Prayer Has Been a Timed Obligation on Believers
fiqh
Level: basic
salah
fqh-047
إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ كَانَتۡ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ كِتَٰبٗا مَّوۡقُوتٗا
— النساء 103
Verse: "Indeed, prayer has been a decreed obligation, at fixed times, upon the believers." (4:103)
"Timed obligation": Prescribed with fixed times — not advanced or delayed except with excuse. Missed prayers must be made up.
Five prayer times: Fajr (true dawn to sunrise), Dhuhr (noon to shadow-length), Asr (shadow-length to sunset), Maghrib (sunset to red twilight), Isha (twilight to dawn — best before midnight).
Source: Al-Qurtubi (5/369); Ibn Qudama (1/271); Ibn Al-Arabi
Question: What does "mawquta" (timed) mean in the verse and what is its legal effect?
Answer: Bound to specific times — forbidden before their time, made up after time with excuse, and forbidden to delay beyond the time without excuse.