Iftaa' Department

Date : 03-07-2012

Question :

I used to recite morning Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah) before the call for Maghrib prayer and evening Dhikr before the call for Ishaa` prayer on the basis that morning extends from Fajr (dawn) to Maghrib and evening extends from Maghrib to the Fajr, is this valid?

The Answer :

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

The time to recite morning and evening Dhikr, which was stated in the Glorious Quran, is before sunrise and sunset. Allah, The Almighty, Said (What means): "celebrate (constantly) the praises of thy Lord, before the rising of the sun, and before its setting." {Taha/130}. He, The Exalted, also Said (What means): "And celebrate the praises of thy Lord, before the rising of the sun and before (its) setting." {Qaf/39}.

The time of morning Dhikr extends from Fajr until sunset; whereas, the time of evening Dhikr starts from Asr/afternoon for Allah, the Almighty, Said (What means): "and celebrate the Praises of thy Lord in the evening and in the morning." {Ghafir/55},as well, He, The Almighty, Said (What means): "And do thou (O reader!) Bring thy Lord to remembrance in thy (very) soul, with humility and in reverence, without loudness in words, in the mornings and evenings; and be not thou of those who are unheedful." {Al-Araf/205}.

Al-Imam Al-Ghazali (May Allah have mercy on him) said: "The time of the sixth Dhikr starts in the afternoon (Asr time) where Allah swore "By (the Token of) Time (through the ages)," {Al-Asr/1} which is one meaning of this verse. It also means the late afternoon(وعشيا) and(بالعشي والإشراق)."{Ehya` Uloum al-Deen}. Evening Dhikr extends to sunset for Allah said: " before the rising of the sun," {Taha/130}. However, one who recites Dhikr in other times will also receive a reward, Insha`allah, but he has missed the reward of reciting it in its best time. For more benefit, please refer to the book [Ehya` Uloum Al-Deen] where Al-Ghazali divided morning and evening Dhikr into different times:

1- From break of dawn to sunrise.

2- From sunrise to Zawal (the time when the sun declines from the middle of the sky).

3- From Zawal to Asr.

4- From Asr to Maghrib.

5- From Maghrib to the time when people go to sleep.

6- From the second half of the night to the break of dawn.