Title: The Time for `ishaa Prayers Question: At what time does Salat-ul-Isha [1] end exactly? I have heard many variations... at midnight, right before Salat-ul-Fajr [2] , and even the midpoint between the beginning of Salat-ul-Isha and Salat-ul-Fajr . Answer: The time for `Isha starts when darkness completely engulfs the surroundings. This is normally, more or less, an hour (or a little more) after sunset. The best time for offering `Isha may be any where between an hour after sunset and midnight, depending upon one's sleeping habits. If one likes to retire for the day early, he may offer his prayers as soon as darkness completely engulfs the environment. On the other hand, if one goes to bed late, then he may postpone his prayers until a later hour. The important thing to note in this connection is that the time of the `Isha prayers actually signifies remembering our most gracious Creator before we end our day; just as the Fajr prayers signify starting our day with the remembrance of our Lord. It may therefore be recommended that if a person is to pray alone (not in a congregation), he may try to delay his `Isha prayers to as close to his sleeping time as possible, so that his day actually ends with these prayers and no further activity is performed after the prayers. However, if a person is living in a Muslim community, where he can easily go to a mosque for his five daily prayers, then he should offer his prayers with the congregation at the stipulated time of the congregation. In such a situation, he should not delay offering his prayers at his own will. In case, due to some reason, a person is hindered from offering his `Isha prayers within the "best" time stated above, he may offer his prayer any time before the succeeding Fajr prayers. 23 rd August 1999 [1] The night time prayer. [2] The morning prayer.