The Shi‟ites (followers of Shia) said that one could combine the prayers
anytime without any cause of fear, rain, or whatever. The Shia followers are
allowed to pray noon and afternoon prayer one after another without a lot of
delay between the two. Similarly, they are allowed to pray sunset prayer and
night prayer one after another. Thus instead of five separate times, they can
pray all the five daily prayers only in three separate times.
Their argument based on what Allah SWT says in the Holy Quran,
chapter Al-Isra verse 78:
“Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night,
and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning
carry their testimony.”
The verse above only mention that prayer times is only three times, not five.
These three times are: the sun's decline, darkness of the night, and the morning
prayer.20
This statement also supported by the hadith in their book written by Abū
Ja‟far Al-Ṣādiq Al-Qummī:
ن زر رة ن أب ج فر ل إذ ز ا المس دخل او ت ن اظهر و ... ا صر
19
Ibid. According to Hanafiyyah combination of prayers is only allowed in case of Iḥrām for
hājj, wuqf in Arafah and overnight in Muzdzalifah. 20
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_shias_pray_five_prayers_in_three_times, accessed on
January 8th
2011.
12
Means: “Narrated from Zurārah, from Abū Ja‟far, he said: when the sun‟s
decline, two times is begun, Ḍuhr (Noon) prayer and Aṣr (Afternoon)
prayer…”
Their argument about three prayer times which means combining two prayer
times into one time is real and based on. No doubt that combining prayer
times is clearly allowed in Shia Ithna Ashariyyah school of thought.
According to the description above, there is a clear difference between the
prayer concept of Shia and Sunni. The difference is the Shia‟s rule in permitting
combination of prayers (Jama‟) between Ḍuhr and Aṣr or Magrib and Isha is
clearly violates the concept applied by Sunni school of thought. For this point,
Shi‟ites (the Shia followers) does not require a special reason to combine
prayers. They are allowed to pray two prayers in one time without any case of
emergencies as the Sunnis do.
Looking at this difference, the writer is interested to research deeply and
examine carefully about the model of prayer time concept applied by Shia Ithna
Ashariyyah. This concept is not a popular concept regarding prayer time,
because some Moslems do not know or even understand this model well. A
Moslem who prays every day in separate times will be confused and feel
strange or freakish when he faces this model. The writer assumes that research
to this concept of prayer time is important to clarify the concept. Consequently,
the writer does this research.
21
Abū Ja‟far Muḥammad bin Ḥasan Al-Ṭūsī, Al-Kutub Al-Arba‟ah Taḥdzīb Al-Aḥkām, Qum:
Muassasah Anṣāriyyan li al-Ṭibā‟ah wa al-Naṣr, ed. I, 2005, p. 194.
13
B. Formulation of the Problems
Concluding the background that I have described above, I formulate some
main problems, which I want to discuss in this thesis. Therefore, I will address
my study on several questions as bellow:
1. How is the concept of prayer times applied by Shia Ithna Ashariyyah
in their daily prayers?
2. How valid is Shia Ithna Ashariyyah legal ground in applying the
concept of prayer times?
C. Aim and Significance Research
Based on the problems which I have formulated above, this research has
some specific purposes. These purposes are:
1. To know how the concept of prayer times applied by Shia Ithna
Ashariyyah in their daily prayers.
2. To know how the Shia Ithna Ashariyyah legal ground in applying the
concept of prayer times.
D. Preview of Literature
In this phase, the writer is going to search some literatures or sources
from books, generally about prayer times and especially about prayer times of
Shia Ithna Ashariyyah. In addition, some sources and information from
journals, articles, magazines or other previous research are also important to be
14
served. These sources will make the research easier and solve the problems of
this research.
The aim of previewing the literature in this research is to describe the
relationship between the writer's research and the researches done by some
other researchers before. It is possible if this research is same with the previous
researches. By previewing some literatures, the writer hopes that there is no
repetition or even a plagiarism that should be avoided in any scientific research.
Moreover, the aim of previewing literature is to differentiate the writer's
research and other previous researches, because there are many possibilities of
resemblance in the contents.
As far as the writer observation, there is no special and detail research
discussed about Prayer times concept of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah in Islamic
astronomy fiqh. Although there is some research about prayer times or about
Shia Ithna Ashariyyah, that research does not discuss deeply about the prayer
time concept applied by Shia Ithna Ashariyyah especially in study of Islamic
astronomy fiqh. Those researches only discuss about five times of prayer or
only about the group of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah in school of thought point of
view.
Some researches which are related to this research are:
1. “Sunnah-Syiah Bergandengan tangan! Mungkinkah? Kajian Atas Konsep
Ajaran dan Pemikiran” written by M. Quraish Shihab.
15
This book tries to give an explanation to the reader about appearing
the difference in Islam. This difference caused disunity and emerging some
schools of thought in Islam especially Shia and Sunni. Then, it explains
what Sunni and Shia are, the history and the genesis. Quraish Shihab tells
the reader how Shia appears as one of schools of thought in Islamic world.
He also describes the parts of Shia that spread in some countries.
Specifically, he focuses the discussion about Shia Ithna Ashariyyah that still
exists and more equal to Sunni school of thought.
Moreover, he describes their main doctrines, and the main difference
between Sunni and Shia Ithna Ashariyyah. One of the discussions in this
point is about combination of prayer times into three times. He also
mentions some verses or traditions that Shia Ithna Ashariyyah built on in
applying three times of prayer. The last discussion in this book is about the
strategy to unite the groups in Islam under the flag of Tauhīd (the unity of
God).
The discussion of three prayer-times of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah in this
book is not detail because the purpose in mentioning this part is to give an
example of how Shia Ithna Ashariyyah and Sunni differ. The main purpose
of this book is to unite Shia and Sunni in order to go hand in hand each
other.
16
2. Perbandingan Mazhab Syiah; Rasionalisme Dalam Islam, written by Abū
Bakar Aceh.
The writer starts this book with an explanation about Ahl Bait (the
closest family of the prophet Muhammad PBUH), the generations of Ali bin
Abū Thalib, the birth history of Shia, and its growth. Moreover, the writer
explains the root of difference in Islamic legal decision between Shia and
Ahl Sunnah (Sunni). This difference appeared because they differ in
understanding the tradition of the Prophet PBUH about “al-Thaqalain”.
According to Sunni, al-Thaqalain means Kitābullah (the holly Qur‟an) and
Sunnah (the tradition of the Prophet PBUH), while Shia interpreted the
Kitābullah (the holly Qur‟an) and Ahl Bait (the closest family of the prophet
Muhammad PBUH). This difference interpretation produced some groups of
the tradition narrators, fuqahā (Islamic law scholars), and also the Qur‟an
interpreters. The implication of this difference of groups is the difference on
method of Ijtihād (individual interpretation and judgment).
Looking at the contents of this book, the prayer time concept of Shia
Ithna Ashariyyah is not discussed at all. However this book is important for
this research to know how the legal ground of shia Ithna Ashariyyah in
applying three times of prayer.
17
3. “Studi Komparatif Ayat-Ayat Waktu Shalat dalam Perspektif Sunni Syiah” a
thesis by Jakfar (the student of theology faculty) 1997.
This thesis has a specific discussion in prayer times because the author
tries to explain and interpret the verses related to prayer times in Sunni and
Shia point of view. The thesis also states the different of argument in
concept of prayer, but the point of view of this thesis is the interpreter point
of view. The author compares how the interpretation of Sunni scholars and
how the interpretation of Shia scholars regarding prayer times verses.
This thesis (Jakfar‟s thesis) is completely different from my research.
My point of view in this research is Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), whereas
the thesis by Jakfar takes Tafsir (interpretation) point of view.
4. “Menjamak Salat Tanpa Halangan Boleh Atau Tidak?” written by Alwi
husein.
This book explores about permitting of combining two prayers without
any condition. This is a new formula to perform the obligatory prayers. A
person is allowed to combine Ḍuhr and Aṣr prayer or Magrib and Isha
prayer without any cases of journey, rain or fear. The main point of this
book is that a person is allowed to combine two prayers when he is in a
dificult condition. It does not mean that someone must combine two prayers
in their daily prayers, but in a such dificult and bad condition he gets
dispensation. The dispensation is to perform prayers not in the exact time,
but by combining a prayer with another prayer. This this model of
18
performing prayers is only an alternatif for a person who does not want to
miss any single of prayers in his daily activity.
Alwi Hesein as the author also try to strengthen his argument by
giving some legal ground from hadith and also Qur‟an. He also mentions
some arguments of muslim scholars who allow this concept. The stressing
point in this book is that combining prayers is allowed for someone who is
busy with his activity, eventhough to perform a prayer in its own time is
afẓal (worthier).
Looking at the content of this book, the writer realize that the were a
similarity of discussion between this book and the research done by the
writer, it is about combining prayers time. But, the writer differenciate that
his research takes another angle point of this probem. If this book only try to
give a valid argument or a strong ground in applying combination of
prayers, this research is try to give a explanation about the prayer times
concept of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah which is also combined. the writer also try
to examine the strong argument and the valid legal ground of Shia Ithna
Ashariyyah in Appliying their concept.
5. “Inikah Keyakinan Kita?” written by Nasir Makarim Syirazi.
This is a book that expalins about the believes of Shia. One of the topics in
this book is about the prayer times concept of Shia ithna Ashariyah. Shia
believe that the Prophet PBUH ever combined two prayers without any
strict condition such as safar, fear or rain. Combining prayers is allowed to
19
omit the difficulties of performing prayer. Comparing the book with this
research, the writer assume that this book is no specifically talk about prayer
times concept of Shia Ithna Ashariyah. This book generally clarifies the
believes of Shia including the prayer times concept.
E. Research Methodology
1. Research Category and Approach
The category of research applied by the writer in analyzing the
research under the title "The Prayer Times Concept of Shia Ithna
Ashariyyah (A Critical Study of Three Prayer Times Applied by Shia Ithna
Ashariyyah)" is a qualitative research22
and the approach of this research is
Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) and Islamic astronomy.
Islamic Jurisprudence or fiqh in Arabic term, is the study of the
secondary commands (not the principle matters of believe and moral
perfection, but the commands regulating actions) of the Sharia of Islam
gained from detailed sources and proofs. The purpose of using fiqh to study
the prayer concept of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah is to understand the thought of
Shia scholars so the writer can give a deep explanation about the prayer-
times concept of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah. The using of this approach is also
useful to examine their strength argument or legal ground in applying the
22
Qualitative research basically is a research that emphasizies the analyzing at inductive and
deductive process and at the phenomenon dinamics perceived, by using erudite logic. Read Saifuddin
Azwar, Metode Penelitian, Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar, ed. 5, 2004, p. 5.
20
prayer-times concept. As a result, this research will solve the problem stated
in the background research.
The benefit of using Islamic astronomy as the approach is to determine
the exact time of prayers applied by Shia Ithna Ashariyyah. The writer will
try to formulate the mathematic astronomical concept to calculate the times
of prayer in perspective Shia Ithna Ashariyyah.
2. The Source and Data Type
Considering that the main source and data input of this research is
book or other written text, so this research is also called “library research”
which has two types of data, primary and secondary source. The primary
data source of this research is books that are related to prayer times of Shia
Ithna Ashariyyah such us four main books of Shia (al-Kutub al-Arba‟ah):
al-Kāfī by Abū Ja‟far al-Kulainī, Man Lā Yaḥẓuruhu al-Faqīh by Abū Ja‟far
al-Qummī, Taḥdzīb al-Aḥkām and al-Istibṣār fā Mā Ikhtalafa Min al-
Akhbār by Abū Ja‟far al-Ṭūsī. The secondary data source of this research is
the books that describe about prayer times in any Islamic legal jurisprudence
(fiqh) point of view, the history of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah and hadith books,
encyclopedia or other written text related to this research.
3. The Method of Gathering Data
The method of gathering the data for this research is “documentation
method” - gathering data and information relates to prayer times of Shia
21
Ithna Ashariyyah. This information can be from books, articles, documents
in internet sites, or other written information.
4. The Method of Analyzing Data
After collecting all of the data, the writer will try to analyze these data
using content analyzing through descriptive method. The purpose is to
describe the phenomenon written in the text (primary data) to get a clear
explanation or description and facts. The descriptive methods, in other
congeniality, is not limited to coming up with gathering and arranging the
data, but covering the interpretation and analysis about the meaning of the
data. Therefore, descriptive method compares equation and difference of
certain phenomenon, and then takes comparability study form, specifying
the relation and domicile (status) with other element. 23
Then, the analysis will continue using comparative method to compare
the concept of prayer time of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah with other concept of
prayer times especially the Sunni‟s concept of prayer times. This method
will also compare the thought of the masters of jurisprudence (fuqahā) from
Shia Ithna Ashariyyah and the majority fuqahā of Sunni Schools.
23
Read Winarno Surakhmad, Pengantar Penelitian Ilmiah: Dasar, Metoda, dan Teknik
Bandung: Tarsito, 1985, Ed. 7th, p. 139-141. Read also Imam Suprayogo dan Tobroni, Metodologi
Penelitian Sosial-Agama, Bandung: P.T. Remaja Rosdakarya, 2003, p. 136-137.
22
F. Research Outline
To complete the writing of this thesis, the writer will divide this thesis
into five separate chapters. These chapters are:
CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION
This chapter explains the background of this research (what
causes the research should be done), the problems that should
be solved by this research, the purpose of the research,
previewing the literature, research method and the research or
writing outline for this thesis.
CHAPTER II : THE GENERAL CONCEPT OF PRAYER TIMES
The explanation in this chapter is about prayer times in a
general point of view (the majority of Moslems point of view).
The description is about: the definition of prayer times, legal
ground of prayer times, and the interpretation of verses relates
to prayer times.
CHAPTER III : PRAYER TIME IN PERSPECTIVE OF SHIA ITHNA
ASHARIYYAH
The discussion in this chapter is about the history of Shia Ithna
Ashariyyah, their thought and believes, the prayer times in
Shia Ithna Ashariyyah point of view, their legal ground in
applying the concept of prayer times, and the opinion or
argument of Shia scholars relates to prayer times.
23
CHAPTER IV : ANALYZING THE PRAYER TIMES CONCEPT IN
PERSPECTIVE OF SHIA ITHNA ASHARIYYAH
This chapter will explain the result of analyzing prayer times in
perspective Shia Ithna Ashariyyah. The description in this
chapter is the main discussion of this research. This chapter
will describe: analyzing how the concept of prayer times
applied by Shia Ithna Ashariyyah in their daily worship and
analyzing how valid the Shia Ithna Ashariyyah legal ground in
applying the concept of prayer times.
CHAPTER V : CLOSING
This chapter will explain the conclusion, suggestions and
closing.
24
CHAPTER II
THE GENERAL CONCEPT OF PRAYER TIMES
A. The Obligation of Prayer (M’ashrū’iyyah al-ṣalāh)
Prayer was obliged at night of journey (lailah Al-Isrā) approximately five
years before the migratory of the prophet Muhammad PBUH to Madinah. It
was the most famous argument among the historians. This statement is based
on the hadith narrated by Anas: “prayers are obliged for the Prophet, peace
be upon him, at night of journey fifty prayers, and then decreased until five
prayers”. Part of Ḥanafiyyah said that it was Ramadhan 17th
a year and half
before the migratory. Ibnu Ḥajar said that it was the night of Rajab 27th
.24
Prayer represents a fundamental and significance obligation in Islam.
This obligation becomes one of the five Islamic pillars or which is ordinary
referred as “arkān al-Islām” (Islamic Foundations). The Prophet Muhammad
PBUH said in his tradition:
ثـ ـيد الش بن وسى ل أخ ـرن ح ظلة بن أب سفي ن ن كر ة بن حدشهم ل ل رسول الش صلشى الش لي خ اد ن بن مر ر الش ـ
سلم لى خس شه دة أن ل إا إلش الش وأنش ممشد رسول وسلشم بن ا . الش وإ م اصشلة وإيت ء ازشك ة و ا وصوم ر ن
Means: “Narrated from „Ubaidullah bin Mūsā, he said narrated from
Ḥanḍalah bin Abī Sufyān from „Ikrīmah bin Khālid from Ibnu „Umar
said: Rasūlullāh PBUH said: “Islam is built on five things,
witnessing that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the
24
Wahbah Zuhailī, al-Fiqh al-Islāmī wa Adillatuhu, al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah al-Iṣdār 3.8,
Vol. 1, p. 573. 25
Al-Bukhāry, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah al-Iṣdār 3.8, vol. 1, p. 11
25
Prophet of God (shahadah), being steadfast in prayer (ṣalāh),
practicing regular charity, hājj, and fasting in Ramadhan.”
Ṣalāh or prayer is the ritual worship practiced by Muslims in supplication
to Allah SWT. The term is commonly used to refer to the five daily prayers,
which are compulsory upon all mature Muslims. Prayer is considered the
most important act of worship in Islam and its importance is such that under
very few circumstances it can be omitted. There are many verses in the Quran
or the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH explaining the obligation of
prayer. Leaving prayer, without any permitted reason, means to oppose
command which Allah pass to His slave. It has a big consequence. One who
leaves it will carry on a big sin which must be accounted by the perpetrator
and will be asked in the eternity for the responsibility.
Prayer also represents the fundamental frame of belief in God. It means
that a person, who performs prayer with his hearth and only to God, believes
the existence of God and fears Him. Allah says in His Holly Quran Chapter
Al-Baqarah verse 1-3:
Means: “Alif, Lām, Mīm (1) This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without
doubt, to those who fear Allah; (2) Who believe in the Unseen, are
steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for
them; (3) (Al-Baqarah [2]: 1-3)26
26
English Translation Text Copied from DivineIslam's Qur'an Viewer software v2.910
developed by Jamal Al-Nasir
26
Worshiping Allah SWT which is performed by praying is an absolute
obligation. There are many verses in the Holly Qur‟an or tradition of the
Prophet Muhammad PBUH tells about it. Al-Qur‟an states the obligation of
prayer using a command word such as in chapter Al-Baqarah verse 43:
Means: And be steadfast in prayer; practice regular charity; and bow down
your heads with those who bow down (in worship). (Al-Baqarah [2]:
43)27
To state the obligation of prayer, Allah orders every Muslim to pray and He
will give a great reward for the perpetrator or He will torture who obeys to
perform praying.
أنش أ ر بي ج ء إل رسول الش صلشى الش لي وسلشم اـق ل ي أب هريـرة ن رسول الش داشن لى مل إذ ملت دخل ل شة ل تـ د الش ل تلرك
ب شي وتقيم اصشلة
Means: “Narrated from Abū Hurairah, actually a person has come to the
Prophet PBUH and asked: show me a deed, if I do it causes me to
enter paradise. The Prophet PBUH said: you worship Allah and
don‟t idolize things with God and you perform regular prayer.”
The obligation of prayer also stated in many traditions of the Prophet
Muhammad PBUH. There are many traditions told the greatness of
performing prayer and also motivating to perform praying.
27
Ibid. 28
Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Muslim, al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah al-Iṣdār 3.8, Vol. 1, p. 97
27
تذهب اذنوب كم لمساإن اصلو ت :" ل صلى ا لي و سلم "يذهب مل ء ادرن
Means: “Indeed, five prayers will erase some sins such us water erase
impurity”.
Every Muslim has to perform the daily prayer. Five times a day is
obliged to do and cannot be left for any reason. There is a very severe penalty
for leaving prayer. A Muslim who leaves prayer is not a Muslim anymore
because what is between belief and disbelief is leaving prayer. The Prophet
Muhammad PBUH said:
.إنش بـي ارشجل وبـي الرك و اكفر تـرك اصشلة
Means: “Indeed, between people and between idolatry and disbelief is leaving
prayer.”
With those argumentations from the Qur‟an and also the tradition of the
Prophet PBUH, prayer time is obligatory worship and has to be performed by
every Muslim who has fulfilled the prescribed conditions.
B. Definition of prayer and prayer time.
Prayer in Arabic language is ṣalāh (الصالة). It is derived from the word
ṣallā ) yuṣallī – ( صليى) (تصليا) not taṣliyyan (صالة) ṣalātan - ( صلي31
as the
29
Abdurraḥmān Al-Jāzirī, Kitāb al-Fiqh „alā al-Madzāhib al-Arba‟ah, Beirut: Dār al-
Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 1990, p. 157. 30
Muslim, Ṣaḥīh al-Muslim, Op. Cit, p. 228. 31
Ibnu Mandzūr, Lisān al-Arab, al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah al-Iṣdār 3.8, vol. 14, p. 464.
28
standard pattern of taṣrīf (morphology) in Arabic Grammar32
. Translating
"ṣalāh" as "prayer" is not usually considered precise enough, as "prayer" can
indicate several different ways of relating to God. It means that the word
prayer is not only used in Islam, but also in every religion to say the way of
relating to God. In the past, ṣalāh has been called “the contact prayer”, “the
obligatory prayer”, “the formal prayer”, and so on, but normal academic
practice in English is now to refer to the prayer by the Arabic term33
.
The basic meaning of prayer is “invocation” (دعاء)34
. This definition as
said in the holly Qur‟an chapter Al-Taubah verse 103:
Means: “and pray on their behalf. Verily thy prayers are a source of security
for them: And Allah is the One Who heareth and knoweth.” (Al-
Taubah [9]: 103) 35
Prayer also means mercy and supplicating forgiveness. This means states
in the Noble Qur‟an chapter al-Aḥzāb verse 5636
:
32
Taṣrīf (morphology) in Arabic grammar is a standard pattern to determine the form of
the individual words, for example: fa‟ala (فع) – yufa‟ilu (فع) – taf‟īlan (ذفعال). So, ṣallā (صى) –
yuṣallī (ص) - taṣliyyan (ذصا), but its different for ṣalāh. 33
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salah, retrieved on April 22, 2011 at 08.00 pm. 34
Hasby al-Shidqy, Pedoman Shalat, Jakarta: N.V. Bulan Bintang, Ed. 11, 1983, p. 62.
Compare with Abdurraḥmān al-Jāzirī, Kitāb al-Fiqh „Alā al-Madzāhib al-Arba‟ah, op. cit. p. 160. 35
Ibid. 36
Ahmad Izzuddin, Ilmu Falak Praktis (Metode Hisab-Rukyat dan Solusi
Permasalahannya), Semarang: Komala Grafika, 2006, p. 52.
29
Means: “Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O you that
believe! Send your blessings on him, and salute him with all
respect.”37
On occasion of the verse above, Ibnu Mandzūr said in his book Lisān al-
„Arab that when the God prays to His prophet, means the God has completed
and increased His grace to the prophet. It also means the God blesses him
with His mercy. Moreover, when the angel of God prays to the Prophet of
God means invocation or supplication of forgiveness. Then, when we are
ordered to pray to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, means we have to glorify
him in the world by continuing his rabbinic lessons, spreading it among the
world, and keeping everything he left to us from God38
.
Prayer in term of Al-Qur‟an is called ṣalāh (الصالة) because when a
person is performing prayer, he is also glorifying, praising, and sanctifying
the God. It is stated clearly when he read tashahhud (الصلوات هلل) which only
God who has the right to be glorified, praised and sanctified39
.
The definition of prayer (ṣalāh) in terminology of Islamic jurists (fuqahā)
is:
خمصوصةبلر ئطأ و ل وأا ل فتتحة ب اتك ري خمتتمة ب اتسليم
“Some certain known and prescribed sayings and actions starting with
Takbīr (saying Allāhu Akbar Allah is the Greater), and ending with Taslīm
(saying: al-salāmu „alaikum wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh may Allah‟s
Peace, Mercy, and Blessings be upon you) with prescribed conditions.”
37
English Translation Text Copied from DivineIslam's Qur'an Viewer software v2.910
developed by Jamal Al-Nasir 38
. Ibnu Mandzūr, Lisān al-„Arab, Op. cit. 39
Ibid. 40
Abdurraḥmān Al-Jāzirī, Kitāb al-Fiqh „alā al-Madzāhib al-Arba‟ah, op. cit. p.160.
30
Mālikiyyah, Ḥanafiyyah and Shāfi‟iyyah define prayer clearly as to
worship God through some prescribed actions such as rukū‟ (bowing the body
until the palms are on the knees) and sujūd (prostration), and through some
prescribed sayings such as reciting holly Quran and tasbīh (glorifying God)
with hearth deeply absorbed in God.41
The definition of time is a part of the measuring system used to sequence
events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them,
and to quantify rates of change such as the motions of objects. It is used to
place events in sequence one after the other, and also to compare how long
events last.42
Prayer time is the durations of prayers and the intervals between
them. Time is important for prayer so Muslim knows when he has to pray or
when he does not.
Prayer times or awqāt al-ṣalāh (ولات الصالة ) according to Islamic jurists
(fuqahā) is the times that Allah has explained in His holly Qur‟an to do
prayer.43
It is a certain time that a certain prayer should be performed on that
time. In brief, each prayer has different time and one can not perform prayer
anytime he wants. Allah has said:
Means: “For such prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times. (Al-Nisa
[4]: 103)44
41
Ibid. 42
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time 43
Muhammad Bin Ismā‟īl Al-Ṣan‟ānī, Subūl al-salām, Beirut: Dār al-Kutub al-
„Ālamiyyah, Ed. 1, 1988, p. 193. 44
Ibid.
31
C. The Legal Ground of Prayer Times
Prayer is one of five pillars that Islam built on. Every Muslim in this
world, wherever and however has to perform prayer in his entire life. There is
no excuse for leaving prayer because the obligatory of prayer is clear. Allah
has mentioned this obligation in the Holly Qur‟an in many verses. The order
is repeated several times, such us in chapter Al-Baqarah verse 43, 83, and 110
( ) verse 177 ,(ألا اصالج ) chapter al-Nisā verse 162 ,(ألا اصالج ام
chapter ,(ألاا اصالج) chapter al-A‟raf verse 170 and al-Hājj verse 41 ,(اصالج
Ibrāhīm verse 37 (مااصالج) and so on, there are many others like chapter
Tāhā verse 14, al-Nūr 56, al-Ankabūt 45, and al-Aḥzāb 33.
a. Chapter Al-Nisa Verse 103
Allah Almighty is a great God. He does not only order people without
any explanation how and when they have to do it. As a result, the God
gives the other verses to tell people the time for praying. He says in the
holly Qur‟an:
Means: When you are free from danger, set up Regular Prayers: For such
prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times. (Al-Nisa [4]:
103)45
Look at the phrase ( لذا وراتا ) from that verse. The phrase means stated
times that indicates Allah has set up times for regular prayers. This verse
45
Ibid.
32
asserts that Moslems are not allowed to practice their obligatory of prayer
anytime, but there is a specific time when they have to pray.
Al-Alūsī explained the meaning sense of kitāban mauqūtan is that
prayer is an obligatory worship which is limited by times. Performing
prayer is not allowed out of time in any conditions.46
Furthermore, al-
Thabary clarified that some Muslim scholars has different meaning about
kitāban mauqūtan. Some said the same that the verse is talking about
stated times for prayer which means prayer has time like hājj (pilgrimage)
has. But, the others said that the verse is only talking about the obligatory
of prayer, not the time.47
Al-Zamakhsharī in his book al-Kashshāf interpreted this verse that
someone may not delay or prioritize time of prayer in any case, safe or
fear.48
Moreover, Rāsyid Ridhā in Tafsīr al-Manār interpreted that Allah
SWT has set up times for prayer. وراتا means strengthen obligatory which
has been set up the times in lauḥ maḥfūdz. لذا means prescribed times.49
From the interpretations above, it can be concluded that logical
consequence of this verse is prayer must be performed precisely at times
which has been determined pursuant to the theorems either from Al-
Qur‟an or Sunnah. A clearer clarification regarding times of prayer will be
explained by the next verses.
46
Shihābuddīn Maḥmūd Al-Alūsī, Rūḥ al-Ma‟ānī fī Tafsīr al-Qur‟ān al-„Adzīm wa al-
Sab‟i al-Mathānī, al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah al-Iṣdār 3.8, Vol. 4, p. 213. 47
Abū Ja‟far Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmi‟ al-Bayān fī Ta‟wīl al-Qur‟ān, al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah al-
Iṣdār 3.8, Vol. 9, p. 164-169. 48
Al-Zamakhsharī, Tafsīr Al-Kashshāf, Beirut: Dār Al-Fikr, 1997, Vol. 1, p. 240 49
Rāsyid Ridha, Tafsīr al-Manār, Dār Al-Ma‟rifah: Beirut, Vol 5, p. 383
33
b. Chapter Hūd Verse 114
….
Means: “And establish regular prayers at the two ends of the day and at
the approaches of the night” (Hūd [11]: 114)
The verse above was revealed before five prayers are obliged to Muslims
in the night of isrā and mi‟rāj50
. At that time, the obligatory prayer was
two prayers: prayer before sunrise and prayer before sunset.51
The interpretation told by Quraish Shihab in his book Tafsir al-
Mishbah is clear. Muslim interpreters agreed that the verse is talking about
the obligatory prayers. The meaning of verse is: And establish prayer
regularly and correctly with its prescribed pillars, requirements and
conditions at the two ends of the day which means morning and afternoon
or Ṣubuh, ḍuhr and „Aṣr prayer and at the approaches of the night for
Magrib and Ishā prayer.52
Some Muslim interpreters have different interpretation about طسف
Some of them had a notion that the first end .(the two ends of the day) ااز
is Ṣubuh prayer and the second end is ḍuhr and „Aṣr prayers. Another said
that the two ends of the day is Ṣubuh and Magrib prayer. The other also
said that the second end is „Aṣr prayer only and other said that the second
end is „Aṣr and Magrib. The most popular argument is that the first end is
50
Two part of night journey that, according to Islamic tradition, the prophet Muhammad
took during a single night around the year 621. It has been described as both a physical and
spiritual journey. 51
Ibnu Kathīr, Tafsīr al-Qur‟ān al-„Adhīm, al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah Al-Iṣdār 3.8, Vol. 4,
p. 355. 52
M.Quraisy Syihab, Tafsir Al-Misbah,( Jakarta : Lentera Hati). Ed. III, 2005, vol. 6, p.
355.
34
Ṣubuh prayer and the second end is ḍuhr and „Aṣr prayers.53
But, al-
Thabary said that the second end is for Magrib prayer. The reason is that
the first end prayer or Ṣubuh is performed before sunrise, so the second
end should be performed after sunset and the prayer is Magrib.54
Moreover, al-Zamakhsharī clarified that طسف ااز means morning
and afternoon. Morning prayer is Ṣubuh and afternoon prayer is ḍuhr and
„Aṣr. Then, the word شفا is plural form of شفح which means nearby. So,
zulafan min al-lail means the first time of night which is nearby the last of
the day. Quraish Shihab said that zulafan min al-lail is the first time after
sunset. Both of al-Zamakhsharī and Quraish Shihab agreed that this time is
for Magrib and Ishā.55
This statement si supported by the sunnah of the
Prophet PBUH:
ملغرب و ا ل ء: مه زافت اليل
Means: “Two at the approaches of the night is Magrib and Ishā”
c. Chapter Al-Isrā Verse 78
Another verse tells about times of prayer is the sentence in chapter Al-
Isrā Verse 78. Allah says:
53
Ibid., p. 356. 54
Abū Ja‟far Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmi‟ al-Bayān fī Ta‟wīl al-Qur‟ān, Op. cit. vol. 15, p. 505. 55
Al-Zamakhsharī, Tafsīr Al-Kashshāf, Op. cit. read also M.Quraisy Syihab, Tafsīr Al-
Misbah,Loc. cit. 56
Ibnu Kathīr, Tafsīr al-Qur‟ān al-„Adhīm, Loc. cit.
35
Means: “Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of
the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and
reading in the morning carry their testimony.”(Al-Isrā [17]: 78)57
Time of prayer at the sentence above is indicated by phrases: دن اشس
(the sun‟s decline), غسك ا (the darkness of the night), and لسءا افجس (the
morning prayer).
Al-Zamakhsharī explained that the meaning of (دن) dulūk, which is
is derived from (ده) dalaka, is sunset or decline. Furthermore he explained
that if the meaning of dalaka is decline, so the verse above contains five
prayers. On the other hand, if the word means sunset, so the verse does not
contain ḍuhr and „Aṣr.58
Indeed, Al-Alūsī has given a clear meaning about dalaka. It means
decline or sunset. He clarified that the original word of (ده) means move.
So, when it relates to decline, it means that the sun moves from the middle
of the day and when it relates to sunset, means that the sun move beneath
from the horizon. In general, is the time from the sun‟s decline دن اشس
until sunset. This time is for ḍuhr and „Aṣr prayer.59
The word (دن) li dulūk is derived from (ده) dalaka. If the word is
related to the sun, it has several meaning such us: sunset, turn yellow, and
decline from the middle of the sky. These three meanings are contained in
the word (ده) dalaka. Therefore, دن اشس refers to two obligatory
57
English Translation Text Copied from DivineIslam's Qur'an Viewer software v2.910
developed by Jamal Al-Nasir 58
Al-Zamakhsharī, Tafsīr Al Khasyaf, al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah Al-Iṣdār 3.8, Vol. 3, p.
472. 59
Syihābuddīn Mahmūd Al-Alūsī, Rūh al-Ma‟āny fi Tafsīr al-Qur‟ān al-„Adzīm wa al-
Sab‟i al-Mathānī, Op. cit. Vol. 11, p. 43.
36
prayers: ḍuhr and „Aṣr. Implicitly, it also refers to „Aṣr, because „Aṣr time
is when the sun turns yellow.60
The phrase غسك ا (gasaq al-lail) means the darkness of the night.
Muslim interpreters have different opinion about the prayer performed at
the darkenes of the night. Some of them said that the time is for Magrib
prayer and other said that it is for Ishā prayer.61
The word غسك (gasaq)
means “full”. The night is called gasaq al-lail because it is full of
darkness.62
It means that gasaq al-lail is Ishā time.
In conclusion, the phrase لدلىك الشمس إل غسك اللل (at the sun's decline
till the darkness of the night) means the time between the sun‟s decline
from the middle of the day till the darkness of the night or in the middle of
the night. It is for four times of prayer: ḍuhr, „Aṣr, Magrib and Ishā. This is
the argument al-Ṭaba‟ṭaba‟ī which is cited by Quraish Shihab in his book
Tafsir Al-Mishbah.63
For the word لرءان الفجر (reading Al-Qur‟an at dawn) most of
interpreters agree that the phrase indicates Ṣubuh prayer. Quraish Shihab
clarified clearly that there is no obligation of reading Al-Qur‟an at dawn
except reading Al-Qur‟an at Ṣubuh prayer.64
60
M.Quraisy Syihab, Tafsir Al-Misbah,Op. Cit. Vol. 7, p. 525. 61
Syihābuddīn Mahmūd Al-Alūsī, Rūh al-Ma‟ānī fī Tafsīr al-Qur‟ān al-„Adzīm wa al-
Sab‟i al-Mathānī, Loc. Cit. 62
M.Quraisy Syihab, Tafsir Al-Misbah,Op. Cit. Vol. 7, p. 526. 63
Ibid. 64
Ibid.
37
d. Chapter Tāhā Verse 130
The next verse indicates the time of prayer is chapter Tāhā verse 130.
The verse says:
Means: “Therefore be patient with what they say, and celebrate
(constantly) the praises of thy Lord, before the rising of the sun,
and before its setting; yea, celebrate them for part of the hours of
the night, and at the sides of the day: that thou may have
(spiritual) joy.” (Tāhā [20]: 130)65
The indication of prayer time refers to phrase: لبل طلىع الشمس (before the
rising of the sun), لبل غروبها (before its setting), ءاوائ اللل (part of hours of
the night), طراف الىهار (the sides of the day).
The majority Muslim interpreters like al-Zamakhsharī, Al-Alūsī, Al-
Samarqandī include Quraish Shihab agreed that the meaning of the phrase
is the (and celebrate (constantly) the praises of thy Lord) وسبخ بحمد ربك
order of prayer or it means establish regular prayer. Generally, prayer
contains approbation, commendation and veneration of the God Almighty.
If the meaning is prayer, so this verse explains about the times of prayer
which is determined by Allah SWT66
.
The phrase لبل طلىع الشمس (before the rising of the sun) clearly refers
to Ṣubuh prayer which is performed at dawn before the sun rises. The
65
English Translation Text Copied from DivineIslam's Qur'an Viewer software v2.910
developed by Jamal Al-Nasir 66
Ibid., Vol 8, p. 399.
38
majority Muslim interpreters are agreed and there is no difference. لبل
means time for „Aṣr prayer which is performed (before its setting) غروبها
before the sun sets.67
Some of Muslim interpreters said that before setting
is time for ḍuhr and „Aṣr, because prayer performed before the sun sets is
not only „Aṣr, but also ḍuhr is.68
.is time for Ishā prayer (part of hours of the night) ءاوائ اللل69
It is the
last time for Ishā for who likes to pray in the middle of the night because it
is one of the Prophet PBUH traditions. طراف الىهار (the sides of the day) is
time for Magrib and ḍuhr. The word طراف (the sides) in Arabic word
indicates that there are three or more sides. ḍuhr prayer is performed at the
last of the first side of the day and the beginning of the second sides of the
day. Magrib prayer is performed at the third side of the day.70
Some Muslim interpreters have different opinion about the
interpretation of the verse. لبل غروبها (before its setting) indicates time for
„Aṣr prayer, ءاوائ اللل (part of hours of the night) indicates time for Magrib
and Ishā prayers, and طراف الىهار (the sides of the day) is time for ḍuhr
prayer only.71
67
Ibid., p. 400. Read also Abū Ja‟far Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmi‟ al-Bayān fī Ta‟wīl al-Qur‟ān, Op.
cit. Vol. 18, p. 400. 68
Al-Zamakhsharī, Tafsīr Al-Kashshāf, Op. Cit. Vol. 4, p. 192. 69
Abū Ja‟far Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmi‟ al-Bayān fī Ta‟wīl al-Qur‟ān, Loc. cit. 70
Ibid., p. 400-401. 71
Ibid., p. 401. Read also M.Quraisy Syihab, Tafsīr Al-Misbah, Op. cit. Vol. 8, p. 400.
39
e. The Hadith (Tradition) of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH
Furthermore, Allah SWT sent His Angel Jibrīl to the prophet
Muhammad PBUH to teach him more detail about prayer times that is
based on sun‟s motion. This explanation as written on the Prophet tradition
narrated from Jabir bin Abdullah r.a.:
ثـ بن ام رك ن حسي بن ل ل ثـ يي بن آدم حدش ثن حدش حدشوهب بن كيس ن ن ج بر بن د الش وهو لنص ريي أنش ا شبش صلشى الش لي وسلشم ج ءه جبيل اـق ل م اصل اصلشى اظيهر حي ز ا الشمس ثش ج ءه ا صر اـق ل م اصل اصلشى ا صر حي ص ر ظلي كل ش ء ثـل أو ل ص ر ظلي ثـل ثش ج ءه امغرب اـق ل م اصل اصلشى حي وج الشمس ثش ج ءه ا ل ء اـق ل م اصل اصلشى حي غ ب الشفق ثش ج ءه افجر اـق ل م اصل اصلشى حي بـرق افجر أو ل حي سطع افجر ثش ج ءه ن اغد الظيهر اـق ل م اصل اصلشى اظيهر حي ص ر ظلي كل ش ء ثـل ثش ج ءه ال صر اـق ل م اصل
اصلشى ا صر حي ص ر ظلي كل ش ء ثـلي ثش ج ءه المغرب امغرب و ـت و حد ل يـزل ثش ج ء ال ل ء ا ل ء حي ذهب نصف الشيل أو ل ثـلث الشيل اصلشى ا ل ء ثش ج ءه الفجر حي أسفر جد اـق ل
(رو ه أمحد) م اصل اصلشى افجر ثش ل بـي هذين و
Means: “Yaḥyā bin Adam Narrated from Ibnu al-Mubārak from Ḥusain
bin „Alī, He said: Wahhāb bin Kaisān Narrated me from Jābir bin
Abdullah and he is an Anṣārī, he said that Jibrīl came to The
Apostle of Allah PBUH and said: Stand up and pray it! Then he
72
Ahmad bin Hambal, Musnad Ahmad, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah Al-Iṣdār 3.8, vol. 29, p.
60.
40
(the prophet) prayed ḍuhr (noon) when the sun had passed the
meridian. Then the Jibrīl came to him at Aṣr (Afternoon) time and
said: Stand up and pray it! Then the Prophet prayed Aṣr when the
shadow of everything was as long as itself. Then the Jibrīl came
to him at Magrib (sunset) and said: stand up and pray it! Then
the prophet prayed Magrib when the sun sets. Then the Jibrīl
came to him at Ishā (Night) time and said: stand up and pray it!
Then the prophet prayed Ishā when the twilight had ended. Then
the Jibrīl came to him at Fajr (dawn) time and said: stand up and
pray it! Then the prophet prayed it when the dawn rises. Then the
Jibrīl came to him on the morrow for ḍuhr and said: Stand up and
pray it! Then the Prophet prayed ḍuhr when the shadow of
everything was as long as itself. Then the Jibrīl came to him for
Aṣr prayer and said: Stand up and pray it! Then he prayed Aṣr
when the shadow of everything was twice as long as itself. Then
the Jibrīl came to him for Magrib prayer and said: Stand up and
pray it! Then he prayed Magrib at the same time as before. Then
the Jibrīl came to him for Ishā prayer and said: stand up and
pray it! Then the Prophet prayed Ishā when about the half or the
third of the night had passed. Then the Jibrīl came for Fajr
prayer when there was a fair amount of light and said: stand up
and pray it! Then the Prophet prayed Fajr. Then the Jibrīl said:
the time is anywhere between two times.” (Narrated by Ahmad)
The tradition above is strengthened by the hadith narrated by Muslim
in his book Ṣaḥīh Muslim. He said:
ثـ ثـ مهش م حدش ثـ د اصشمد حدش ور ي حدش ثن أمحد بن إبـر هيم ادش حدشأنش رسول الش صلشى الش لي ـت دة ن أب أييوب ن د الش بن مرو
وسلشم ل و اظيهر إذ ز ا الشمس وك ن ظلي ارشجل كطوا ل ي ر ا صر وو ا صر ل تصفرش الشمس وو صلة امغرب
ل يغب الشفق وو صلة ا ل ء إل نصف الشيل لوسط وو صلة اصي ح ن طلوع افجر ل تطلع الشمس اإذ طل الشمس
(رو ه سلم)اأ سك ن اصشلة اإنـشه تطلع بـي ـرن شيط ن
73
Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah Al-Iṣdār 3.8, Vol. 3, p. 294.
41
Means: “narrated to me Aḥmad bin Ibrāhīm ad-Daurāqī, narrated to us
Abd al-Ṣamād, narrated to us Hammām narrated to us Qatādah
from Abī Ayyūb from Abdullah bin „Amr, indeed, the prophet of
Allah peace be upon him said: „time for ḍuhr prayer is when the
sun declines and the shadow of a man is as long as him, before
Aṣr prayer comes and the time for Aṣr prayer is before the sun
turns yellow and the time for Magrib prayer is before the red
cloud disappears and the time for Ishā is until midnight and the
time for Ṣubuh prayer is from the rising dawn before the rising
sun and when the sun rises, do not pray because the sun rises
between the two devil horns‟.” (Narrated by Muslim)
The meaning of these two hadiths is clear. The prophet of Allah
Muhammad PBUH tried to give an explanation and clarification of the
verses about prayer times. The Prophet PBUH realized that those verses
are too general to be understood. As a result, he explained and clarified the
times for prayer.
The two hadiths above clearly gives an explanation about how many
times prayer should be done and when the beginning and the end of prayer
times. According to the text, there are five obligatory prayers should be
performed by people in their daily life. The prayers are: ḍuhr which starts
when the sun declines from midday, Aṣr which begins when the shadow of
everything was as long as itself, Magrib which starts when the sun sets,
Ishā which begins when the twilight had ended, and Ṣubuh which starts
when the dawn rises. They have different times so people have to perform
them separately in the exact time as mentioned.
The text said that prayer times is based on the sun motion and depends
on where the position of the sun is. The effects of this motion and
difference positions are alteration of the length of shadow‟s object, the
42
rising and the setting sun, appearing and disappearing red cloud at dawn
and after sunset. The text also tells us that the way to determine times for
prayer is by observing position of the sun. However, technology
improvement has increased so fast. People do not need to observe directly
the sun‟s motion to know prayer times. They can calculate the time using
mathematical astronomy.
D. Prayer Times in Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh)
a. Ḍuhr
Time for ḍuhr prayer is started when the sun declines (zālat al-
shams). When the sun moves from the middle of sky at day, time for
ḍuhr prayer is begun. This time ends when the length of shadow‟s object
is as long as the object. This is the argument of Ḥanafiyyah and three
Imam of Islamic jurists. According to Abū Hanīfah, the end of ḍuhr is
when the length of shadow‟s object is twice the object.74
Mālikiyyah said
that when the sun declines until the length of shadow‟s object is as long
as the object is choice time (al-waqt al-ikhtiyārī) for ḍuhr prayer. In
addition, emergency time (al-waqt al-ẓarūrī) begins when „Aṣr time
begins and ends when the sun sets.75
The declining of the sun is known by observing a stick which is
embedded on flat ground. When the sun is on east (before declining) the
shadow of the stick will decrease. When the shadow is stop moving
74
Wahbah Zuhailī, al-Fiqh al-Islāmī Wa Adillatuhu, Op. cit., Vol. 1, p. 583 75
Abdurraḥmān al-Jāzirī, Kitāb al-Fiqh „Alā Madzāhib al-Arba‟ah, Op. cit., p. 167.
43
means the sun is in the culmination point. It is called Istiwā time which is
the point when the sun is at its highest point. This corresponds to the
shortest shadow of the stick. Then, when the shadow increases means
that the sun has declined from the point. It also means ḍuhr time is
begun. The shadow will continue moving. Finally, when the length of
shadow is as long as the stick length, it is the end of ḍuhr prayer.76
b. ‘Aṣr
„Aṣr time begins by the end of ḍuhr time and ends when the sun sets.
Clearly, according to the most Islamic jurists, it start a moment after the
length of shadow is as long as the stick length, whereas Ḥanafiyyah said
that ḍuhr time begins a moment after the length of shadow is twice the
stick length. The Islamic jurists compromised that the end of „Aṣr prayer
is when the sun sets. The hadith said:
ن أدرك رك ة ن ا صر ل أن تغرب المس، اقد أدرك ا صر (رو ه لئمة استة ف كت هم)
Means: “who got one raka‟at of „Aṣr prayer before the sun sets, he
actually got „Aṣr prayer.” (Narrated by six Imam in their books)
Mālikiyyah said „Aṣr prayer has two times, the choice time (al-waqt
al-ikhtiyārī) and the emergency time (al-waqt al-ẓarūrī). The choice time
is a moment after the length of shadow is as long as the stick length until
76
Wahbah Zuhailī, al-Fiqh al-Islāmī Wa Adillatuhu, Loc. cit. 77
Ibid., p. 584.
44
the sun turns yellow. The emergency time starts when the sun turns
yellow on the ground and ends when the sun sets.78
The „Aṣr daily prayer may be mentioned as the middle prayer (ṣalāh
al-wusṭā) in the Qur'an at chapter Al-Baqarah verse 238:
Means: “Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the Middle
Prayer; and stand before Allah in a devout (frame of mind).”
(Al-Baqarah [2]: 238)79
It is called the middle prayer because it is between two prayers at night
and two prayers at day.80
c. Magrib
The time for Magrib prayer is when the sun sets or when the sun disk
is fully disappear in the western sky until disappearing the twilight or red
cloud approximately an hour after sunset. This is the most popular
argument according to Ḥanafiyyah, Hanabilah and Shāfi‟iyyah based on
the hadith:
و ملغرب ل يغب الفق
Means: “Time for Magrib prayer is before disappearing the
twilight”.
78
Abdurrahmān al-Jāzirī, Kitāb al-Fiqh „Alā Madzāhib al-Arba‟ah, Loc. cit. 79
English Translation Text Copied from DivineIslam's Qur'an Viewer software v2.910
developed by Jamal Al-Nasir 80
Wahbah Zuhailī, al-Fiqh al-Islāmī Wa Adillatuhu, Loc. cit.
45
or twilight according to Hanabilah and Shāfi‟iyyah is the red اشفك
twilight. According to Ḥanafiyyah, the horizon has three condition after
sunset, white then red and then black. 81
Mālikiyyah said that there is no extension for Magrib time, but it is
limited by the time it can be performed with all of the prescribed
conditions and requirements and also the time for azan and iqāmah. This
is the choice time (al-waqt al-ikhtiyārī) for Magrib prayer. The
emergency time (al-waqt al-ẓarūrī) for Magrib is by the end of the
choice time until the dawn rises.82
d. Ishā
The time for Ishā is when the red twilight disappears until the dawn
rises. The reason is that the time of every prayer is extended until the
next prayer except Ṣubuh. Mālikiyyah and Ḥanafiyyah said that Ishā
prayer has two times, the choice time (al-waqt al-ikhtiyārī) and the
emergency time (al-waqt al-ẓarūrī). The choice time is begun after
disappearing the red twilight until midnight or a third of night. It is based
on the hadith from Anas:
أخر ا ب صلى ا لي وسلم صلة ا ل ء إل نصف اليل ث صلى
Means: “The Prophet PBUH delayed Ishā prayer until midnight the he
prayed.”
81
Ibid., p. 585. 82
Abdurrahman al-Jāzirī, Kitāb al-Fiqh „Alā Madzāhib al-Arba‟ah, Op. cit. p. 168.
46
The emergency time for Ishā is after the end of the choiceh time until the
true dawn rises.83
e. Ṣubuh
The time for Ṣubuh prayer is when the true dawn (fajr ṣādiq) rises
until the sun rises. The true dawn is the white light spread in the eastern
horizon. It is based on the hadith84
:
و صلة اص ح ن طلوع افجر، ل تطلع المس و
Means: “and the time for Ṣubuh prayer is from the rising dawn before the
rising sun”.
Mālikiyyah said that Ṣubuh prayer has two times: the choice time for
Ṣubuh is from the rising true dawn until the darkness disappears, and the
emergency time is from the end of the choice time until the rising sun.85
83
Ibid. See also Wahbah Zuhailī, al-Fiqh al-Islāmī Wa Adillatuhu, Op. cit. p. 587. 84
Wahbah Zuhailī, al-Fiqh al-Islāmī Wa Adillatuhu, Op. cit., p. 587. 85
Abdurrahmān al-Jāzirī, Kitāb al-Fiqh „Alā Madzāhib al-Arba‟ah, Op. cit., p. 169.
47
CHAPTER III
THE PRAYER TIMES CONCEPT
IN PERSPECTIVE OF SHIA ITHNA ASHARIYYAH
Prayer (ṣalāh), which is the most fundamental and significance aspect of
worship (Ibadah) is obliged for every Moslem. There is no exception for this
worship. A Moslem who has met the prescribed requirements and conditions has
this obligation of prayer obliged for him. This obligation bounded by times which
have been described in the holly Qur‟an chapter al-Baqarah verse 103: “Set up
regular prayers: for such prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times”.
Moreover, the Prophet Muhammad PBUH as the messenger of Allah SWT
clarified those times in his tradition (hadith) as written in many hadith books. In
consequence, Moslem scholars agreed that prayer should be based on times which
are explained in the holly Qur‟an or the hadith of the prophet PBUH86
.
As a part of Islam, Shia Ithna Ashariyyah school of thought also agreed that
prayer is an obligation for every Moslem in his entire life. They also agreed that
prayer is based on times as prescribed in the holly Qur‟an and the hadith.
Nevertheless, the concept of prayer times they performs every day are different
which the concept performed by the general school of thought Ahl Sunnah Wal
Jamā‟ah (Sunni school of thought).
Therefore, this chapter will explain and describe the concept of prayer times
performed by Shia Ithna Ashariyyah. First, the history of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah
(then called Shia) needs to be described to know their past and how this school of
86
Susiknan Azhari, Ilmu Falak Teori dan Praktek, Yogyakarta : Lazuardi, 2001, p. 73
48
thought founded. From the history, it also can be known how their thought in
Islamic law shaped especially about prayer times. Then, this chapter will clarify
the specific topic about the concept of prayer times according to Shia.
A. The History of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah
Discussing about the history of Shia specifically Shia Ithna Ashariyyah
in this chapter is important when researching the thought of Shia Ithna
Ashariyyah. The past, when this community was founded, is the basic ground
to know which color Shia Ithna Ashariah is. Undeniable, the history has made
up the color of thought, belief and faith of Shia Ithna Ashariyah. Therefore,
firstly the writer will explain the history, and then specifically clarify the
concept of prayer times of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah.
1. The Emergence of Shia
Shia, which etymologically means group of people, in the
vocabulary of Moslem thought used to refer a group of people who
obedient in following Ali bin Abu Ṭālib and his Ahl Bayt (family or
generetion). Terminologically, the word Shia refers to a group of people
who fight and wage a struggle the aspiration of the Prophet PBUH family
and also desire his generation to be the successor of the Prophet.87
This
group is a part of Islam which acknowledges Ali bin Abu Ṭālib as the
successor and caliph of the Prophet PBUH and has a right to be the
87
Ibnu Manzûr, Lisan al-Arab, Juz II, Mesir: al-Dâr al-Misriyyah, p. 394.
49
khalifah after him.88
The name “Shia” is a short form of the Arabic
phrase: “Shiatu Ali – a follower of „Ali”. Ali, son of Abu Ṭālib, was the
cousin and the son-in-law of the Prophet of Islam.
To describe the emergence and the genesis of Shia, the historians
either Moslem historians or non-Moslem historians have different
opinion and argument. Some of them said that Shia appeared form Persia.
The reason is that the belief of God interference in determining
leadership and hereditary of power was unknown in Arabic world, but
was very recognized by Persian citizens. Nevertheless, this argument was
rejected by Shaikh Muhammad Husain Kāshif al-Giṭā. He said that it was
impossible because the majority of religion believed by Persians is
Zoroastrian. This statement will only cause enmity, hostility and
detestation among Moslems.89
On the other hand, some historians said that Shia was a product of a
Jew called Abdullah Bin Sabā‟. He was incognito to become a very kind
and godly person which took breath away some ṣahābah (companions of
the Prophet PBUH). However, behind those things, his target is to make
troublesome and propaganda among ṣahābah. He also made ideas to
glorify Ali excessively.90
Nevertheless, this argument is refused by some
historians. The reason is that it is illogic if a Jew can influence the
thought of friends of the Prophet PBUH. Moreover, Ṭāhā Husain, a
88
Hans Wehr, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, London: Allan and Yunmi Ltd.,
1971, p. 499. 89
M. Quraish Shihab, Sunnah-Syiah Bergandengan Tangan! Mungkinkan?, Jakarta:
Lentera Hati, 2007, p. 64. 90
Ibid.
50
distinguished Egyptian scholar, confuted the argument and state that
Abdullah bin Saba‟ was only a fictitious figure which was made up by
anti-Shia group.91
The most acknowledge argument and the most admitted its
credibility or subjectivity either by the followers of Shia or Sunni is that
Shia emerged since the period of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, or at
least after he passed away. The cause was the oath of Abū Bakar Al-
Shiddīq in Thaqīfah Banī Sa‟īdah to be the first caliph after the Prophet
Muhammad PBUH. The family of the Prophet PBUH and some of his
companions considered that Ali bin Abū Ṭālib was the most proper and
has the right to be the successor and the caliph of the Prophet PBUH than
Abu Bakar. Abdul Halīm Mahmūd agreed this argument by citing the
argument of Dr. Ṭāhā Husain that the truth of the caliph occupation was
belongs to Ali.92
Terminologically, the word “Shia” existed since the period of the
Prophet Muhammad PBUH. This word was referred to al-Miqdād bin al-
Aṣwāb, Salmān al-Fārisi, Abū Dzar al-Giffārī, „Amar bin Yāsir and
people who love honestly and sincerely to Ali Bin Abu Ṭālib, even
thought they did not have any political purpose. They were called Shiatu
Ali.93
Then, addressing the terminology of Shia became clearer after
Uthmān bin Affān was killed. Moslem community became separated into
91
See more Ṭāhā Husain, „Ali wa Banuhu, Mesir: Dār al-Ma‟ārif, 1953, p. 98-100. 92
Abdul Halim Mahmūd, Al-Tafkīr al-Falsafī fī al-Islām, Beirut: Dār al-Kitāb al-Lubnānī,
1982 p. 169. 93
http://muhsinhar.staff.umy.ac.id/?p=499, diakses pada 10 maret 2011, jam 21.00.
51
three groups. First, people who took revenge for murdering Usman bin
Affan and blamed everything to Ali bin Abū Ṭālib were called
Uthmāniyah. Second, people who stayed loyal to Ali were called
Alawiyah. The third was the rest of people who did not involve on this
political disorder (no name for these people). This situation continued
until the leadership of Mu‟āwiyyah. In Abbāsiyah period, name of
Uthmāniyah and Alawiyah was erased. Since then, the name exist was
Sunnah and Shia.94
The next development of Shia was generally signed by the
development of politic-religion thought and specifically by the thought
development about imāmah (to call the way of leader commutation
hereditarily). Many historians said that the essence of Shia development
was the thought about leadership commutation or imāmah.95
2. The Branches of Shia
Historically, Shia has separated into uncountable groups and
communities, but according to al-Bagdādī in his book “al-Farqu Baina
al-Firāq” he clarified that generally Shia has separated into four main
groups which each group has separated into some small groups. Those
main groups are: Shia Ghulat (the extreme), Shia Ismā‟iliyyah, Shia
Zaidiyyah and Shia Ithna Ashariyyah.96
94
Muhsin Amili, A‟yān al-Shia, Beirut: Dār al-Ta‟āruf, Vol. I, p. 18. 95
Abdulaziz A. Sachedina, Kepemimpinan Dalam Islam: Perspektif Syi‟ah, terj. Ilyas
Hasan, Bandung: Mizan, 1991, p. 363-368. 96
M. Quraish Shihab, Sunnah-Syiah Bergandengan Tangan! Mungkinkan?, Op. cit, p. 69.
See more detail Abū al-Khair bin Ṭāhir al-Bagdādī, Al-Farqu Baina al-Firāq, Mesir: Muhammad
Ali Ṣubauh Press, p. 313.
52
a. Shia Ghulat
This group has separated into some small groups such as Al-
Sabā‟iyyah, Al-Khaṭṭābiyyah, Al-Gurābiyyah and Al-Qarāmiṭah. All
off these small groups are extreme and excessive. Al-Sabā‟iyyah and
Al-Qarāmiṭah were extreme in glorifying Ali and regarded him as
God. Al-Khaṭṭābiyyah was too excessive in considering Imam Abū
Ja‟far al-Ṣādiq and his ancestors as God. Al-Gurābiyyah was also
extreme because they believe that actually Allah has sent Jibrīl to Ali
bin Abu Ṭālib, not to Muhammad PBUH, and Jibrīl was wrong.
However, all these groups were not exist anymore or were extinct.97
b. Shia Ismā’īliyyah
This group of Shia is also called Shia Sab‟iyyah (Sh‟ia seven)
because they only have seven Imams. The first is Imam Ali and the
last is Imam Ismail bin Ja‟far Al-Ṣādiq. According to history, Ismail
died five years before his father Imam Ja‟far died. Nevertheless, this
group believes that Ismail did not die yet. He will appear once more
in this world, so his coming is being waited, such as Ithna Ashariyyah
and Ahl sunnah is waiting for the emergence of Imam Mahdi. This
group also separated into some small groups such as Ismā‟īliyyah
Nizarī, Ismā‟īliyyah Musta‟lī and Ismā‟īliyyah Al-Ṭayyībī. They
survive until now and stay in India and Pakistan.98
97
Ibid., p. 70-73. 98
Ibid., p. 73-78.
53
c. Shia Zaidiyyah
Shia Zaidiyyah is the followers of Zaid bin Muhammad bin Ali
Zainal Abidin bin Husain bin Ali bin Abu Ṭālib. This group believes
that imāmah can be occupied by who has a lineage until Fāṭimah binti
Rasulullah PBUH, whether the generation of her son Hasan or
Husain, as long as he has capability, knowledge, justice, and bravery.
Therefore, they chose Imam Zaid bin Ali Zainal because of his
bravery to fight against tyranny. Zaidiyyah establish their law based
on Al-Qur‟an, hadith and logical reasoning. They do not bound
hadith only from the Prophet PBUH family, but also the narrations
from other ṣahābah (Companions of the Prophet PBUH). Their
Aqīdah (faith) follow Mu‟tazilah school of thought and their shariah
(Islamic law) is in line with Abu Hānifah School of thought and a
little with Shāfi‟ī school of thought.99
d. Shia Ithna Ashariyyah
Shia Ithna Ashariyyah is one of Shia group which has the largest
followers. They are called Ithna Ashariyyah (twelve) because they
believe in twelve Imams which the first Imam is Imam Ali bin Abu
Ṭālib and the last Imam is Abū al-Qāsim Muhammad bin al-Hasan or
al-Mahdi al-Muntaḍar (the waited).100
This group is also called Imāmiyyah Ja‟fariyyah because their
belief in Imams and one of those Imams is Imam Ja‟far Al-Ṣādiq.
99
Ibid., p. 78-83. 100
http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dua_Belas_Imam, diakses pada 10 Maret 2011 pada jam
21.00.
54
They believe that all of those Imams have a lineage with Ali bin Abu
Ṭālib and Fāṭimah Al-Zahra, the daughter of the Prophet PBUH.
These twelve Imams are101
:
1. Abū al-Hasan Ali bin Abi Ṭālib, 23 SH – 40 H, then his son,
2. Abū Muhammad al-Hasan bin Ali (al-Zākī), 2 H – 50 H, then
his brother,
3. Abū Abdillah al-Husain bin Ali (Sayyid al-Shuhadā‟), 3H-61H
4. Ali bin al-Husain (Zainal Abidin), 38 H – 95 H
5. Abū Ja‟far Muhammad bin Ali (al-Bāqir), 57 H – 114 H
6. Abū Abdillah Ja‟far bin Muhammad (al-Ṣādiq), 83H – 148H
7. Abū Ibrāhīm Mūsā bin Ja‟far (al-Kaḍīm), 128 H – 183 H
8. Abū al-Hasan Ali bin Mūsā (al-Riẓā), 148 H – 203 H
9. Abū Ja‟far Muhammad bin Ali (al-Jawwād), 195 H – 220 H
10. Abū al-Hasan Ali bin Muhammad (al-Hādī), 212 H – 254 H
11. Abū Muhammad al-Hasan bin Ali (al-Ashkārī), 232 H – 260 H
12. Abū al-Qāsim Muhammad bin al-Hasan (al-Mahdi), 255 H, and
then he disappeared before he grown up and predicted will
appear in this world as Imam Mahdi al-Muntadzar (the waited).
This group is the majority citizen of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, India
and Saudi Arabia. The detailed perception and doctrine of this group
will be explained more detail later.
B. Shia Ithna Ashariyyah School of Thought
Ithna Ashariyyah school of thought (madzhab) is usually known as
Ja‟fariyah school of thought. This school of thought (then called madzhab) is
one of Shia madzhabs which is the closest to Sunni madzhab. The basic
101
M. Quraish Shihab, Op. Cit. p. 126-127.
55
differences are in three aspects: the obligation of belief or faith, the imam
which has no sin (ma‟ṣūm) or maintains him self from sinning, and the last
and the most important is the obligation to hold on to authoritative quotation
al-Qur‟an and hadith as the main source of law, then use thought to make an
individual interpretation (ijtihād) which in their opinion the door of ijtihād is
never closed until now.102
The name “Ja‟fariyyah” indicates that the Imam of this madzhab is Imam
Ja‟far as Shāfi‟iyyah which the Imam is Imam Shāfi‟ī and so does the other
madzhab. Imam Ja‟far is the most important magnate of Shia in Islamic
Jurisprudence (fiqh) which is the main worship (ibādah) and trasactions
(mu‟āmalah). His name is Abū Abdillah Ja‟far Bin Muhammad al-Ṣādiq. His
father is Muhammad al-Bāqir son of Ali Zainal Abidin son of Husain son of
Ali bin Abu Ṭālib. According al-Rifā‟ī, he was born at 80 of Hijriah in
Madinah and died at the age of 65 years old at 148 of Hijriah in Madinah and
buried in Bāqi‟ cemetery.103
From the cradle, he learned from his father to master all of knowledge
and morals. His father‟s purity and softness character influenced himself
potently especially in manner of individual asceticism (zuhd), God
consciousness (taqwā) and contentment (qanā‟ah). That‟s why he was titled
al-Ṣādiq which means honest because he was very honest and had a good
attitude on everything. Imam Ja‟far was a person which was chosen in good
102
Abu Bakar Aceh, Syi‟ah Rasionalisme dalam Islam, Solo: CV. Ramadhani, Ed. IV,
1984, p. 99. 103
Ibid., p. 111.
56
deed, the most expert in hadith, and the master in many aspects of fiqh, and
had the most perfect behavior and prudence.
Ja‟fariyah also called Imāmiyyah Ithna Ashariyyah because this group
believes that their legal Imams are twelve Imams. It has been discussed
before in Shia Ithna Ashariyyah. Then, the term of Shia sometimes refers to
Shia Imāmiyyah. This madzhab, in term of fiqh is closer to Shāfi‟iyyah
school of thought although, in some aspects, they are different from the four
Ahl sunnah. They are more similar to Zaidiyyah which hold on to Al-Qur‟an
and hadith that is narrated by their Imams. They argue that the door of ijtihād
is not closed yet and refuse analogy (qiyās) as long as their Imams which
know everything about Islamic law (shariah) are along with them.104
Shia also consider consensus (ijmā‟) as one of their source of law. They
comprehend ijmā‟ as the consensus of their scholars toward their Imams
thought regarding a problem. Then, although they refuse analogy to be the
source of considering the law, they put analogy in a very high level, so
everything considered right by analogy also considered right by religion.105
To understand al-Qur‟an, they reference its interpretation from books
written by the interpreters of Shia. One of the great interpreters of Shia is Ali
bin Abu Ṭālib. Either Shia or Sunni considered Ali as the first Al-Qur‟an
interpreter in the Islamic history because he used to interact with the Prophet
PBUH and got him explaining and clarifying the meaning (ta‟rīf) and the
interpretation of the holly Qur‟an. Ali did not only deserve in controlling the
104
Ibid., p. 113 105
M. Quraish Shihab, op. cit. hal. 238.
57
collection of the Qur‟an, but also had a wide knowledge about the history of
the revelation of the verse and chapter, about muḥkamāt and mutashābihāt
verses, an also said that he had sixty kinds knowledge of the Qur‟an. He was
the most narrated person about al-Qur‟an. Ibnu Abbās, which was the student
of Ali, said that Ali was a person who knew much about the extrinsic and the
intrinsic of the noble Qur‟an.106
Hadith, in term of Shia is sayings and actions of the ma‟ṣūm (people who
have no sin or protected from sinning). The ma‟ṣūm is the prophet
Muhammad PBUH and the twelve Imams of Shia. The narration of the hadith
will be examined carefully by interviewing the narrator. Then, the narration
of the hadith will pass some narrators which within them the friends of the
ma‟ṣūm (the Prophet, ahl bayt and the Imams). Therefore, in term of hadith,
they give priority to the hadith narrated by their Imams or the narrators of
Shia.
Concerning the fiqh and law, Hasby, as cited by Abu Bakar Aceh, said
that the fiqh of Shia, even though based on Al-Qur‟an and Hadith, they differ
with the majority (jumhur) of Sunni scholars in some aspects107
:
a. Their fiqh is based on the interpretation which is in mutual accord
with their main ground. They do not accept the interpretation from
other interpreters or hadith narrated by the other narrators.
106
Abu Bakar Aceh, Syi‟ah Rasionalisme dalam Islam, Op. cit. p. 155 107
Ibid., p. 113
58
b. Their fiqh is based on hadith and theorems which accepted from their
Imams. They will not accept any theorem used by the majority
Scholars of Ahl sunnah.
Using this way, less than 400 students of Imam Ja‟far have written books
of fiqh. The fiqh source of Ja‟fari madzhab, which is famous with 400
problems, collected in four main books. These books are: (1) Ushūl al-Kāfī,
by Shaikh Abū Ja'far Muhammad bin Ya'qūb al-Kulainī al-Rāzī (w. 329
H/940 M), (2) Man Lā Yaḥẓuruhu al-Faqīh, by al-Ṣādiq Ibnu Bābawaih al-
Qummī (w. 381 H/991 M) (3&4) Al-Istibṣār and Tahdzīb al-Aḥkām by
Shaikh Abū Ja'far Muhammad Ibnu al-Hasan al-Ṭūsī (w. 460H/1068 M).
These four books are the main reference and the manual book of the scholars
of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah as the six books which has been the manual book of
Ahlusunnah.
C. The Concept of Prayer times in perspective of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah
The obligation of prayer which becomes the main pillar of Islam is an
absolute obligation. It means every Moslem is obliged to perform prayer, so
is Shia Ithna Ashariyyah. Prayer is an obligation which has to be performed
by its followers, without exception. The obligatory prayer that they have to do
is same, five obligatory prayers. This statement is strengthened by the hadith
in their book al-Kāfī:
ن ل ي بن إبـر هيم ن أبي ن محش د بن يسى و ممشد بن يي ن أمحد ي ن بن ممشد بن يسى و ممشد بن إس يل ن اف ل بن ش ذ ن ج
59
( لي اسلم )محش د بن يسى ن حريز ن زر رة ل سأا أب ج فر مش اـرض الش زش و جلش ن اصشلة اـق ل خس صلو ت ف الشيل و ا ـشه ر
صلى )اـقل اـهل سش هنش و بـيـش ـهنش ف كت ب ل نـ م ل الش تـ ل ا ي أ م اصشلة اداوك الشمس إل غسق الشيل و داوكه زو ل ( ا لي وآا
افيم بـي داوك الشمس إل غسق الشيل أربع صلو ت سش هنش الش و بـيـش ـهنش و و ـشتـهنش و غسق الشيل هو نتص ا ثش ل تـ رك و تـ ل و ـرآن افجر إنش
… ـرآن افجر ك ن لهود اـهذه ل سة
Means: “Narrated from Ali bin Ibrāhīm, from his father, from Hammād bin
Īsā and Muhammad Bin Ismā‟īl from al-Fāẓil Bin Shādzān from
Hammād bin Īsā from Harīz from Zurārah, he said: I asked Abū
Ja‟far As about what has Allah obliged about prayer? Then, he said:
five obligatory prayers at day and night. Then, I asked again: did
Allah mention and explain it in the holly Qur‟an? Abu Ja‟far said:
yes, Allah SWT has said to His Prophet PBUH: “Aqimi al-ṣalāta
lidulūki al-shamsi ilā gasaqi al-lail (establish regular prayer:
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of
the night)”. Dulūk Al-Shamsi means declining the sun. So, between
the declining of the sun until the darkness of night, there are four
prayers, Allah has mentioned it, explained it and prescribed the time.
And gasaq al-lail means the middle of night. Then Allah SWT said:
wa qur‟an al-Fajr, Inna Qur‟ān al-fajr kāna mashhūdā (for the
prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.) and that is
the fifth prayer.”
In Shia‟s point of view, as written in their reference books mentioned
before, every prayer has two times. This argument declared in the hadith
narrated from Imam Ja‟far Al-Ṣādiq:
أخبن اليخ رمح ا ن أب اق سم ج فر بن ممد ن ممد بن ي قوب ن ل بن إبر هيم ن ممد بن يسى ن يونس بن د ارمحن
108
Abū Ja‟far Muhammad bin Ya‟qūb Al-Kulainī, Al-Kutub Al-Arba‟ah al-Furu‟ min al-
Kāfī (3-4-5) , Qūm: Muassasah Anṣāriyan li al-Ṭibā‟ah Wa al-Naṣr, Ed. I, 2005, p. 735.
60
يقول اكل صلة و ت ن (ع) ن د ا بن س ن ل س أب د ا .اأول او أا ل
Means: “Shaikh Rahimahullah told me from Abu Qāsim Ja‟far bin
Muhammad from Muhammad Bin Ya‟qūb from Ali bin Ibrāhīm from
Muhammad bin Īsā from Yunus bin Abdurrahman from Abdullah bin
Sinān said: I heard Abū Abdillah said: every prayer has two times,
and the first time is more eminent.
The meaning of two times for every prayer declared in the hadith above
is a concept of prayer time which gives two choice times. To clarify that
statement, M. Quraish Shihab in his book “Sunnah-Syi‟ah Bergandengan
tangan, Mungkinkah!” said that the two choice times is special time and
combination time. Every prayer can be performed at its special time or its
combination time.110
It is freely to choose. Nevertheless, the most eminent to
perform prayer according to the hadith is as soon as possible at the first time.
The meaning of special time is that at that time only one prayer can be
performed or the exact time is only for one specific prayer. For example, the
special time for Ḍuhr prayer will prevail only for Ḍuhr prayer and the other
prayer such as Aṣr or Magrib can not be performed at this time. Whereas, the
combination time means that at this time two prayers can be performed
together or the time for combining two prayers. So, at this time Ḍuhr and Aṣr
can be performed together without any delay of time, but only at this time.
Nonetheless, it should also be noted that the prayers in all cases are separate.
109
Abū Ja‟far Muhammad bin Hasan al-Ṭūsī, Al-Kutub al-Arba‟ah al-Ibtibṣār (1-4), Qūm:
Muassasah Anṣāriyan li al-Ṭibā‟ah wa al-Naṣr, Ed. I, 2005, p. 102. 110
M. Quraish Shihab, op. cit. p. 245.
61
It‟s not that they pray eight raka‟ats (for Ḍuhr and Aṣr for example) straight,
as part of one prayer. It is the same regular form of prayer, but combined into
one time, not one prayer. The first should be performed first and the last
should be the last.
This two choice time is only for four prayers (Ḍuhr, Aṣr, Magrib, and
Isha), Subuh or dawn prayer is not included. Hence, the concept of prayer
time of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah usually known as three prayer times. These
three times are Ḍuhrain, Ishā‟ain, and Fajr. Ḍuhrain is time for combination
of Ḍuhr and Aṣr, Ishā‟ain is time for combination of Magrib and Isha prayer,
and Fajr is the specific time for Subuh prayer.111
This kind of prayer times
concept which differ between Sunni and Shia. Shia commonly known with its
three prayer times even thought the pray five prayers as Ahl Sunnah wal
Jamā‟ah does.
The argumentation of Shia regarding these times is the verses of the holly
Qur‟an which only mention three times for prayers. Allah Siad:
….
Means: “And establish regular prayers at the two ends of the day and at the
approaches of the night” (Hud [11]: 114)112
The phrase الىهار طرف (the two ends of the day) is time for Subuh at the first
end of the day, and time for Ḍuhr and Aṣr for the second end of the day. The
phrase اللل مه زلفا (the approaches of the night) is time for Magrib and Isha
111
Muhammad Jawwād Magniyyah, Fiqh al-Imām Ja‟far al-Ṣādiq, Qūm: Muassasah
Anṣāriyan li al-Ṭibā‟ah wa al-Naṣr, Ed. VII, Vol. 1, 2007, p. 142-145. 112
English Translation Text Copied from DivineIslam's Qur'an Viewer software v2.910
developed by Jamal Al-Nasir.
62
prayer.113
The text of verse only says about three times (the first and the
second end of the day and the approaches of the night) not five.
Another verse says also about three times for prayers, Allah SWT said:
Means: “Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of
the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and
reading in the morning carry their testimony.”(Al-Isrā [17]: 78)114
الشمس دلىك (the sun's decline) is the time for Ḍuhr and Aṣr prayer. The
phrase اللل غسك (the darkness of the night) is time for Magrib and Isha. The
last is افجس لسءا (the morning prayer) is the time for Subuh prayer. This verse
also clearly mentions three times for prayer.115
1. Ḍuhrain Time
As clarified before, Ḍuhrain time contains two prayers that is Ḍuhr
and Aṣr prayers. It‟s called Ḍuhrain because the two prayers Ḍuhr and
Aṣr is performed at Ḍuhr time. So, generally this time is only for Ḍuhr
prayer and Aṣr prayer. This time starts when the sun declines or when the
sun across the culmination point of the day and ends when the sun sets on
the western horizon. The clear explanation for this time is described in
this statement:
113
Muhammad Jawwād Magniyyah, Fiqh al-Imām Ja‟far al-Ṣādiq, Loc. cit. 114
English Translation Text Copied from DivineIslam's Qur'an Viewer software v2.910
developed by Jamal Al-Nasir. 115
Muhammad Jawwād Magniyyah, Fiqh al-Imām Ja‟far al-Ṣādiq, Loc. cit.
63
سأل يد بن زر رة أب د ا ن و اظهر و ا صر اق ل إذ ز ا المس دخل و اظهر و ا صر جي إل أن هذه ل هذه ث أن
.ف و هم جي حىت تغيب المس
Means: “Ubaidah bin Zurārah asked Abū Abdillah about Ḍuhr time and
Aṣr time, Abū Abdillah said: when the sun declines (across the
culmination point of the day), it is the time for Ḍuhr and Aṣr,
except that this prayer (Ḍuhr) before this prayer (Aṣr), then you
are at these two times until the sun sets.
The hadith above indicates that Ḍuhr time or when the sun declines
and across the culmination point of the day is the time for two prayers
Ḍuhr and Aṣr. Ḍuhr prayer must be performed first than Aṣr because
Ḍuhr was the first prayer obliged than other prayers as explained by Abū
Ja‟far:
ل ي بن إبـر هيم ن ممشد بن يسى ن يونس ن يزيد بن خليفة ل إنش مر بن ح ظلة أت ن ك ( لي اسلم ) ـل لب د الش
ـل ( لي اسلم )بو اـق ل أبو د الش إذ ل يكذب ليـصلى ا لي )ذكر أنشك ـل إنش أوشل صلة اـتـر ه الش لى ن ي
اظيهر و هو ـول الش زش و جلش أ م اصشلة اداوك (وآا … الشمس
Means: “Ali bin Ibrāhīm from Muhammad bin Īsā from Yūnus from
Yazīd bin Khalīfah said: I said to Abū Abdillah that Umar bin
Hanḍalah came to us at once. Abū Abdillah said: then he will
116
Abū Ja‟far Al-Ṣadūq Muhammad bin Ali bin al-Husain bin Bābawaih al-Qummī, Al-
Kutub al-Arba‟ah Man Lā Yahẓuruhu al-Faqīh (1-4), Qum: Muassasah Anṣāriyan li al-Ṭibā‟ah wa
al-Naṣr, Ed. I, 2005, p. 57. 117
Abu Ja‟far Muhammad bin Ya‟qūb, Al-Kutub Al-Arba‟ah al-Furū‟ min al-Kāfī (3-4-5),
Op. cit., hal 737.
64
not lie for us. I said: he said that you had said that the first
prayer obliged by Allah to His prophet PBUH is Ḍuhr because
of the revelation of Allah Aqimi al-ṣalāta li dulūki al-shamsi
(Establish regular prayers - at the sun's declines)…”
In this Ḍuhrain time, each of Ḍuhr and Aṣr prayer has two choice
times. Ḍuhr prayer has the special and combination time and Aṣr does.
So, Ḍuhr has time which at that time the only prayer allowed to be
performed is Ḍuhr. It is at special time for Ḍuhr. Aṣr also has time which
at that time, the only prayer allowed to be performed is Aṣr prayer. It is at
special time for Aṣr. Moreover, at Ḍuhrain time there is a time to
combine between Ḍuhr and Aṣr prayer.
To explain these two choice times for Ḍuhr and Aṣr prayer at
Ḍuhrain time, Muhammad Jawwād Magniyyah cited the words of Abū
Ja‟far al-Ṣādiq in his book “Fiqh al-Imām Ja‟far Al-Ṣādiq”:
إذ ز ا المس اقد دخل : لي اسلم ( ا م اص دق)و ل اإذ , حىت مي قد ر يصل ملصل أربع رك ت, و اظهر
حىت ي قى ن المس , ى ذاك اقد دخل و اظهر و ا صراقد خرج , اإذ بق قد ر ذاك, قد ر يصل ملصل أربع رك ت
.و اظهر و بق و ا صر حىت تغيب المس
Means: “And Imam Al-Ṣādiq Alaihi al-salām said: when the sun
declines, the time for (only) Ḍuhr prayer begins until a period
for praying four rakaat passes. When the period of four rakaat
has passed, the time for both Ḍuhr and Aṣr prayer begin until a
period for praying four rakaat is the only left. When the period
118
Muhammad Jawwād Maghniyyah, Fiqh al-Imām Ja‟far al-Ṣādiq, Op. cit., p. 142. See
also Abū Ja‟far Muhammad bin Hasan Al-Ṭūsī, Al-Kutub Al-Arba‟ah Tahdzīb Al-Aḥkām, Qūm:
Muassasah Anṣāriyan li al-Ṭibā‟ah wa al-Naṣr, Ed. I, 2005, p. 194.
65
of four rakaat before sunset is the only left, the time for Ḍuhr is
out and the time is (only) for Aṣr until the sun sets.
The statement revealed by Abu Ja‟far above clearly explains the
times in Ḍuhrain time. He explains when the special time for Ḍuhr only,
the special time for Aṣr only and the combination time for both prayers
Ḍuhr and Aṣr. The special time for Ḍuhr only is begun when the sun
declines or when the sun has gone across the culmination point of the
day. This time is only a period of performing four rakaat of Ḍuhr prayer.
It is a very short time. So, a period for performing four rakaat after the
declining of the sun is the special time for Ḍuhr prayer. At this time, only
Ḍuhr prayer is allowed to be performed.
Then, the special time for Aṣr prayer only is when the sun is about
to set approximately a period of performing four rakaat of Aṣr prayer. So,
a period for perfoming four rakaat of Aṣr prayer before the sun sets is the
special time for Aṣr prayer. At this time, only Aṣr prayer can be
performed. Although a person does not perform Ḍuhr prayer until this
time, he has to perform Aṣr first and then pray Ḍuhr at outside of
Ḍuhrain time.
Then, the rest of time between the special time for Ḍuhr and the
special time for Aṣr is the combination time for both prayers Ḍuhr and
Aṣr. This time is begun by the end of the special time for Aṣr or after
passing four rakaat of Ḍuhr prayer after the sun has gone across the
culmination point of the day. Then, the end of this combination time is
before the beginning of the special time for Aṣr prayer or before the
66
period for performing four rakaat of Aṣr prayer. The consequence of this
combination time is that someone can perform prayer as soon as he has a
time to pray. After praying Ḍuhr, he does not need to delay or wait the
next time to pray Aṣr for instance.
2. Ishā’ain Time
Conceptually, Ishā‟ain time is same as Ḍuhrain time. However,
Ḍuhrain time is performed at day and Ishā‟ain time is performed at night
by the end of Aṣr or after the sun sets in the western horizon. This time is
begun with Magrib prayer and then followed by Isha time. Whereas,
Magrib time begins when the sun sets and marked by the disappearing of
the red cloud in the eastern sky. This statement is clarified by Abu Ja‟far
and cited by Muhammad Jawwād Magniyyah in his book Fiqh al-Imām
Ja‟far Al-Ṣādiq119
:
و امغرب إذ ذه امرة ن : ل ا م اص دق لي اسلم ... املرق
Means: “Imam Al-Ṣādiq As said: the time for Magrib is when the red
cloud has disappeared from the eastern sky…”.
119
Muhammad Jawwād Magniyyah, Fiqh al-Imām Ja‟far al-Ṣādiq, Op. cit., p. 143. 120
The complete redaction of the hadith above is:
أت عثد للا تعض أصحاتا ع ع أش د ت أح ت ع د ع ح د ت أح حى ع د ت ح لاي (ع اسال )
غسب ىرا عى ا ط شسق ا د ل لاي ل ف ذان ل ذدزي و شسق ا سج ح غسب إذا ذثد ا لد ا عر مي س
اا سج ح فإذا غاتد اا ذثد ا ق ساز ف زفع
See Abu Ja‟far Muhammad bin Ya‟qūb Al-Kulainī, Al-Kutub Al-Arba‟ah al-Furū‟ min al-
Kāfī (3-4-5. Op. cit., p. 738.
67
The disappearing of the red cloud from the eastern sky is sign that the
sun has completely set. When the sun set, it faces the eastern sky so the
light of sun will appear on the eastern sky. Thus, the red light will also
disappear, when the sun set behind the western horizon.
In Ishā‟ain time, there is also the choice time for Magrib and Isha
prayer which means there are special time for only Magrib prayer, the
special time only for Isha prayer, and the combination time for both
Magrib and Isha prayer. The different with Ḍuhrain time is the starting
time and the ending time. The time is based on the interpretation and the
judgment of the Imam Abu Ja‟far Al-Ṣādiq as the Imam of Shia Ithna
Ashariyyah school of thought.
Regarding the special and the combination time for Magrib and
Isha time, Imam Ja‟far describes as follow:
إذ غ ب المس اقد دخل : ( ا م اص دق لي اسلم)و ل اإذ , حىت مي قد ر يصل ملصل ثلث رك ت, و ملغرب
حىت ي قى ن , ى ذاك اقد دخل و ملغرب و ا ل ء لخرةاإذ بق قد ر , نتص ف اليل قد ر يصل ملصل أربع رك ت
.اقد خرج و مل رب و بق و ا ل ء إل نتص ف اليل, ذاك
121 Muhammad Jawwād Magniyyah, Fiqh al-Imām Ja‟far al-Ṣādiq, Op. cit. p. 144.
The complete redaction of this hadith is:
سعد ت عثد للا ع أحد ت حد ت عسى سى ت جعفس ع أت جعفس ع أت طاة عثد للا ت اصد ع
إذا غاتد اشس : لاي (ع)احس ت ع ت فضاع دد ت أت صد دد ت لسلدع تعض أصحاتا ع أت عثدللا
فإذا ضى ذه فمد دخ شلد اغسب اعشاء , حرى ض مداز ا ص اص ثالز زوعاخ, فمد دخ لد اغسب
فمد خسج لد اعسب تم , فإذا تم مداز ذه, حرى ثمى ارصاف ا مداز ا ص اص أزتع زوعاخ, الخسج
.لد اعشاء إى ارصاف ا
68
Means: “And Imam Ṣādiq As said: when the sun sets, the time for (only)
Magrib prayer begins until a period for praying three rakaat
passes. When the period of three rakaat has passed, the time for
both Magrib and the last Isha prayer begin until a period for
praying four rakaat before midnight is the only left. When the
period of four rakaat is the only left, the time for Magrib is out
and the time is (only) for Isha prayer until midnight.”
The hadith above gives the detailed clarification for the time of Magrib
and Isha in Ishā‟ain time. When the time for the special time of Magrib,
when the Special time for Isha and when the combination time for both
Magrib and Isha are clearly described.
The special time for Magrib begins when the sun sets and marked
by the disappearing the red cloud on the western sky until a period for
performing three rakaat of Magrib prayer passes. In short, a period for
performing three rakaat after the sun sets is the special time for Magrib.
This time is the only time for Magrib prayer. Then, the special time for
Isha prayer is a period of performing four rakaat before midnight.
Clearly, when the night is approaching midnight, a period of four rakaat
before midnight is the special time for Isha prayer. Consequently, when
someone does not pray Magrib until this time, he has to perform Isha
prayer first then pray Isha out side the time.
The combination time for Magrib and Isha is between the special
time of Magrib and the special time of Isha. This time begins by the end
of a period of praying three rakaat and ends before a period of
Read Abū Ja‟far Muhammad bin Hasan Al-Ṭūsī, Al-Kutub Al-Arba‟ah Tahdzīb Al-Ahkam,
Op.cit, p. 195-196.
69
performing four rakaat before midnight or before the special time for Isha
begins. The combination time of Magrib and Isha is strengthened by the
hadith of Imam Ja‟far:
ة ن أصح ب ن أمحد بن ممشد ن اسي بن س يد ن اق سم دش ل إذ ( لي اسلم )بن روة ن ـيد بن زر رة ن أب د الش
.غرب الشمس دخل و اصشلتـي إلش أنش هذه ـ ل هذه
Means: “some of our friends narrated from Ahmad bin Muhammad from
al-Husain bin Sa‟id from al-Qāsim Bin „Urwah from Ubaid bin
Zurārah from Abū Abdillah As said: when the sun sets, two
prayers begin except this prayer is before this.
The hadith above indicates that Magrib and Isha time begin when
the sun sets. It should be noted that practically, Magrib prayer is
performed first before Isha prayer.
122
Abū Ja‟far Muhammad bin Ya‟qūb Al-Kulainī, Al-Kutub Al-Arba‟ah al-Furū‟ min al-
Kāfī (3-4-5. Op. cit., p. 740.
70
3. Fajr Time
Fajr time or dawn time is the time for Subuh prayer. In the holly
Qur‟an, Subuh prayer is called as Qur‟an al-fajr because Subuh is
performed at dawn time and the obligation of reciting Al-Qur‟an at dawn
time is only in Subuh prayer. Subuh prayer begins when the true dawn
rises on the eastern sky until the sun rises. Imam Ja‟far said:
رو ه أمحد بن ممد بن يسى ن د ا بن ملغرية ن وسى بن بكر ن زر رة ن أب ج فر ل صلة اغد ة بي طلوع افجر إل
.طلوع المس
Means: “Narrated from Ahmad bin Muhammad Bin Īsā form Abdullah
bin Mugīrah from Mūsā bin Bakar from Zurārah from Abū
Ja‟far said: Subuh prayer is between the rising of the dawn until
the rising of the sun.
The concept of Subuh prayer time applied by Shia has no different
with the concept of Sunni. Begin with the rising of the dawn and end
with the rising of the sun. There is no different at all.
123
Abu Ja‟far Muhammad bin Hasan al-Ṭūsī, Al-Kutub al-Arba‟ah al-Istibṣār (1-4), Op.cit.
p. 114. This hadith also cited by Muhammad Jawwād Magniyyah, Fiqh Al-Imām Ja‟far al-Ṣādiq,
Op.cit. p. 145.
71
CHAPTER IV
ANALYZING THE PRAYER TIMES CONCEPT IN PERSPECTIVE OF
SHIA ITHNA ASHARIYYAH
A. The Concept of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah Prayer Times
Prayer (ṣalāh) is the principal worship in Islam. Therefore, it can not be
performed mistakenly. There are certain times which arrange and regulate
when prayer should or must be performed. Allah has set up these times and
declared it in the noble Qur‟an and the tradition (hadith) of the Prophet
Muhammad PBUH as five daily prayers. Each of these five daily prayers has
two times, the first is worthier then the other one. This statement is in mutual
accord with the hadith of the Prophet PBUH which told that the best activity
is to perform prayer in the beginning of its time. Nonetheless, regarding the
details of religion doctrines (furū‟), Shia has some differences especially in
the matter of prayer times. Sometimes, Shia recommends postponing
performing prayer until it reaches the last time.124
In Shia belief, either from their hadith books or from the books written
by their scholars, every prayer has two times. The first is special time and the
second is combination time. There is also an opinion said that prayer times
divided into prior time, special time and combination time. First, the prior
time for performing prayer is at the beginning of the time as declared in many
hadiths. The superiority of this time than the others is like the superiority of
the hereafter toward the world and Allah loves the prayer which is performed
124
Hidayatullah Husein al-Habsyi, Salat dalam Mazhab Ahlulbait, Kajian Ilmiah Dari Al-
Qur‟an, Hadits, dan Fatwa, Bangil: Yayasan Islam al-Baqir, 1994, p. 83.
72
at the beginning of the time.125
Second, the special time is the time which
only a certain prayer can be performed at this time. This time is the special
time for every prayer and will be clarified in the next explanation. In
conclusion, at this special time, for example the special time for Aṣr prayer,
only Aṣr prayer can be performed and someone is not allowed to perform
Ḍuhr prayer or the other prayers. Third, the combination time is the time that
someone can combine two prayers together, but it performed separately and
the first prayer must be the first and the second is the second. It can not be
reversed.
Ḍuhr and Aṣr have both special time and combination time. The special
time for Ḍuhr prayer is when the sun declines from the middle of day or when
the sun across the culmination point until a period of performing four rakaat
of Ḍuhr prayer passes. So, a period of performing four rakaat of prayer after
the declining sun from the middle of the sky is the special time for Ḍuhr
prayer. The special time for Aṣr prayer is when the sun is about to set
approximately a period of performing four rakaat of Aṣr prayer. So, a period
for perfoming four rakaat of Aṣr prayer before the sun sets is the special time
for Aṣr prayer. The time between these two special times of Ḍuhr and Aṣr is
the combination time for both prayers. Clearly, this time is begun from the
end of the special time for Ḍuhr prayer and ended when the special time for
Aṣr time begins.126
125
Abū Ja‟far Muhammad bin Ya‟qūb Al-Kulainī, Al-Kutub Al-Arba‟ah al-Furu‟ min al-
Kāfī (3-4-5) , Qūm: Muassasah Anṣāriyan li al-Ṭibā‟ah Wa al-Naṣr, Ed. I, 2005, p. 737. 126
Muhammad Jawwād Magniyyah, Fiqh al-Imām Ja‟far al-Ṣādiq, Qūm: Muassasah
Anṣāriyan li al-Ṭibā‟ah wa al-Naṣr, Ed. VII, Vol. 1, 2007, p. 142. See also Abū Ja‟far Muhammad
73
The explanation about the combination time of Ḍuhr and Aṣr above is
supported by the hadith written in Tahdzīb al-Aḥkām by al-Ṭūsī which means:
“if the sun declines, Ḍuhr and Aṣr time begin, yet Ḍuhr prayer is performed
before Aṣr prayer, then you are in the time for both prayers”.127
With this
legal ground, Imāmiyyah Ithna Ashariyyah school of thought allows to
combine Ḍuhr prayer and Aṣr prayer in the combination time. If the time is
narrow and only enough for performing four rakaat, Aṣr prayer must be done
first and Ḍuhr prayer can be performed out side the time (qaẓā‟).128
For Magrib and Isha prayer times, the jurist of mazhab Imamiyah said
that the time begins when the sun sets in the western horizon. The intention of
the setting sun is the setting of the whole sun disk. Disappearing of red light
in the eastern sky is a sign that the sun has completely set, because when the
sun set, it faces the eastern sky and produces red light in the eastern sky. So,
when the red light has completely disappeared from the eastern sky means
that the sun has also completely set in the western horizon.129
As the concept of Ḍuhrain time (Ḍuhr and Aṣr times), Isha‟ain (Magrib
and Isha) also have special time and combination time. It means that there is a
special time for Magrib, a special time for Isha and a combination time for
both Magrib and Isha prayers. The special time for Magrib prayer is begun
when the sun sets which is signed by the disappearing the red light in the
bin Hasan al-Ṭūsī, Al-Kutub al-Arba‟ah al-Ibtibṣār (1-4), Qūm: Muassasah Anṣāriyan li al-
Ṭibā‟ah wa al-Naṣr, Ed. I, 2005, p. 194. 127
Ibid., Abū Ja‟far al-Ṭūsī, Tahdzīb al-Aḥkām, Hadith No. 1592, p. 192. 128
Muhammad Ibrahim Jannati, Fiqh Perbandingan Lima Mazhab, Indonesian Translation:
Ibnu Alwi Bafaqih And Friends, Jakarta: Cahaya, 2007, p. 354-357. 129
Abū Ja‟far Al-Kulainī, Al-Kutub Al-Arba‟ah al-Furū‟ min al-Kāfī, Op. cit. hadith no.
4821, p. 738.
74
eastern sky. This time ends when a period for performing three rakaat of
Magrib prayer passes. So, the period of performing three rakaat of Magrib
prayer after the sun set is the special time for Magrib prayer. Otherwise, the
special time for Isha prayer is a period of performing four rakaat before
midnight. Clearly, when the night is approaching midnight, a period of four
rakaat before midnight is the special time for Isha prayer.130
Consequently,
when someone does not pray Magrib until this time, he has to perform Isha
prayer first then pray Isha out side the time.
Finally, the combination time for Magrib and Isha prayer is between the
two special times of Magrib and Isha. This time begins when a period of
performing three rakaat of Magrib has passed and ends with the beginning the
special time for Isha.131
The combination time between Magrib and Isha is
also clarified in the hadith of Imam Ja‟far al-Ṣādiq: “when the sun sets, the
two prayers (Magrib and Isha) begins, yet Magrib prayer is done before Isha
prayer”.132
Based on the explanation of prayer times above, Shia Ithna Ashariyyah
allows to combine two prayers in one time as Ḍuhr prayer and Aṣr prayer
combined in one time or Magrib and Isha prayer combined in one time too.
Therefore, although they perform five daily prayers, the can perform them in
three times. These three times is known as Ḍuhrain time for Ḍuhr and Aṣr
130
Muhammad Jawwād Magniyyah, Fiqh al-Imām Ja‟far al-Ṣādiq, Op. cit. p. 144. 131
Ibid. 132
Abū Ja‟far Al-Kulainī, Al-Kutub Al-Arba‟ah al-Furū‟ min al-Kāfī, Op. cit. hadith No.
4832, p. 740.
75
prayer, Isha‟ain time for Magrib and Isha prayer and dawn or fajr time for
Subuh prayer.
On the contrary, the prayer times explained above is different with the
the prayer times applied by Sunni. They declared that the five daily prayers
must be performed in five times too. It‟s based on the hadith narrated by Jabir
bin Abdullah r.a.:
ثـ بن ام رك ن حسي بن ل ل ثـ يي بن آدم حدش ثن حدش حدشوهب بن كيس ن ن ج بر بن د الش وهو لنص ريي أنش ا شبش صلشى الش لي وسلشم ج ءه جبيل اـق ل م اصل اصلشى اظيهر حي ز ا الشمس ثش ج ءه ا صر اـق ل م اصل اصلشى ا صر حي ص ر ظلي كل ش ء ثـل أو ل ص ر ظلي ثـل ثش ج ءه امغرب اـق ل م اصل اصلشى حي وج الشمس ثش ج ءه ا ل ء اـق ل م اصل اصلشى حي غ ب الشفق ثش ج ءه افجر اـق ل م اصل اصلشى حي بـرق افجر أو ل حي سطع افجر ثش ج ءه ن اغد الظيهر اـق ل م اصل اصلشى اظيهر حي ص ر ظلي كل ش ء ثـل ثش ج ءه ال صر اـق ل م اصل
اصلشى ا صر حي ص ر ظلي كل ش ء ثـلي ثش ج ءه المغرب امغرب و ـت و حد ل يـزل ثش ج ء ال ل ء ا ل ء حي ذهب نصف الشيل أو ل ثـلث الشيل اصلشى ا ل ء ثش ج ءه الفجر حي أسفر جد اـق ل
(رو ه أمحد) م اصل اصلشى افجر ثش ل بـي هذين و
Means: “Yaḥyā bin Adam Narrated from Ibnu al-Mubārak from Ḥusain bin
„Alī, He said: Wahhāb bin Kaisān Narrated me from Jābir bin
Abdullah and he is an Anṣārī, he said that Jibrīl came to The Apostle
133
Ahmad bin Hambal, Musnad Ahmad, Op. cit., vol. 29, p. 60.
76
of Allah PBUH and said: Stand up and pray it! Then he (the
prophet) prayed Ḍuhr (noon) when the sun had passed the meridian.
Then the Jibrīl came to him at Aṣr (Afternoon) time and said: Stand
up and pray it! Then the Prophet prayed Aṣr when the shadow of
everything was as long as itself. Then the Jibrīl came to him at
Magrib (sunset) and said: stand up and pray it! Then the prophet
prayed Magrib when the sun sets. Then the Jibrīl came to him at
Ishā (Night) time and said: stand up and pray it! Then the prophet
prayed Ishā when the twilight had ended. Then the Jibrīl came to
him at Fajr (dawn) time and said: stand up and pray it! Then the
prophet prayed it when the dawn rises. Then the Jibrīl came to him
on the morrow for ḍuhr and said: Stand up and pray it! Then the
Prophet prayed ḍuhr when the shadow of everything was as long as
itself. Then the Jibrīl came to him for Aṣr prayer and said: Stand up
and pray it! Then he prayed Aṣr when the shadow of everything was
twice as long as itself. Then the Jibrīl came to him for Magrib prayer
and said: Stand up and pray it! Then he prayed Magrib at the same
time as before. Then the Jibrīl came to him for Ishā prayer and said:
stand up and pray it! Then the Prophet prayed Ishā when about the
half or the third of the night had passed. Then the Jibrīl came for
Fajr prayer when there was a fair amount of light and said: stand up
and pray it! Then the Prophet prayed Fajr. Then the Jibrīl said: the
time is anywhere between two times.” (Narrated by Ahmad)
Consequently, performing the five prayers in five times is a must because the
Prophet Muhammad PBUH used to perform the prayers in five separate
times. They allow combining two prayers only when they face some certain
conditions or there are some special requirements to do it. This kind of
combination is usually known as jama‟.
Jama‟ in English language means to combine, to unite, and to collect.
In term of Sunni jama‟ means to perform two prayers combined in one time.
For example, to combine Ḍuhr and Aṣr prayer in Ḍuhr time or in Aṣr time. It
is also possible to combine Magrib and Isha prayer in Magrib time or in Isha
77
time.134
In term of Sunni‟s jurisprudence, to combine two prayers need a
special requirement and condition. Regarding combining two prayers, the
Sunni scholars have agreed that:
1. The forbidden combination:
a. All of five prayers in one time
b. Between Aṣr and Magrib prayers
c. Between Isha and Subuh prayers.
d. Between Subuh and Ḍuhr prayer.
2. The allowed combination (some said obligatory and some said
optional):
a. Between Ḍuhr and Aṣr prayer for who is in Arafah field to
fulfill the pilgrimage (Hājj)
b. Between Magrib and Isha prayer for who is in Muzdzalifah for
Hājj.
However, the Sunni scholars have difference opinion about the
possibility of performing jama‟. Here is the explanation for the opinion of
four Imams of Sunni regarding the requirement or condition allowed to
perform jama‟.
1. Mālikiyyah
Combining two prayer or jama‟ can be performed because of some
reasons: journey (safar), sick (maraẓ), and muddy rain with the darkness
of night.135
134
Alwi Husein, Menjamak Salat Tanpa Halangan Boleh atau Tidak?, Jakarta: Lentera,
2006, p. 65.
78
a. Journey (safar)
Journey can be a cause to permit jama‟. It is allowed for any journey
whether it has reach the distance that allows someone to shorten
(qaṣr)136
prayer or not. Jama‟ according to Mālikiyyah is only
permitted and not strongly recommended, so it is better not to
perform jama‟. Moreover, Mālikiyyah clarified that combining two
prayers is only allowed for land journey. It is not possible for air or
sea journey.
b. Sick
Sick that militate a person to perform prayer or take a ritual ablution
is also a cause to perform jama‟. If a person gets stomachache, he is
allowed performing jama‟ ṣuwarī which means to pray Ḍuhr at the
end of the time and continuously pray Aṣr at the beginning of the
time. Another example is felling afraid of headache or unconscious
which militate to perform prayer, so jama‟ taqdīm137
can be
performed.
c. Muddy rain with the darkness of night
If a hard rain falls at night and the condition is completely dark,
someone can perform jama‟, but this jama‟ is only can be performed
together (jamā‟ah) in the mosque.
135
Abdurrahmān al-Jāzirī, Fiqh „Alā Al-Madzāhib Al-Arba‟ah, -Maktabah al-Shāmilah al-
Iṣdār 3.8, vol. 1, p. 748. 136
Qaṣr in term of prayer means to shorten a prayer that the number rakaat is four become
two rakaat. The distance that is allowed to shorten the prayer is 3 farsakh (1 farsakh equal with 8
Km) 137
Jama‟ taqdim is to combine two prayers which are performed at the first prayer time,
such as to combine Ḍuhr and Ashr prayer at Ḍuhr time or Magrib and Isha at Magrib time.
79
2. Shāfi‟iyyah
The scholars of Shāfi‟iyyah school of thought clarified that combining
prayer can be performed only in two conditions: journey (safar) and rain.
Otherwise, not to perform jama‟ is better because some scholars have
different opinion in permitting jama‟.138
a. Journey (safar)
Someone is permitted to combine two prayers when he is on a
journey and the journey must has reach masāfah al-qaṣr (the distance
which allowed to shorten a prayer)
b. Rain
Rain is also the cause of permitting jama‟. It must be a hard rain so it
drenches everything. The combination prayer allowed is jama‟
taqdīm.
3. Hanafiyyah
The scholars of Hanafiyyah have a strict rule in permitting jama‟. jama‟
is not allowed in any conditions. It is only allowed when someone is
performing pilgrimage (Hājj).139
4. Hanabilah
According to the scholar of Hanabilah, combining two prayers is
permitted although to leave it is better. Jama‟can be performed when
someone is on a journey with the distance which is allowed to shorten a
138
Abdurrahmān al-Jāzirī, Fiqh ‟Alā Al-Madzāhib Al-Arba‟ah, Op. cit. 139
Ibid.
80
prayer, sick, giving a suck, an over menstruation woman, taking a pee
continuously, a person that can not differ times, a person that is affarid of
losing his thing, health and reputation, rainy, cloudy and muddy day.140
From the explanation about the conditions of permitting jama‟ above, it
is clear that according to the scholars of Sunni, performing jama‟ is allowed
as long as in a special condition as mentioned. Combining prayers can not be
performed at will or even less it becomes a habit. Although performing jama‟
is permitted, not to perform it is better.
On the contrary, Shia Imamiyah has different point of view concerning
jama‟. In Shia, there is no special condition or requirement to perform jama‟.
This makes a clear difference between Sunni and Shia. Sunni strongly clarify
that prayer must be performed on time and can not be combined except in an
emergency situation. In contrast, Shia allows combining two prayers any time
and without any special condition or requirements.
Beside the condition and requirement in perfoming jama‟, the time for
combining prayers between Sunni and Shia is also different. According to
Sunni, there is two kinds of jama‟, jama taqdīm (early combination) and
jama‟ ta‟khīr (late combination). Jama‟ taqdim is to combine two prayers
which is performed at the first prayer time. For example is combining Ḍuhr
and Aṣr which is performed at Ḍuhr time or combining Magrib or Isha and
performed at Magrib. Jama‟ ta‟khīr is to combine two prayers and performed
at the second prayer time. For example is combining Ḍuhr and Aṣr which are
140
Ibid.
81
performed at Aṣr time or combining Magrib and Isha which is performed at
Isha time.141
On the other hand, Shia does not perform jama‟ taqdīm or jama‟
ta‟khīr. Combining prayers can be performed anytime as long as in the certain
time. It does not mean that Shia combining two prayers becomes one prayer,
but in practice, they perform it separately one after another. The first prayer is
performed first and the second after the first prayer. Shia considers that the
permission to combine prayers is for easy of people in worshiping the
Almighty God.
Comparing the different types of combination between Sunni and Shia,
the writers assume that permitting jama‟ is a debatable problem. Moreover, in
the Sunni school of thought, their scholars differs each other. They have
different opinion about the condition that is allowed to combine prayers.
Look at the argument of Hanafiyyah, Mālikiyyah and Shāfi‟iyyah for
example. Hanafiyah gives a strict rule in permitting jama‟. Combining
prayers can be performed only when someone is committing pilgrimage
worship whether in Mecca or in Muzdzalifah. Other conditions are
unacceptable. On the other hand, Mālikiyyah and Shāfi‟iyyah allow
combining prayers in case of journey (safar) or rain.
Therefore, it is not fair to give a negative judgment or even blame Shia
when they allow combining prayers without any cases such as journey, fear or
rain. Combining prayers is not the principal doctrine of Islam (Uṣūl) which is
141
See more Abdurrahmān al-Jāzirī, Fiqh „Alā Al-Madzāhib Al-Arba‟ah, Op. cit., p. 746.
82
constant and unchanged. It is a branch doctrine (furū‟) which has some
differences among the scholars according to their thought. It is ijtihādī which
means the individual judgment and interpretation of the scholars from every
school of thought. Thus, it is possible to find some different opinions about
combining prayers because this opinion or thought is based on the different
capacity of knowledge of every mujtahid (someone who make a judgment or
interpretation). The difference also can be from different information about
the hadith of the Prophet PBUH, the environment condition and the condition
of the society where a mujtahid live.
There are two possibilities of the result of ijtihād. It can be right or
wrong. But, a man can not judge whether the result of ijtihād is right or
wrong according to Allah. Clearly, a man only judge the truth of ijtihād based
on the method or rules that they have made to make a good result of ijtihād
which close to right. If the ijtihād obeys the rules, it can be considered right.
In contrast, if the ijtihād disobey the rules, it can be considered wrong. The
problem is that whose rules that should be used and applied? The Muslim
scholars have many different opinions regarding the rules of ijtihād. Sunni
have their own rules and so do Shia. As a result, it is not fair to judge the
ijtihād of Sunni scholars using the rules of Shia. On the contrary, using the
rules of Sunni to Judge the ijtihād of Shia is also unfair. It should be
proportional to use the rules.
83
However, there is a formulation concerning the result of ijtihād whether
it is right or wrong. The formulation is from the hadith of the Prophet PBUH.
It says:
إذ حكم ا كم ا جتـهد ثش أص ب اـل أجر ن وإذ حكم ا جتـهد ثش (رو ه ا خ رى)أخطأ اـل أجر
Means: “when a judge passes a judgement and effort then his judgment is
right, he gets two rewards and when passes a judgement and effort
then his judgment is wrong he gets one reward.
The hadith explain that there is no wrong or right in ijtihād. If a
mujtahid has try to effort in passing a judgement no matter it is right or
wrong, he get reward because of his effort. If he is right in his ijtihād and
make a good judgment, Allah will give him two rewards. Still, if he is wrong
and does not make a good judgment he gets one reward. The most important
in ijtihād is that a mujtahid has try to do his best, act as the rules of ijtihād
and head for maintaining the law of Allah.
The rules and the requirements to do ijtihād generally are143
:
1. Do justice, so an ijtihād passed by a mujtahid has a validity and
good quality. However, if someone try to effort for him self, he does
not need to fulfill this requirement.
2. Mastering all of Islamic law sources144
. These sources are applied to
formulate and conclude a judgment. Mostly, different result of
ijtihād can be caused by different source.
142
Al-Bukhārī, Ṣahīh al-Bukhārī, Al-Maktabah Al-Shāmilah al-Iṣdār 3.8, Vol. 22, p. 335. 143
Shaikh Muhammad al-Hudhari Bek, Ushul Fiqh, Indonesian translation by Faiz el-
Muttaqien, Jakarta: Pustaka Amani, 2007, p. 810-811.
84
Undoubtable, the four Imams (Imam Mālik, Imam Hanafī, Imam
Shāfi‟ī, Imam Ahmad bin Hambal), which are the great Imams in Sunni, are
qualified. These four imams are credible people and the followers of Sunni
obey their ijtihād. Their instruction and guidance regarding Islamic law is
practiced and applied by the majority of Muslims in the world. Some books
which are the result of their ijtihād become a manual life for their followers.
In short, their capacity in ijtihād is undoubtable.
Otherwise, if Sunni has four Imams as their reference, Shia has twelve
Imams with Imam Ja‟far as the master piece. It does not mean that Imam
Ja‟far is the best among the twelve Imams, but Imam Ja‟far is the one who
codified the Shia jurisprudence and declared it as Ja‟farī school of thought
(madzhab Ja‟farī). Fairly, the Shia followers take the ijtihād of Imam Ja‟far
as their reference to pass them a judgment concerning their Islamic daily
problem. Imam Ja‟far is a jurist which has capacity to judge and interpret al-
Qur‟an and Sunnah.
Imam Ja‟far is an intellect person especially in Islamic law. From the
cradle, he learned from his father to master all of knowledge and morals. His
father‟s purity and softness character influenced himself potently especially in
manner of individual asceticism (zuhd), God consciousness (taqwa) and
contentment (qanā‟ah). That‟s why he was titled al-Ṣādiq which means
honest because he was very honest and had a good attitude on everything.
144
The Muslim scholars have argument concerning the sources used in ijtihad. The Sunni
scholars based their ijtihad on four sources: al-Qur‟an, Hadith (only from the Prophet PBUH),
consensus (ijmā‟), and qiyās (analogy). Otherwise, Shia scholars based their ijtihad on al-Qur‟an,
Hadith (from the Prophet and the Imams), consensus (ijmā‟), and mind. This different source cause
a different result of ijtihad.
85
Imam Ja‟far was a person which was chosen in good deed, the most expert in
hadith, and the master in many aspects of fiqh, and had the most perfect
behavior and prudence.
Therefore, his ijtihād regarding combining prayers without any cases of
journey, fear or rain are acceptable and considered as the result of ijtihād that
based on al-Qur‟an and Sunnah. Moreover, Imam Ja‟far was the teacher of
Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Malik. If these two Imams of Sunni put their
trust in him and made him as their teacher, so there is no reason for us not to
trust his intelligence to produce a judgment.
The opinion in permitting jama‟ without any requirement or condition
is also supported by the hadith found in the hadith book of Sunni such as
Shahih Muslim. In the chapter al-jama‟ baina al-Ṣalātain fi al-haẓar, Muslim
wrote that Rasulullah PBUH combined two prayers without any cases
mentioned by the four Imams of Sunni.
ي ن زهري ل بن يونس م ج ثـ أمحد بن يونس و ون بن سلش حدشثـ أبو ازيبـري ن س يد بن ج ـري ن بن ش س ر حدش ثـ زهيـ ل حدش
ي ب امدي ة صلشى رسول الش صلشى الش لي وسلشم اظيهر و ا صر ج .ف غري خوف ول سفر
Means: “Ahmad binYunus and Aun bin Salam told us from Zuhair, Ibnu
Yunus said: Zuhair told me, he said: Abu Zubair told me from Sa‟id
bin Jubair from Abbas, he said that Rasulullah PBUH combined
Ḍuhr and Aṣr together in Madinah without any case of fear or
journey”.
145
Muslim, Ṣahīh al-Muslim, Al-Maktabah Al-Shāmilah al-Iṣdār 3.8, Vol. 4, p. 6.
86
جع رسول الش صلشى الش لي وسلشم بـي اظيهر ن بن ش س ل و ا صر و امغرب و ا ل ء ب امدي ة ف غري خوف ول طر
Means: “from Ibnu Abbās, he said: Rasulullah PBUH combined Ḍuhr and
Aṣr, Magrib and Isha in Madinah without any case of fear or rain.
These two hadith clarify that Rasulullah ever combined two prayers either
Ḍuhr and Aṣr or Magrib and Isha without any cases of journey, fear or rain.
Moreover, Tirmidzi also wrote in his book called Sunan Tirmīdzī with the
narration also from Ibnu Abbās. The narrations said that the Prophet PBUH
ever combined prayers without any special condition or requirements.
The result of combining two prayers above, the writer concludes that
there are three times of prayer in Shia:
a. Ḍuhrain time
Ḍuhrain time (the time for Ḍuhr and Aṣr prayer) begins when the
sun across the culmination point of day time or the sun across the
meridian of the sky. At this time, the value of solar hour angle (HA) or
faẓl al-dāir is 0° because the hour angle is calculated from the meridian.
The time is 12 O‟clock based on solar time. At local mean time, the time
is not 12 o‟clock, but it can be less or more depends on the value of
equation of time (e). Therefore, the Local Mean Time (LMT) when the
sun is on the meridian (Meridian Pass) is formulated by MP = 12 – e. A
moment147
after this time passing is the beginning of Ḍuhrain time and
this time will be a base for the other calculation of prayer times. Then,
146
Ibid. p. 10. 147
This moment usually known as ihtiyāṭ and the maximum value is 3 minutes.
87
the result of meridian pass can be converted to zone time WIB (105°),
WITA (120°), WIT(135°) with formula: MP + (λ zone – λ local) : 15. It
should be noted that ihtiyāṭ one until two minutes must be added to the
result of calculation.148
b. Ishā‟ain time
Ishā‟ain time (the time for Magrib and Isha prayers) begins when
the sun sets. The sign is that the upper disk of the sun is parallel with the
horizon. Calculation regarding position of the sun is measured from
center point of the earth, so the calculation has to include the Horizontal
parallax of the sun, horizontal deep, light refraction, and Semi diameter
(SD) of the sun. But then, the horizontal parallax of the sun is too small
(00° 00‟ 8”) so it can be ignored. Based on this, position of the sun at the
beginning Ishā‟ain time can be calculated throughout vertical horizon
circle (ho Ishā‟ain): - (SD + Refraction + Horizontal Deep).149
After
knowing the height of the sun, the solar hour angel (to) at this time can
be calculated using the formula:
Cos to = Sin ho : Cos Φx : Cos δ
m – Tan Φ
x x Tan δ
m
Then, the beginning of Ishā‟ain time converted in zone time is:
12 + to - (e + (λ zone – λ local) : 15)150
148
Muhyiddin Khazin, Ilmu Falak dalam Teori dan Praktik, Yogyakarta: Buana Pustaka,
Ed. III, 2008, p. 87-88. 149
Ibid. p. 90-91. 150
The result of this calculation must be added by ihtiyāṭ . Ibid. p. see Ahmad Izzuddin,
Ilmu Falak Praktis (Metode Hisab-Rukyah Praktis dan Solusi Permasalahnnya), Semarang:
Komala Grafika, 2006, p. 61.
88
c. Fajr time
Fajr time (for Subuh prayer) starts when the dawn rises. At this
time, the dawn light is stronger then twilight. Therefore, to know the
height of the sun at this time is -19° + h Ishā‟ain. After knowing the
height of the sun, the solar hour angel (to) at this time can be calculated
using the formula:
Cos to = Sin ho : Cos Φx : Cos δ
m – Tan Φ
x x Tan δ
m
Then, the beginning of Subuh time converted in zone time is:
12 + to - (e + (λ zone – λ local) : 15)151
Using those formulas, the beginning of Ḍuhrain time, Ishā‟ain time and also
Fajr time can be determined easily.
Beside the problem about combining two prayers, there is another
problem that Shia differ Sunni. The problem is that Shia consider a special
time for every prayer which only a certain prayer can be performed. This
special time is out side the combination time. For example, the special time
Ḍuhr prayer is only for performing Ḍuhr prayer. The other prayers can not be
performed at this time. So is the special time for Aṣr, Magrib and Isha. The
certain prayer is the one that can be performed.
If we make a deep research to this special time, we will find that special
time is divided into two kinds, special time at the beginning of prayer time
and special time at the last of prayer time. The special time at the beginning
of prayer time is the special time for Ḍuhr and Aṣr. So, when prayer times
151
Ibid. p. 62-63.
89
begin (Ḍuhrain begins when the sun declines from the middle of day and
Isha‟ain begins when the sun set in the western horizon), it is the special time
for Ḍuhr and Magrib. At this time, only Ḍuhr and Maghib that can be
performed. The special time at the last prayer time is for Aṣr and Isha prayer.
So, before the prayer time is up (approximately a period to perform four
rakaat of a prayer), it is the time to perform Aṣr and Isha when these two
prayers are not performed yet. In short, when a person does not perform Ḍuhr
and Aṣr until this time for example, he must pray Aṣr first, and then he prays
Ḍuhr outside the time.
After examining the description of special times above, the writer
summarize that the length of special time is only a period of performing 4
rakaat after the beginning of prayer time and before the end of prayer time for
Ḍuhr, Ahsr and Isha, or three rakaat after the beginning of prayer time for
Magrib. The writer assume that the length of this period is approximately + 4
minutes152
. Therefore, it can be said that the special time for Ḍuhr is after the
sun across the culmination point of day time for 4 minutes, the special time
for Aṣr begins 4 minutes before the sun sets, the special time for Magrib starts
after the sun sets for 4 minutes, and the special time for Isha start 4 minutes
before midnight. 4 minutes is equal 1°.
152
4 minutes is not an exact period because the period for praying 4 rakaat depends on
person who prays. It can be longer than 4 minutes or even less than 4 minutes. So, 4 minutes
written above is only an example, not the exact time as the followers of Shia do. Every person has
different period to perform 4 rakaat of a prayer.
90
To determine each time of special times, these formulas can be used:
1. Special time for Ḍuhr
This time begins directly by the sun across the meridian of the sky
or the sun across the culmination point of day time. To calculate the
length of this time use the formula: MP + (λ zone – λ local) : 15 + 4
minutes or (the period of performing 4 rakaat). The result is the
end of special time for Ḍuhr. After this time passes, the combination
times between Ḍuhr and Aṣr begin.
2. Special time for Aṣr
The simple way to determine it is: the beginning of Ishā’ain time
– 4 minutes or (the period of performing 4 rakaat). The result is
the end of combination time of Ḍuhr and Aṣr, and it is the
beginning of special time for Aṣr. Remember, at this time only Ahsr
prayer can be performed.
3. Special time for Magrib
This special time begins directly when the sun sets. The simple way
to determine the end of this time is: the beginning of Ishā’ain time
+ 4 minutes or (the period of performing 4 rakaat). The result is
the beginning of combination time of Magrib and Isha and it is the
end of special time for Magrib.
4. Special time for Isha
The length of special time for Isha is 4 minutes (the period of
performing 4 rakaat) before midnight. Firstly, it is necessary to
91
know the time of midnight. At this time the position of the sun is in
the opposite of meridian and the value is also 180° or equal 0°.
Therefore, midnight time is at 12 o‟clock based on the solar mean
time. To converting the solar mean time to zone time is by using the
formula: 12 - e + (λ zone – λ local) : 15. The result of this
calculation is midnight time. Then, to determine the beginning of
special time for Isha is by subtracting the midnight time by 4
minutes (midnight – 4 minutes (the period of performing 4
rakaat)). The result is the beginning of special time for Isha and the
end of combination time for Magrib and Isha. At this time, only
Isha prayer can be performed.
B. The Legal Grounds of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah in Prayer Times.
Formulating Islamic legal jurisprudence in Shia is the authority of
Imam Ja‟far al-Ṣādiq as the founding father of madzhab Ja‟farī. So,
concerning prayer times, Imam Ja‟far is the main key why this mazhab has
their own formulation which is different with Sunni. Actually, Imam Ja‟far
also applied the valid sources to produce his ijtihād and pass his judgment.
The sources are al-Qur‟an, Sunnah, consencus (ijmā‟) and mind.
Regarding prayer times, there are many verses explained its obligation
and also its time. However, the interpretation about those verses is different
according to the scholars of Sunni and Shia. Shia based what they practice
concerning prayer times on al-Qur‟an and Hadits. In the holly Qur‟an, Allah
92
has mentioned the times for prayers, but it is not clear and specific. For
example is chapter Hud verse 114 and chapter al-Isra verse 78:
….
Means: “And establish regular prayers at the two ends of the day and at the
approaches of the night” (Hūd [11]: 114)153
Means: “Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of
the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and
reading in the morning carry their testimony.”(Al-Isrā‟ [17]: 78)154
These two verses of al-Qur‟an only show us the general explanation
about prayer times. It does not explain the exact time and the exact prayer that
should be performed. The detail clarification regarding prayer times is
explained by the messenger of Allah Muhammad PBUH as he said:
وصليو كم رأيـتمون أصل
Means: “Pray as you see me praying…”
Therefore, hadith has a significant role to explain and clarify the global
meaning of al-Qur‟an. Moreover, there are some interpretation (tafsīr) books
which the explanation is based on the hadith of the Prophet PBUH. In result,
different interpretation is not only caused by different background,
153
English Translation Text Copied from DivineIslam's Qur'an Viewer software v2.910
developed by Jamal Al-Nasir 154
Ibid. 155
Al-Bukhārī, Ṣahīh al-Bukhārī, Al-Maktabah Al-Shāmilah al-Iṣdār 3.8, Vol. 3, p. 7.
93
knowledge and environment of an interpreter, but also caused by different
information about hadith earned by every interpreter.
Because of the urgency of hadith as the instrument to clarify the
meaning of Qur‟an, the writer prefers to criticize the legal ground of prayer
times based on this aspect. Al-Qur‟an in Sunni and Shia point of view is the
same. The different is in the interpretation which is based on hadith.
Otherwise, in hadith, the Muslim scholars differ in some aspects such as the
narrations, the acceptance criteria, and the interpretation. Because of this
reason, the writer will try to make a deep research regarding the hadith about
prayer times.
Hadith, as the manifestation of the Prophet authority, is differently
comprehended by the Muslim scholars. The mazhab in Islam has some
different interpretations and understandings about the essence of this
authority. For example is the different interpretation about hadith in Sunni
and Shia. Shia considers that the Prophet PBUH as the messenger of God has
an absolute authority guaranteed by God revelation for everything he do and
say. His hadith is an absolute truth and undoubtable. Nevertheless, Sunni
differentiate hadith according to his position and role. Muhammad as the
prophet is not considered as the messenger of God all along. But, his
existence as the human being also considered even though he lived as the
messenger. Therefore, the Prophet PBUH has a possibility to produce
something based not on the God revelation, but on his individual judgment to
94
respond a problem. These two different paradigms directly implicate the
different sight of Sunni and Shia to judge the status of hadith.
Furthermore, Shia has a larger understanding about hadith. Hadith in
Shia is not only from the Prophet PBUH, but also everything from the
ma‟ṣūm (the prevented from sinning). The meaning of ma‟ṣūm in Shia also
becomes wider. The title of ma‟ṣūm is not only for the Prophet PBUH, but
also for the twelve Imams of Shia which has a direct lineage to the Prophet
PBUH. So, hadith according to Shia is every thing comes out from the
Prophet PBUH and the twelve imams, including their words, deeds, and
decisions. Shia considers the position of the Imams is the same as the position
of the Prophet to explain the meaning of al-Qur‟an. In addition, they said that
the divine inspiration (ilhām) of the Imams is comparable with the God
revelation of the Prophet.156
Thus, Sunni and Shia have a clear difference in referring hadith book.
Sunni regard six books of hadith (Ṣahīh Bukhārī, Ṣahīh Muslim, Sunan Abū
Dāwud, Sunan Tirmīdzī, Sunan Nasa‟ī and Sunan Ibnu Mājah) as their main
reference in hadith. Otherwise, Shia considers four books of hadith or al-
kutub al-arba‟ah (Al-Kāfī by al-Kulainī, Tahdzīb al-Aḥkām and al-Istibṣār by
al-Ṭūsī, and Man Lā Yahẓuruhu al-Faqīh by al-Qummī) as their manual and
reference. From these four books, Al-Kāfī by al-Kulainī is the prime book.
The scholars of Shia and their followers agree about the excellence of
Al-Kāfī, the priority of its citation, the validity of its khabar, and the
156
Wahyuni shifarur Rahmah, Epistimologi Hadits dalam Pandangan Sunni Syiah, from
Jurnal Studi Ilmu-Ilmu Al-Qur‟an dan Hadits, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Vol. 7, no. 2, Juli
2006, p. 255.
95
completeness of its judgment. They agree that the book contain all of reliable
narrations until now. According to Shia, this book is the most magnificent
and fundamental books of hadith.157
Al-Kāfī is the most reliable literature in
hadith from it appearance until al-Allāmah al-Hillī and his teacher. According
to al-ulamā‟ al-mutaqaddimīn (the early scholars), this book takes the cake
for three centuries.158
The excellence of Al-Kāfī is also proofed by the opinion of some
scholars about this book. For example, al-Fid al-Kashānī in his sharaḥ
(explanation) said: “Al-Kāfī is the most magnificent book, most thiqah
(reilable), and the most complete book in uṣūl working through. Muhammad
Taqi al-Majlisi also said that there is no book ever written matched with Al-
Kāfī.159
From theses excess and excellence, Al-Kāfī the hadiths in this book
including the hadiths about prayer time are reliable and can be considered as
the legal ground for permitting jama‟. Hence, Al-Kāfī and the three other
books in Shia have a same position as the six books of hadith in Sunni.
Clearly, Shia refuses to refer the Sunni books because they have their
own books and made it as their reference. This refusal is caused by different
sight about the definition of hadith. According to Sunni, the source of hadith
is only the Prophet PBUH. Otherwise, according to Shia hadith is not only
from the Prophet PBUH but also from Ali bin Abu Thalib and the other
eleven Imams. Furthermore, Shia have their own criteria to accept a correct
157
Abū Ja‟far Al-Kulainī, Al-Kutub Al-Arba‟ah al-Furū‟ min al-Kāfī, Op. cit,. p. 20. 158
Husain al-Habsyi, Akal dalam Hadits-Hadits Al-Kāfī, Surabaya: Yayasan Pesantren
Bangil, 1994, p. 26. 159
Abdul Hasan al-Gifārī, al-Kulainī wa Al-Kāfī, al-Mu‟assasah al-Nashr al-Islāmī, p. 418.
96
(Ṣahīh) hadith. This criteria is different with the criteria in Sunni. The late
scholars (al-ulamā‟ muta‟akhkhirīn) have codified the criteria of hadith
shahih. So, hadith is considered shahih when it meets the requirements as
bellow:
1. The sanad (the chain of narration) continue to al-ma’ṣūm (the
Prophet and Imams) without break.
This condition goes on from the beginning until the last sanad and
must continue to al-ma‟ṣūm, the Prophet PBUH, Ali bin Abu Thalib or
the other eleven Imams. The last sanad does not require continuing to the
Prophet because hadith in Shia also can be leaned on the Twelve
Imams.160
2. The narrators are from Imamiyah school of thought in every level.
The followers of Shia will not take any hadith from other group
except the hadith narrated by their Imam. The truth of a narration has a
good quality when it leans on the Prophet PBUH, Ali or the other Eleven
Imams. The majority of Shia will not accept any narration other than
Shia. They only refer to a hadith when its narration is a follower of Shia
too.
3. The narrators are ‘ādil (justice) and ẓābit (has a strong memory)
The scholars have a variety argument and opinion about „adālah
(justice) of a narrator. According to the popular opinion „adālah is a soul
which encourages to affarid of Allah (taqwa), self preventing from
160
Ja‟far Subḥānī, Ushūl al-Hadīth wa Aḥkāmuhu Fī Ilmi al-Dirāyah (Qum: Maktabah al-
Tauhīd, p. 50, see more in other book of him, Kulliyāt Fī Ilmi al-Rijāl, Beirut: Dār al-Mizān, 1410
H, p. 186-187.
97
sinning and self maintaining from bad deed.161
ẓābit is a person with a
strong memory about what he listened and capable to deliver his memory
whenever he wants to. In Shia tradition, a ẓābit narrator is a person who
keeps his memory from mistakes, and also capable to explain and keep
the hadith he narrates from any imbalances.162
Moreover, the Shia scholars differ with Sunni scholars regarding
„adālah al-ṣahābah (justice of the friend of the Prophet). Sunni
considers every ṣahābah is „ādil. On the contrary, Shia considers that not
every ṣahābah is „ādil. Their argumentation about this based ano the al-
Qur‟an which clarify that some ṣahābah are „ādil and some are not. The
verse talking about the justice and the excellence of ṣahābah is Q.S. al-
Taubah [9]: 100, al-Fath [59]: 18 dan 29, al-Hasyr [70]: 8. Then, the
verse mentions about the injustice of ṣahābah is Q.S. al-Munafiqun [74]:
1, al-Ahzab [44]: 12, al-Hujurat [60]: 6.
For these reasons, the Shia scholars compromised the qualified
ṣahābah which meet the conditions defined by the hadith scholars of Shia
by an examination through Ilm al-Rijāl and Jarh wa Ta‟dīl. In result, Al-
Kasysyī divided ṣahābah into three163
:
1) The ṣahābah of Abu Ja‟far and Abū Abdillah a.s.: Zurārah bin
A‟yām, Ma‟rūf bin Kharrābūz, Barīd bin Mu‟awiyyah, Abū
Bashīr Al-Asaddī, Al-Faẓīl bin Yassār, dan Muhammad bin
Muslim Al-Ṭāifī.
161
Ibid., p. 134. 162
Ibid., p. 135. 163
Ibid. p. 165-169.
98
2) The ṣahābah of Abu Abdillah a.s.: Jāmil bin Dirrāj, Abdullah
bin Maskān, Abdullah bin Bāqir, Hammād bin Usmān,
Hammād bin Īsā, Abana bin Usmān.
3) The ṣahābah of al-Kazīm and Ridhā or Abī Ibrāhīm and Abī al-
Hasan a.s.: Yūnus bin Abdurrahmān, Ṣafwān bin Yahyā Bayyā
al-Sabūri, Muhammad bin Abī Amīr, Abdullah bin Mugīrah, al-
Ḥasan bin Maḥbūb, dan Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abī Masr.
Examining the criteria of hadith as mentioned before, the cause of
difference in combining prayer times between Sunni and Shia becomes
clearer. Moreover, the difference is also caused by difference point of view
concerning „adālah al-ṣahābah. Hence, do not blame Shia when they do not
refer to the hadith books of Sunni because the Shia scholars will complain
that the Sunni‟s hadiths do not qualify the criteria of Shia‟s hadith. It is not
fair to judge and criticize a hadith of Shia using the criteria applied by Sunni.
On the contrary, it is also not fair to judge a hadith of Sunni using the criteria
applied by Shia.
Obviously, the difference in a branch of religion doctrine (furū‟) has to
be knowledgeable. In hadith world, every group has their own preference, so
it is possible to produce a different interpretation. Blaming each other is not a
solution for this difference. It only causes disunity among Muslims. Unity is
more important and principal than separation.
In addition, Yusuf Qaradhawi explain that to understand a hadith – for
example a hadith about prayer time – with a correct understanding and far
99
from divergence and falsification, someone has to based it on the guidance of
al-Qur‟an so he gets a guidance from the almighty God which head to the
truth. 164
Al-Qur‟an is the legal constitution which is the source of Islamic
laws and the hadith is the instrument to clarify and explain the meaning of
this constitution. For this reason, a correct hadith should not be in
contradiction with the Qur‟anic values.165
Therefore, a research to the content of hadith is necessary to know
whether its content is in conflict with al-Qur‟an or not. Before researching the
contents, the writer will mention the hadiths from Al-Kāfī which Shia refer
them as hujjah (reasons) to apply the concept of prayer times.
ممشد بن يي ن سلمة بن لطش ب ن ل بن سيف بن مرية .1 ل إذ ( لي اسلم) ن أبي ن مر بن ح ظلة ن أب د الش
ز ا الشمس دخل و اظيهر إلش أنش بـي يديـه س حة و ذاك .إايك إن ش طوشا و إن ش صشرت
اسي بن ممشد لش ريي ن د الش بن ر ن ل بن هزي ر .2 ن ا اة بن أييوب ن اسي بن ثم ن ن بن سك ن ن ا رث بن امغرية و مر بن ح ظلة و صور بن ح زم او ك ش
أ ل ( لي اسلم)نقيس الشمس ب امدي ة ب اذر ع اـق ل أبو د الش أنـ كم بأبـي ن هذ إذ ز ا الشمس اـقد دخل و اظيهر إلش أنش
164
Yusuf Qradhawi, Bagaimana Memahami Hadits Nabi PBUH, Bandung: Mizan, 1993, p.
92. 165
Shia also considers that the content of hadith should not be in conflict with the value of
al-Qur‟an. See more Hashim al-Musawi, The Shia, mazhab Syi‟ah, Asal-Usul dan Keyakinannya,
Jakarta: Lentera, 2008, p. 235.
100
بـي يديـه س حة و ذاك إايك إن ش طوشا و إن ش صشرت .
ة ن أصح ب ن أمحد بن ممشد ن اسي بن س يد ن .3 دش ( لي اسلم) اق سم بن روة ن ـيد بن زر رة ن أب د الش
ل إذ ز ا الشمس اـقد دخل و اصشلتـي إلش أنش هذه ـ ل .هذه
و روى س د ن اسي بن س يد و ممشد بن خ اد ا ـر و ا ش س .4ي ن اق سم و أمحد بن ممشد بن يسى ن ا ـر بن روف جي و ز د ثش ن اق سم ثـل و اي دخل و اظيهر و ا صر ج
ي حىتش تغيب الشمس هم ج .أن ف و ـ
ممشد بن يي ن أمحد بن ممشد ن ل بن أمحد بن أشيم ن .5 ت يـقول ( لي اسلم)بـ ض أصح ب ن أب د الش ل س
و امغرب إذ ذه امرة ن املرق و تدري كيف ذ ك ـل ل ل لنش املرق طل لى امغرب هكذ و راع ميي
.اـوق يس ره اإذ غ ب ه ه ذه امرة ن ه ه
ة ن أصح ب ن أمحد بن ممشد ن اسي بن س يد ن .6 دش ( لي اسلم) اق سم بن روة ن ـيد بن زر رة ن أب د الش
. ل إذ غرب الشمس دخل و اصشلتـي إلش أنش هذه ـ ل هذه
ممشد بن يي ن سلمة بن لطش ب ن ممشد بن اوايد ن أب ن بن .7 ل ل ( لي اسلم) ثم ن ن مر بن يزيد ن أب د الش
.و امغرب ف اسشفر إل ربع الشيل
101
اسي بن ممشد ن لشى بن ممشد ن اوشش ء ن أب ن ن أب .8صلى ا ) ل ل رسول الش ( لي اسلم)بصري ن أب ج فر
. او ل أن أشقش لى أ شت لخشرت ا ل ء إل ثـلث الشيل ( لي وآا .و روي أي إل نصف الشيل
ل ي بن ممشد ن سهل بن زي د ن أمحد بن ممشد بن أب نصر ن .9بن س ل ن إسح ق بن مش ر ل ـل لب د الش د ارشمحن
أخبن بأا ل امو ي ف صلة افجر اـق ل ع ( لي اسلم)طلوع افجر إنش الش زش و جلش يـقول و ـرآن افجر إنش ـرآن افجر ك ن لهود يـ ن صلة افجر تلهده لئكة الشيل و لئكة
ا ـشه ر اإذ صلشى ا د اصي ح ع طلوع افجر أث ت ا رشتـي أثـ تـه . لئكة الشيل و لئكة ا ـشه ر
1. The content (matan) of hadith about Ḍuhr and Aṣr prayer times
a. The hadith that states Ḍuhr prayer begins by declining the sun is
narrated by Hanḍalah from Abū Abdillah, Manṣūr bin Ḥazm from
Abū Abdillah, and Ubaid bin Zurārah from Abū Abdillah. All of
these narrations explain that Ḍuhr time begins when the sun declines.
Although the redaction is different, it has a same meaning.
b. The hadith that states when the sun declines, two prayer times begin
is narrated by Ubaid bin Zurārah from Abū Abdillah and al-Barqī
from al-Qāsim.
2. The content of hadith about Magrib and Isha prayer times
102
a. The hadith that states Magrib time begin when the red light in the
western sky disappeared is narrated by Ba‟ẓu Aṣhābinā (part of our
friends) from Abū Abdillah.
b. The hadith that states two prayer times (Magrib and Isha prayer)
begin when the sun sets is narrated by Ubaid bin Zurārah from Abū
Abdillah.
c. The hadith that states Magrib time is until a quarter of night Umar bin
Yazīd from Abū Abdillah.
d. The hadith that states Isha time is until a third of night or middle of
night is narrated by Abū Bashīr from Abū Abdillah.
3. The content of hadith about Subuh prayer times
a. The hadith that states Subuh time begins when the dawn rises is
narrated by Ishaq bin Amr.
The redactions of those hadiths are different, but heading the same
meaning, prayer times. If we examine those contents carefully, we will find
that meaning of those hadiths is not in contradiction with al-Qur‟an. Ḍuhr and
Aṣr begin when the sun declines. Some interpreters such as Al-Alūsī said that
the word أل اصالج دن اشس (establish regular prayers at the sun's decline)
in chapter al-Isra verse 78 is for Ḍuhr and Aṣr prayer.166
Magrib and Isha
begin when the sun sets. This statement is in line with إ غسك ا (till the
darkness of the night) also in chapter al-Isra verse 78. Al-Ṭabaṭaba‟ī which is
cited by Quraish Shihab in his book Tafsir Al-Mishbah said that دن اشس إ
166
Shihābuddīn Maḥmūd Al-Alūsī, Rūḥ al-Ma‟ānī fī Tafsīr al-Qur‟ān al-„Adzīm wa al-
Sab‟i al-Mathānī, al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah al-Iṣdār 3.8, Vol. 11, p. 43.
103
is the time for four (at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night) غسك ا
prayers: Ḍuhr, Aṣr, Magrib and Isha. In short, the time when the sun declines
is for Ḍuhr and Aṣr, so the time in the darkness of the night is for Magrib and
Isha prayers.
Moreover, the prophet PBUH in his life ever combined two prayers
without any special conditions. This statement is in line with the hadith
narrated by Muslim in Shahih Muslim and Tirmidzi in Sunan Tirmidzi which
is told by Ibnu Abbas. He said that Rasulullah PBUH combined Ḍuhr and Aṣr
or Magrib and Isha in Madinah without any case of journey, fear or rain. 167
Shia believes that combining prayers is allowed to omit the difficulties of
performing prayer. 168
167
Muslim, Ṣahīh al-Muslim, Op. cit., Vol. 4, p. 10. 168
Nasir Makarim Syirazi, Inikah Keyakinan Kita?, Pekalongan: al-Mu‟ammal, 2007, p.
158-159.
104
CHAPTER V
CLOSING
A. Conclusion
Based on the research and explanation described before, the writer
concludes that:
1. Shia Ithna Ashariyyah admits three times of prayer, Ḍuhrain time,
Ishā‟ain time and dawn time. Ḍuhrain is time for Ḍuhr and Aṣr prayer,
Ishā‟ain is time for Magrib and Isha prayer and dawn time is for Subuh
prayer. Moreover, in this concept of prayer times Shia also admits special
time and combination time in Ḍuhrain and Ishā‟ain time. The special
time is the time for only a specific prayer, so for example special time for
Ḍuhr is a specific time for only Ḍuhr prayer. The special time for Ḍuhr is
when the sun declines for only a period to perform four rakaats of Ḍuhr
prayer. The special time for Aṣr is a period to perform four rakaats of Aṣr
prayer before the sun sets. The special time for Magrib is when the sun
sets for only a period to perform three rakaats of Ḍuhr prayer. Then, the
special time for Isha prayer is a period to perform four rakaats of Isha
prayer before midnight. Then, the combination time is the time to
combine two prayers. The time is between two special times, for example
the combination time for Ḍuhr and Aṣr is between Ḍuhr special time and
Aṣr special time.
105
2. Actually, the combination of prayers in shia is similar with jama‟
(combining two prayers) in Sunni. In fact, Sunni need a special condition
or requirement so they can perform jama‟. The Sunni scholars have
different opinion about the condition that allows performing jama‟. Some
said journey, rain and fear, but some have a strict rule so jama‟ can not
be performed except in case of pilgrimage or Hājj. However, the
combination of prayers is a result of ijtihād so some scholars have their
own arguments whether it is allowed or not. Indeed, Shia allows
combining prayers without any case of journey, rain or fear. This
argument is based on hadiths from their four main books (al-kutub al-
arba‟ah): al-Kāfī, Tahdzīb al-Aḥkām, al-Istibṣār and Man Lā Yahẓuruhu
al-Faqīh. Furthermore, Shia said the Prophet PBUH ever combined two
prayers without any special condition such as stated in Ṣahīh Muslim and
Sunan Tirmidzi which are the reference books of Sunni.
B. Suggestions
1. A research regarding Shia especially Shia Ithna Ashariyyah is necessary
because this group is a part of Islam which most of their opinion are
different and even in contradiction with Sunni. There are many aspects of
Shia which needs to be studied and examined carefully. This study is to
know whether the Shia is only a school of thought in Islam which
produces a different opinion based on their interpretation to al-Qur‟an and
hadith or not.
106
2. Muslims in the world should know that some mazhabs have different
opinion and interpretation about the authoritative quotation form al-
Qur‟an and hadith. This difference causes some different result of ijtihād
in the branch (furū‟) of Islamic doctrine. Difference in furū‟ is a
knowledgeable problem, so is the different concept about prayer times.
The most important is that everything produced in Islamic law is based on
al-Qur‟an and Hadith of the prophet PBUH. Therefore, Muslims should
not be disunity because it will weaken Islam it self. There is no need to
blame each other.
3. Hadith, as one of Islamic legal ground need to be examine deeply. Most
of differences in Islam produced by different interpretation and
acceptance concerning hadith of the prophet PBUH. Critics are necessary
to test a validity of hadith. However, to get an objective understanding
regarding hadith, the three component of hadith (The prophet PBUH,
texts of Hadiths and the explainer or researcher) is also necessary to be
understood.
4. The Faculty of Shariah should make a manual guide of thesis in foreign
language form, English or Arabic, so student who is interested to write his
final thesis in English or Arabic will be easy by following the guidance
book.
107
C. Closing
Alhamdulillah, all praises to Allah, finally the writer can finish the research
about the concept of prayer times of Shia Ithna Ashariyyah. The writer has try
to effort the best to do this research. However, the writer realizes that what the
writer tries to present in this minithesis is still far from perfectness. Therefore,
the writer needs critics and suggestions from the reader so the writer can
correct the wrong content and complete the incomplete data. Moreover, the
writer hopes that this research has a great benefit for the writer, the readers
and especially for Islamic studies. Wallahu a‟lam bi al-ṣawāb.
108
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time
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111
CURRICULUM VITAE
Name : Mukhsin Ari Wibowo
Place / Date of Birth : Ngawi / March 25 1988
Address : Sidorejo, Karangjati, Ngawi
Email / Fb : [email protected] / [email protected]
Phone : 085815000616
Educational Background
A. Formal
1. SDN I Sidorejo, Ngawi (graduated at 2000)
2. MTsN Babadan, Ngawi (graduated at 2003)
3. MA Al-Islam Nganjuk (graduated at 2007)
B. Non Formal
1. Pondok Modern Al-Islam Nganjuk, Kapas Sukomoro Nganjuk (2003 –
2007)
2. Pondok Pesantren Daarun Najaah Jerakah, Tugu Semarang (2007 – now)
3. English Course in ACCESS Pare Kediri (2009)
4. Indonesia English Language Study Program (English short course for 8
weeks) in Ohio University, United States of America (2010)
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