What Should a Person Do if They Are Praying and Hear the Adhan of the Next Prayer?
Question
If I’m praying and I hear the adhan of the next prayer, what should I do? For example, I’m praying dhuhr late and I hear the adhan of asr while I’m praying.
Answer
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmain.
1. The Shar‘i Context
The entry of a new prayer time does not cancel the validity of the current prayer being performed.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم emphasized praying every salah in its time, but he did not instruct that a prayer already begun becomes invalid just because the next prayer time starts.
Scholars agree that:
- Once a person starts a fard prayer within its valid time,
- And then the next prayer time enters while they are still praying,
the prayer remains valid and must be completed.
2. What You Should Do If the Next Adhan Begins
If you are praying dhuhr and you hear the adhan of asr while still in prayer:
- Continue the dhuhr prayer normally.
- Your prayer is valid.
- You do not stop, restart, or break your prayer.
This is because:
- You began dhuhr within its time,
- And Islam does not obligate a person to anticipate the next adhan.
This applies to all prayers:
- Praying Fajr and sunrise enters
- Praying Maghrib and Isha adhan begins
- Praying Isha and midnight enters
In all cases, the prayer you started remains valid.
3. Reasoning From the Scholars
This ruling is based on the principle that:
- A prayer that begins in its prescribed time is adā’ (performed correctly).
- The entry of the next prayer time does not invalidate a prayer already in progress.
4. Final Ruling
If you begin dhuhr on time and hear the adhan of asr while you are still praying, then:
- Your dhuhr remains valid.
- You must continue and complete it.
- There is no sin in hearing the next adhan while finishing your current prayer.
And Allah knows best