PERFORMING SALAH AT THE TIME OF ZENITH

According to a Hadith found in Saheeh Muslim, reported by Hazrat 'Uqbah Bin 'Amir (Radiyallahu Anhu), Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) has prohibited the performance of Salah at three hours:

  1. At sunrise until the sun rises.

  2. At zenith until the sun declines. 

  3. At sunset until the sun sets.

Zenith refers to the point or the time which is found exactly in the middle between sunrise and sunset. This is called Istiwa or zenith. In common language, people call it Zawaal. Nonetheless, in reality, it is Istiwa. And Zawaal is the time after Istiwa when it is permissible to perform Salah. So, according to this Hadith, there are three times when Salah cannot be performed. There is a Hadith in Sunan Abu Dawud which says that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) has prohibited performing Salah exactly in middle of the day besides on the day of Jummah. According to this Hadith, it is understood that it is generally forbidden to pray at Zenith besides on the day of Jummah. On the other hand, according to Imam Abu Dawud, this Hadith is weak. There are several Hadith which cite the same but every Hadith has some defect. Let’s say if all these Hadith are put together, it will have a weight which can be taken into consideration.

Hence, on one side, there is a strong Hadith that prohibits performing Salah at the time of Zenith and on the other side, there is a Hadith which is not that strong but it can be taken into consideration in its entirety thereby authorising the performance of Salah at this time on the day of Jummah. 

In this context, there are two reasons to say that on the day of Jummah also, it is not permissible to perform Salah at the time of Zenith:

  1. First of all, the Hadith that prohibits the performance of Salah at this time, is Saheeh and stronger.

  2. According to the principle of Hadith, when there are two different Hadith of the same calibre and it is difficult to give one priority over the other, then the Hadith which prohibits doing something is preferred and gets priority over the Hadith that authorises it. Therefore, according to the most authentic and the most Saheeh Hadith, it is not permissible to perform Salah at the time of Zenith which we call Zawaal and this also applies to the day of Jummah.

[English version of "Faire namaz dans l’heure zenith" – Al Jamiat – Vol.2 No.1]