The Need for Prayer Schedules

I - Prayer Time - Sun Indication

The Muslims have never differed over the fact that the five daily prayers have specific times that have been
legislated in the Sharee'ah. (2) Allaah, the Almighty, has said, "Verily, prayers have been prescribed upon
the believers at set times."

The following is a listing of the times of the five daily prayers, with a brief reference to their relative proofs from
the Book and the Sunnah: (3)

(a) Thuhr ("Noon") Prayer: It begins just after the sun's zenith (or "high noon"), as soon as it begins to decline, as
the scholars have unanimously agreed. (4) Its time extends until the entrance of 'Asr Prayer, according to the
hadeeth, "The (time of) Thuhr is when the sun has begun to decline, until one's shadow is as long as
his height, until the entrance of 'Asr time." (5)

(b) 'Asr (Afternoon) Prayer: As mentioned clearly in the previous hadeeth, the time of 'Asr Prayer begins at a
mid-way point between Thuhr and Maghrib, when a person's shadow is as long as his height.(6) The time of
'Asr extends until sunset. The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever has prayed one rak'ah (unit) of the 'Asr Prayer
before sunset has caught the (time of) 'Asr." (7)

(c) Maghrib ("Sunset") Prayer: It begins after the sun has completely set, according to scholarly concensus.(8)
Its time extends until the entrance of 'Eshaa' Prayer. The Prophet (pbuh) said, "And the time of Maghrib Prayer
extends so long as there is some glow left on the (Western) horizon." (9) This period of time is usually a little
over an hour in most places.

(d) 'Eshaa' (Evening) Prayer: It begins after the last glow of the sun has left the Western horizon. Its time extends
until half of the night. The Prophet (pbuh) said, "And the (time of) 'Eshaa' extends to half the night." (10)

(e) Fajr (Dawn) or Subh Prayer: It begins at the first light of the dawn of the sun, the first glow on the Eastern
horizon where the sun will rise from. This is understood from the Verse, "Until the white thread (of the dawn)
becomes distinguishable from the black thread." (11) It extends until the sun begins to rise, according to the
hadeeth, "And the (time of) Subh Prayer is from the first light of dawn until sunrise." (12) This period of time
is usually a little over an hour in most places.

These are the times of the five daily prayers in Islaam, as Jibreel (ra) taught Muhammad (pbuh). The times of the
prayers are all based on the positions of the sun, in a way that makes it easy for the majority of the people on
earth to know them without any difficulty whatsoever.

As stated by the Permanent Committee of Scholars for Research and Fatwaa: "The easy way that is in line
with the fitrah (the natural state things are created upon) is to rely on the indications in nature (the positions
of the sun) that have been indicated in the Islaamic Legislation to determine the times of the prayers." (13)


II. The Need for Prayer Schedules and Their Benefits

In light of what has preceded, what then could the need be for prayer schedules? The following list shows a
number of benefits achieved through the use of prayer schedules:

- Blind and visually impaired people can receive alerts based on them.

- Some people can not see the horizon clearly for Fajr and Maghrib, due to a view obstructed by buildings,
mountains, or even air pollution.

- Some people work or live in places without access to a view of the sky, like underground floors of a large
building, mines, or submarines.

- Some people live in excessively cloudy or smog-ridden cities, and can not often get a good view of the
sun's positions.

- Travelers can have an idea about the times of the prayers before they go to a new location.

- Islaamic center organizers can plan congregational prayers and events around them, even when the events
are many months away.


True story:
About 12 years ago in America: a few minutes before sunset, A group of Muslims had already prayed maghrib.
The sun just above the horizon. It was the day after the time change caused by Daylight Savings Time in the
spring. So everyone put their clocks ahead by one hour, and apparently this was not reflected in the prayer
schedule, so without paying attention to the sun's position, they prayed according to the schedule which is wrong.



Footnote:
(02) Refer to: al-Mughnee (2/8).
(03) Interesting Benefit: When discussing the times of the five prayers, the scholars customarily begin with
Thuhr Prayer, since Jibreel began with it when he taught the Messenger (pbuh), who also began with it when
he taught his companions, who similarly began with it when they taught their students.
(04) Refer to: al-Mughnee (2/9).
(05) Saheeh Muslim (#612)
(06) Aboo Haneefah (ra) considered the time of 'Asr to begin some time considerably after this point, however,
"He has opposed the narrations and the rest of the scholars, and thus his own students opposed him in this,"
as Ibn 'Abdil-Barr said. Refer to al-Mughnee (2/14).
(07) Saheeh Muslim (#608)
(08) Refer to: al-Mughnee (2/24).
(09) Saheeh Muslim (#612)
(10) Saheeh Muslim (#612)
(11) Al-Quran 2:187
(12) Saheeh Muslim (#612)
(13) Fataawaa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah (6/141)

Jokes 03

A man is taking a walk in Central park in New York. Suddenly he sees a little girl being attacked by a pit bull dog .
He runs over and starts fighting with the dog. He succeeds in killing the dog and saving the girl's life. A policeman
who was watching the scene walks over and says: "You are a hero, tomorrow you can read it in all the newspapers:

"Brave New Yorker saves the life of little girl" The man says: - "But I am not a New Yorker!" "Oh ,then it will say
in newspapers in the morning: 'Brave American saves life of little girl'" – the policeman answers. "But I am not
an American!" – says the man. "Oh, what are you then? " The man says: - "I am a Saudi !" The next day the
newspapers says: "Islamic extremist kills innocent American dog.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

An Imam was selling his horse in the market. An interested buyer came to him and requested if he could get a
test drive. The Imam told the man that this horse is unique. In order to make it walk, you have to say Subhanallah.
To make it run, you have to say Alhamdulillah and to make it stop, you have to say Allahu Akbar. The man sat on
the horse and said Subhanallah. The horse started to walk. Then he said Alhamdulillah and it started to run. He
kept saying Alhamdulillah and the horse started running faster and faster. All of a sudden the man noticed that
the horse is running towards the edge of the hill that he was riding on. Being overly fearful, he forgot how to stop
the horse. He kept saying all these words out of confusion. When the horse was just near the edge, he
remembered Allahu Akbar and said it out loud. The horse stopped just one step away from the edge. The man
took a deep breath, looked up towards the sky and said Alhamdulillah!

The Perfect Equilibrium in the Universe

He Who created the seven heavens in layers. You will not find any discrepancy in the creation of the
All-Merciful. Look again-do you see any gaps? Then look again and again. Your sight will return to you
dazzled and exhausted! (Qur'an, 67:3-4)

The billions of stars and galaxies in the universe move in perfect equilibrium in the paths set out for them. Stars,
planets and satellites rotate not only around their own axes but also together with the systems of which they are
an integral part. Sometimes, galaxies containing 200-300 billion stars move across each others' paths. Yet
amazingly, no collisions take place that might damage the great order in the universe. This miracle is something
over which all of us should reflect.

In the universe, the concept of speed assumes giant dimensions when compared to earthly measurements.
Stars, planets, galaxies and conglomerations of galaxies-whose numerical properties can only be conceived by
mathematicians-weigh billions or trillions of tons, and move through space at extraordinary speeds.

For example, the Earth rotates at 1,670 kmph. If we consider that the fastest-moving bullet today possesses an
average speed of 1,800 kmph, we can see how fast the Earth is moving, despite its enormous size and mass.
The speed of the Earth as it orbits the Sun is some 60 times faster than a bullet: 108,000 kmph. If we were able
to construct a vehicle capable of moving at that speed, it would be able to circumnavigate the Earth in 22 minutes.
These figures apply only to the Earth.

Those for the Solar System are even more fascinating. The speed of that system is such as to exceed the bounds
of reason: The larger the systems in the universe, the greater their speed. The Solar System's speed of orbit around
the centre of the galaxy is 720,000 kmph. The Milky Way, with its 200 billion or so stars, moves through space at
950,000 kmph.

There is no doubt that there is a very high risk of collisions in such a complicated and fast-moving system. Yet
nothing of the sort actually happens and we continue with our lives in complete safety. That is because everything
in the universe functions according to the flawless equilibrium set out by Allah. It is for this reason that, as stated
in the verse, there is no "discrepancy" in the system.

Eidul Fitr Mubarak, 1429

I'm not Newton

3 scientists namely Einstein, Newton and Pascal decide to play hide-n-seek.........Unfortunately Einstein is the
one who has the den...........He is supposed to count up to 100...and then start searching.....
Pascal starts to hide.

Newton just draws a square of 1 meter and stands in it right in front of Einstein...........

Einstein's counting 1,2,3......97,98,99.....100........ He opens his eyes and finds Newton standing in front.....
Einstein says "Newton's out..Newton's....out....."

Newton denies and says i am not out........ He claims that he is not Newton......

Pascal came out to see how he proves that he is not Newton..........
Newton says "I am standing in a square of area 1m squared..... That makes me Newton per meter squared......
since one Newton per meter squared is one Pascal, I'm Pascal.

Therefore Pascal is OUT...........!

Can you retire?

Only 5% of Malaysian are prepared for retirement. Based on EPF’s 2005 annual report, about 90%
of EPF contributors have less than RM100,000 in their account – not enough to see them through
20 years past retirement.

In 1981, when Azman graduated, he got a job in KL which paid him RM1,800 a month. He bought an
imported Mazda at RM17,000 and months later he put down money on a RM78, 000 single-storey
terrace house.

Today, 25 years later, Azman's daughter has just finished university. Her starting pay is RM1,800,
just like her father's two and a half decades ago.

But unlike her father's time, imported cars cost over RM100,000 today. So Latifah has opted to buy
a Proton for RM45,000 (more than double what her dad paid for his first car).

While her father could afford to buy a house early in his career, Latifah can't. Houses in KL these days
cost at least RM200,000, so she has to work for a few years first before she can own one.

Compared to 25 years ago, the prices of goods, food, petrol and electricity have all gone up.
Understandably, it's an uphill task for Latifah to save on her RM1,800 salaries, since the purchasing
power of her salary is much lower than her father's back in the 1980s.

It is a fact that wages have not moved in tandem with the rise of the cost of living and inflation.
That trend is expected to continue.

Today, three meals cost you RM20 but in 20 years time – with an inflation rate of 6% a year –
you will need RM64 per day for the three meals, estimates financial consultant Hazel Ong Archibald
of CIMB Wealth Advisors (see Chart above).

So while the RM500,000 in your EPF or bank account at retirement might look good on paper, she
says, if you do not invest that money to make it grow at a rate higher than the inflation rate, 20 years
later, it would be worth only RM145,053 in purchasing power!

“People are living longer, life expectancy for women is 76 years. For men it's 72. With this kind of
longevity, people have got more than 20 years after retirement.” she says.

People are marrying later too, points out Ong.

This means they are having children later in life. If a person has a kid at the age of 35 and retires at 55,
the odds are that his child at 20 would probably still be at university or college and his education
require financing.

Assuming that one can live on RM1,000 a month, to survive for 25 years, one would still need a
substantial RM300,000 and for 35 years, RM420,000.

“When you are in your late 40s, you should be winding down and not committing to high expenses to buy
big things,” she says.

By SHAHANAAZ HABIB - The Star, Sunday May 27, 2007