Calling for prayer before its time Fatwa No: 91089
- Fatwa Date:25-1-2006
The question is that I have done the Athaan before 5 minutes of the time so till me if I did any wrong?
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
Among the conditions for the validity of the Athaan (call to the prayer) is that it should be called after the beginning of the time of the prayer, and it is forbidden according to the agreement of all the scholars to call the Athaan before its time. Whoever called the Athaan before the starting time of the prayer, should repeat it again when its time starts, with the exception of the Athaan for Fajr as the Prophet said: "Indeed Bilaal, calls the Athaan while it is still night time, so eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktoom calls the Athaan." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] There is no difference whether you called the Athaan five minutes before the time of the prayer or one minute before its time. Imaam Maalik said: 'The call to the prayer should not be announced before its time with the exception of Fajr." Moreover, Ibn Qudaamah said: "It is not acceptable or sufficient to call for the prayer before its time with the exception of Fajr, and we do not know any difference of opinion on this issue."
Therefore, if you had called for the Athaan before its time in a prayer other than Fajr, then you should have repeated it, but you are not sinful if you did not do that deliberately, as Allaah Says (what means): {And there is no sin on you concerning that in which you made a mistake.}[Quran 33:5]. However, if you did that deliberately, then you are sinful and you should repent to Allaah.
Allaah Knows best.