Waqt (Prayer Time)

Waqt (Arabic: وقت) means "time" and in the context of prayer refers to the specific time interval within which an obligatory prayer must be performed to be valid. Each of the five daily prayers has a specific time window determined by the position of the sun.

In Shia fiqh, the prayer times are as follows: Fajr — from the true dawn (subh sadiq) to sunrise. Dhuhr and Asr — from the sun's passage of the meridian (zawal) to sunset, where there is a shared time window for both prayers. Maghrib and Isha — from sunset to midnight (nisfal-layl), again with a shared time window. In emergency situations, Isha can be extended until Fajr.

Each prayer time has a "waqt al-fadilah" (the preferred time) and a "waqt al-ijza'" (the sufficient time). Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) said: "The time of prayer has a beginning and an end, and the best is the beginning" (Al-Kafi, vol. 3). The preferred time for Dhuhr is right after zawal, and for Asr it is after the Dhuhr nafilah. The preferred time for Maghrib is right after sunset, and for Isha it is after the red twilight disappears.

Prayer times can vary dramatically with the seasons due to geographical latitude. In summer, Fajr can begin extremely early and Isha come very late, while the times are more compact in winter. Shia calculation methods typically use 16 degrees for Fajr and the Jafari method for the other prayers. Knowledge of correct prayer times is essential for every Muslim to ensure prayers are performed within their valid windows.