The Times When Voluntary Prayers Are Disliked

Question
What are the times when voluntary prayers are disliked?
Answer

I say, and with God's guidance: It is disliked to perform voluntary prayers at the following times: First: During the sermon: such as the Friday sermon, the two Eid sermons, and the sermons during Hajj, whether the prayer is the greeting of the mosque or a Sunnah for Friday. Second: After performing the Fajr prayer and after performing the Asr prayer until the Maghrib prayer: it is disliked to perform voluntary prayers during these times, unlike if one prays a missed prayer, a prostration of recitation, or a funeral prayer. Third: Before the Maghrib prayer after sunset: it is disliked to perform voluntary prayers before the Maghrib prayer as a matter of etiquette, due to the delay of the Maghrib prayer. Fourth: When the time for the obligatory prayer is tight: it is disliked to perform voluntary prayers at this time, as it causes one to miss the obligatory prayer in its time for something that is not obligatory, thus neglecting what is required and performing what is not required, which is not the action of the wise. If the time that follows is a time of corruption: such as the time of dawn, then one neglects the obligations and limits oneself to the minimum that allows for prayer. Fifth: When one is resisting one of the two impure things: the two impure things are urine and feces, as well as gas, and praying in this state is disliked in both obligatory and voluntary prayers. Sixth: When food is present that one craves and longs for: for it occupies one’s attention, and the dislike in the obligatory prayer is that the time is tight; otherwise, one should prioritize it, and there is no dislike in that case. See: Hashiyat al-Tahawi, p. 191, and God knows best.

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