I have heard that the noon prayer can be performed within the first twenty minutes after the afternoon adhan is called. Is it true?

Dear Brother / Sister,

TIME FOR THE NOON PRAYER:

The following is stated in the Quran:

"For such prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times." (an-Nisa, 4/103)

It is unanimously agreed that the beginning of the time period for the noon prayer is when the sun starts to turn toward the west:  

"Establish regular prayers - at the sun´s decline till the darkness of the night." (al-Isra,17/78).

According to Abu Yusuf, Muhammad, Shafii, Malik and Ahmad b. Hanbal, the end of the time period for the noon prayer is when the shadows of things become equal to those things. The evidence they base their view is Jibril’s showing the Prophet (pbuh) the times of prayers by leading the prayers. Once, Jibril led the noon prayer just after zawal and on the second day, he led the noon prayer when the shadow of every object was equal to its height. He wanted to determine the beginning and the end of the time period for the noon prayer by doing so. (Tirmidhi, Mawaqit, l; Ahmad b. Hanbal, I, 383, III /330; Abu Dawud, Salah, III; Nasai, Mawaqit, VI, X, XV).

According to Abu Hanifa, the end of the time period for the noon prayer is when the shadows of things become twice their length. His evidence is the following hadith:

"Delay the noon prayer when the weather gets cool. For, the intensity of heat is of the boiling of Hell." (Bukhari, Mawaqit, 9, 10; Bad'ul Khalq, 10; Abu Dawud Salah, IV; Tirmidhi, Salah, V; Nasai, Mawaqit, V)

The time when the heat of the sun is the most severe in the region where the Prophet (pbuh) lived is when the shadows of things are as long as their length. On the other hand, Jibril led the afternoon prayer when the shadows of things became twice their length. (Tirmidhi, Mawaqit,1; Ahmad b. Hanbl III / 330)

When the sun reaches the peak in the sky, the shadows of upright things stop. This shadow, which remains fixed for a short while, is called fay az-zawal. When the sun turns toward the west and the shadows of upright things become as long as their length, “except” that fixed shadow, this time is called “asr al-awwal” and when they become twice their length, it is called “asr ath-thani”. According to the majority of Islamic fiqh schlars, the end of the time period for the noon prayer is “asr al-awwal”.

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