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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Shia Rebuts Question 27 : Why do the Shi‘ah perform the five daily prayers in three periods? Reply: In order to clarify this point, we had better examine the views of jurists { fuqaha } in this regard first: 1.

All Muslim groups agree that in ‘Arafah[^1] one may perform both noon { zuhr } and afternoon { asr } prayers successively without any interval between them, and in Muzdalifah[^2] it is also permissible to say sunset { maghrib } and night { ‘isha’ } prayers at the time of ‘isha’ prayer. 2. The Hanafis say: Performing zuhr and ‘asr prayers successively with no interval between them and performing ‘isha’ soon after maghrib are permissible only in ‘Arafah and Muzdalifah.

That is, one is not allowed to do so except in these two occasions. 3. The Hanbalis, Malikis and Shafi‘is say: It is permissible to perform zuhr and ‘asr prayers successively or maghrib and ‘isha’ prayers one after another with no interval between them while traveling in addition to the two stated cases (i.e., in ‘Arafah and Muzdalifah). Some of these groups also say that it is permissible to perform two prayers successively at emergency cases such as rain, sickness, or fear of enemy.[^3] 4.

The Shi‘ah are of the opinion that each of zuhr and ‘asr prayers, and maghrib and ‘isha’ prayers has a specific time and a common time: a. The specific time for zuhr prayer extends from the beginning of the religiously prescribed noon { zuhr ash-shar‘i } (i.e. time of decline from the meridian { waqt az-zuwal }) up to the time when one completes the four rak‘ah s of zuhr prayer. During this limited period of time, only zuhr prayer can be performed. b.

The specific time for ‘asr prayer is a limited period of time preceding maghrib . It extends from the first rak‘ah until the end of the fourth rak‘ah of ‘asr prayer. c. The common time for zuhr and ‘asr prayers is the period between the end of the specific time for zuhr prayer and the beginning of the specific time for ‘asr prayer. The Shi‘ah position is that during this common time, one can perform zuhr and ‘asr prayers one after the other with no interval between them.

The Ahl as-Sunnah, however, believe that the period allotted exclusively to zuhr extends from the beginning of zuhr ash-shar‘i { waqt az-zuwal } up to the time when the shadow of an object becomes as long as itself and in this period performing ‘asr prayer is not permissible.