My question, may Allaah bless you, is about the time for Salaat al-Fajr (early morning prayer): when does it begin? Here in Egypt there is a difference between the time of the prayer given in the timetable and the time of sunrise. This difference is no less than an hour and a half. Is this correct?
Praise be to Allah.The
time for Salaat al-Fajr is from the break of dawn until the time the sun
rises. Whenever you pray during this time, you have performed the prayer
on time. Whoever deliberately delays it until the sun has risen has
committed a major sin, and some scholars say that he is like one who does
not pray it at all. We must beware of delaying prayers until after their
time is over. The length of the period between dawn and sunrise is
approximately one and a half hours, as is stated in the timetable. These
timetables have become a means for people to know the times for the
prayers to the hour and minute, and we should pay attention to that,
because the prayers are the foundation of Islam. The Muslim must pray
regularly and on time, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And
those who strictly guard their (five compulsory congregational) Salawaat
(prayers) (at their fixed stated hours)” [al-Mu’minoon 23:9]
“Guard
strictly (five obligatory) As-Salawaat (the prayers) especially the
middle Salaat (i.e. the best prayer - ‘Asr)” [al-Baqarah 2:238]
The
“middle salaah” is Salaat al-‘Asr.