Can I Pray Fajr Before The Time Comes In Because of Hardship?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam
Question: Assalamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah.
As the days have gotten shorter, fajr comes in at a time I’ve already started work. There is no “clean” place to pray in my workplace. Is it permissible for me to pray fajr/subh before I go to work?
Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah.
No, it is not permissible to pray a prayer before the time comes in as the prayer time having entered is a condition for the validity of the prayer.
Allah Most High says, “After performing the ritual prayer, continue to remember God– standing, sitting, and lying on your sides– and once you are safe, keep up regular prayer, for prayer is obligatory for the believers at prescribed times.” [4.103]
If the floor is legally filthy– because there is dried urine, wine, or other filth on the ground, for example– and not just “dirty,” then you could not pray in that place. However, you could put something down, like a sheet, place your prayer mat on top of that, and then pray.
But the general ruling is that the basis in all matters is purity. This is the assumption and this is what you go by; we don’t assume that the ground is impure– this is not the sunna, nor called for. Over-investigation will only lead to misgivings.
See: A Reader on Waswasa (Baseless Misgivings) and: The Importance of Fajr Prayer and How to Pray It on Time
And Allah alone gives success.
Tabraze Azam
Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.