Title: I am a resident of Ottawa, Canada. During Summer season in the month of May, June, July and August we have to pray Isha Salaat very late in the night. For example, Isha Salaat on June 1st starts at 10:39 and in the middle of the month it goes up to 10:54. This causes undue hardship to people. And we foresee, it will cause lots of hardship during Ramadan when people will pray 20 Rakah Tarawih. We know that in Hanafi Fiqh there is provision to start Isha Salaat at the Shafaq Ahmar time. We seek your Fatwa and opinion on praying Salaat earlier at locations that have Isha times very late in the night.

Question: As Salaam Alaikum, I am a resident of Ottawa, Canada. During Summer season in the month of May, June, July and August we have to pray Isha Salaat very late in the night. For example, Isha Salaat on June 1st starts at 10:39 and in the middle of the month it goes up to 10:54. This causes undue hardship to people. And we foresee, it will cause lots of hardship during Ramadan when people will pray 20 Rakah Tarawih. We know that in Hanafi Fiqh there is provision to start Isha Salaat at the Shafaq Ahmar time. We seek your Fatwa and opinion on praying Salaat earlier at locations that have Isha times very late in the night. Jaza Kumullaho Khairun!

Answer ID: 896Posted on: Sep 1, 2020

Bismillah hir-Rahman nir-Rahim !

(Fatwa: 719=679/B)

According to Hanafi Fiqh, the time of Isha Salah starts after disappearing of Shafaq Abyaz (white twilight). But, some scholars of Hanafi Fiqh like Imam Abu Yusuf, Imam Muhammad are of the opinion that time of Isha Salah starts after disappearing of Shafaq Ahmar (red twilight). This opinion has been narrated by Imam Abu Hanifa as well. So, in view of the narrowness in time in a state of exigency you can pray Isha Salah in Ramazan (in June) after Shafaq Ahmar so that there is no problem in praying 20 Rakat Taraweeh. In a state of exigency it is allowed as praying Asr Salah is allowed on Misl-e-Awwal (when the shadow of any object is equal to it along with its original size).