Assalamualaikum
Muslim experts in falaq have produced salat timetables for the convenience of the ummah.
a.Naturally they would have certain error margins.If, say for example the error is about 2 minutes. The time for asr is 430 pm. Is it then possible to regard the prayer time to be anywhere between 428 and 432 pm? Or one must take the 430 pm strictly?
b.Some people break their fast of 1 or 2 minutes later than the time in the timetable as a precaution/ihtiat ,as the timetable is an approximation. Is this a commendable act? What about the injunction to hasten breaking the fast?
c.There is a hadis which implies if one is eating and hears the fajr azan, he may finish off what he is eating i.e he does not have to stop eating immediately. Does this shows that the syariah provides some allowance and not too rigorous in the timing?The timing is more of a guideline with some flexibility rather than something rigid and absolute.
d.In the time of Rasul, the timing is relied basically on the observance of the naked eye, which is quite relative from one person to the other and may have quite a big error. So, it indicates that one do not have to be very precise and strict in following the prayer timetable ?
I know very little about Islam, so can only guess that the times are approximate. For most people in Islam's long history, time was only approximate. People did not have accurate clocks.
You may want to post your questions on this site.
http://islam.stackexchange.com/questions/13068/is-it-right-or-wrong-assalamualaikum
Here's an answer.
http://www.jiskha.com/display.cgi?id=1338547052
Waalaikumassalam,
a. The error margins in prayer timetables are taken into account to provide flexibility for the ummah. In this case, if the error is about 2 minutes and the timetable states that the time for Asr is 430 pm, it is generally acceptable to consider the prayer time to be anywhere between 428 and 432 pm. The purpose of the timetable is to provide a general guideline, and some variation is expected due to factors such as geographical location and calculation methods.
b. Breaking the fast 1 or 2 minutes later than the time stated in the timetable as a precaution is not necessarily a commendable act. The injunction to hasten breaking the fast is based on the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who advised Muslims to break their fast as soon as the sunset is confirmed. While timetables may have some approximation, they are designed to provide a reliable estimation of the prayer times. It is generally recommended to adhere to the timetable with a reasonable degree of accuracy.
c. The hadith you mentioned implies that if someone is eating and hears the Fajr adhan, they may finish what they are eating before beginning their Fajr prayer. This shows that there is some allowance and flexibility in the timing. However, it is important to note that this allowance is specific to the Fajr prayer and should not be generalized across all prayers. The timing of prayers is still considered important and should be adhered to as closely as possible.
d. During the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), prayer timings were primarily determined through observation of the naked eye. While there may have been some variation in individual observations, the community as a whole relied on the sightings of trustworthy individuals. The use of prayer timetables today is based on calculations and astronomical data which provide more consistent results. Although there was some flexibility during the Prophet's time, it is still important to follow the prayer timetable as closely as possible, as it provides a uniform guide for the ummah.