Time for Ẓuhr and ‘Aṣr Prayers
Issue No.672- The time for ẓuhr and ‘aṣr prayers is from the beginning of canonical noon (i.e., when the sun starts declining at midday towards the west) until sunset. The best way to find out the start of ẓuhr time is to use an indicator (Shākhiṣ). That is, if we drive a stick or a rod into a flat ground vertically, its shadow will fall westwards when the sun rises in the morning, and as the sun continues to rise, the shadow cast by the indicator will reduce in size. When the shadow is the shortest, it is ẓuhr time, and as it begins getting longer again, and the shadow turns eastwards, it is the beginning of ẓuhr and ‘aṣr prayers. However, in some cities, e.g., Mecca, the shadow disappears totally sometimes because the sun shines completely vertically. In these regions, when the shadow reappears, it indicates the time for ẓuhr and ‘aṣr prayers [1].
