The Reason for the Prohibition of Prayer at Sunrise and Sunset

Question

A noble hadith prohibits praying at sunrise and sunset, and the reason for the prohibition [is that] the sun rises between the two horns of Satan, which gives rise to a suspicion (shubha) of worshipping Satan. Why, then, is this ruling general? For those who live to the east of the Ka‘ba, the prohibition at sunset is understandable, since the sun is in front of the one praying; but at sunrise this is not understandable, since the sun, Satan’s horn and Satan himself are behind the one praying, and in that case,…

Answer

Praying at sunrise, at istiwa’ (the zenith) and at sunset is prohibited because these times are the times of worship of the sun-worshippers; the prohibition is based on resemblance [to them] in time (tashabbuh fi l-waqt). What is meant is not that this amounts to prostrating to the sun, or that Satan, [standing] near the sun, rejoices on seeing that he is being prostrated to.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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