More on ' The Time of `Ishaa Prayers ' I recently read your response to the question concerning `Ishaa prayers .... I was wondering two things: How would it be possible to know when the day finishes since the 24 hour clock was not present during the time of the Prophet, let along the timing mechanism we have now. Could it be that the day for ancient Arabia was from one sunrise to the next? Salam, Adnan Reply The Arabs, like almost all the other nations in the pre-clock age, used to assess time - quite accurately -- by the sun during the day and by the stars during the night. Prayer timings, like other everyday activities, were followed and managed based on the position of the sun ( Zuhr , `Asr and Maghrib ), the stars ( tahajjud ), and the amount of light on the horizon before sunrise ( Fajr ) and after sunset ( `Ishaa ). As far as your second question is concerned, I apologize for not being able to fully understand its special significance with the Arabs, because the word "day", not only in ancient Arabia but also everywhere else in the world is, generally, used for the period between one sunrise and the next. The obvious exception to this connotation of the word "day" is when it is used with the word "night". However, generally the word implies the 24-hour interval between one sunrise and the next. I hope this helps. In case any aspect remains unclear, please feel free in writing back to me at your convenience. May Allah grant us all true understanding of His guidance. Regards The Learner