Fatwa UOIF

Fatwa UOIF: The Degree for Determining the Time of Isha and Subh

The question of prayer times, particularly the evening and morning prayers, has been raised in Europe for over thirty years, since the Muslim community settled here. Numerous conferences bringing together jurists and astronomers have been held to find a solution to this prayer time problem, including the congress at the IESH of Château Chinon, organised by the UOIF in 1994.

In addition to various Muslim associations and organisations such as the Grand Mosque of Paris, the Federation of Muslims in France, and the representative of the Muslim World League in Paris, esteemed scholars such as Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Abdallah bin Bayyah, Issam al-Bashir, and Ajeel al-Nashmi, a former Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Sharia in Kuwait and a member of the Senior Scholars Committee, were also invited to this event.

Also present were Nasser el Meymane, a professor at Umm al-Qura University in Mecca, Dr. Malik Eshsh'ar, Mufti of Tripoli in Lebanon, and Sheikh Faysal Mawlawi, a judge in Beirut and Vice-President of the European Council for Fatwa and Research. May God have mercy on him; he was the initiator of the deliberations regarding this famous 12th degree.

Prominent astronomers and physicists were also invited to this conference, including Dr. Muhammad Hawari and Dr. Abdelkarim Ruzloune.

After a full day of reflection and deliberations between jurists and astronomers, the opinion referring to the 12th degree for calculating prayer times was adopted by a majority. This was for the following reasons:

The determination of prayer times in the absence of natural signs is a subject of Ijtihad, as no sacred texts explicitly mention it, which prevents a definitive decision on this matter.

The adoption of the 12th degree leads to stability in calculations throughout the year, including the summer period, during which the legal sign, the visibility of the sun's disc, is not absent. In contrast, those who take the 18th degree of latitude into account must resort to lower degrees (15th, 16th, 17th degree) depending on the time of year to adjust the calculations.

Establishing the 12th degree as a reference makes it easier for the faithful to perform their worship, as they gain an hour or even more of additional resting time. This is important because the calculation based on the 18th degree of latitude leads to a half-hour delay for Isha (the prayer then takes place after midnight), and the time of the morning prayer is also brought forward by 30 minutes, which represents a significant burden for the community. However, the religion has the principle of reducing burdens and alleviating hardships. Allah, may His name be praised, says: "He has not laid upon you in religion any hardship." (Surah Al-Hajj, verse 78.)

During its 12th Congress, held in Dublin from the 6th to the 16th of Dhu al-Qi'dah 1424 (31.12.-04.01.2004), the European Council for Fatwa and Research passed Decree 2/12, which confirmed the 6th Decree of the Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League. The latter had adopted the 18th degree and stated: "Since this question is open to Ijtihad and no text provides a definitive answer to it, the Council does not oppose the adoption of different assessments originating from other Islamic organisations that specialise in fatwas. This also applies to the establishment of the 12th degree of latitude at sunset or the determination of one hour and 30 minutes between Maghrib and Isha or between Fajr and sunrise."

It is important to clarify this subject for our Muslim brothers and sisters, especially with the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan, so that they can fast and pray while being certain of fulfilling their duties at the correct time. They should also know that these questions of Ijtihad are indeed sources of flexibility in practice and of mercy towards the believers.

The experts in Islamic sciences have the right and the duty to conduct research on speculative questions based on arguments and rules of traditional Ijtihad recognised by researchers. Therefore, anyone who follows the advice of the competent fatwa bodies will be better able to practise valid and proper worship, God willing.

Since its foundation, the UOIF has adopted the view of the 12th degree out of conviction, based on studies from various conferences it initiated, as well as on scientific arguments, balance, fairness, and the facilitation that results from its application.

The UOIF considers these timetables to be the best and most suitable for Muslims in France, without diminishing the other conclusions, and even explains the method for those who wish to use the 18th degree of latitude as a basis for calculation.

Dar el Fatwa UOIF