Short answer
Maghrib starts as soon as the whole disc of the sun has set. In the Hanafi school it ends when the twilight (shafaq) has gone from the sky, which is when Isha begins. Praying it soon after sunset is sunnah, and delaying it until the stars crowd the sky without a reason is makruh (disliked).
Maghrib time runs from full sunset until the twilight (shafaq) disappears. Abu Hanifa held that the twilight is the white glow that follows the red, and his two students that it is the red glow. The cautious practice taught in Hanafi institutions is to pray Maghrib before the red glow fades and Isha only after the white glow has gone. Hastening Maghrib is mustahabb, and delaying it until many stars appear without an excuse is makruh.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- In the main (new) view Maghrib has one short time after sunset, long enough for wudu, adhan, iqamah and the prayer. Nawawi preferred the older view that it lasts until the red twilight goes.
- Maliki
- The chosen time of Maghrib is short, straight after sunset; delaying it beyond that without an excuse is blameworthy.
- Hanbali
- Maghrib lasts until the red twilight has gone, and praying it early is better.
Explanation
Maghrib begins at sunset, when the upper edge of the sun has gone below the horizon. The "Maghrib" time on a timetable is simply the sunset time. You do not need to wait for darkness, and there is no make-up or forbidden period between sunset and the start of Maghrib.
It ends when the shafaq (twilight) disappears. After sunset the western sky first glows red, then a fainter white light lingers. Imam Abu Hanifa held that Maghrib lasts until the white glow is gone; his students Abu Yusuf and Muhammad, and the other three schools, said until the red glow is gone. Hanafi scholars have given fatwa on each view, so Hanafi timetables differ. The cautious course, valid on both views, is to pray Maghrib before the red glow fades and Isha only after the white glow has gone. It is longer in summer and in places far from the equator. See when Isha starts and ends for tonight's times.
- Best time: straight after sunset. The Prophet ﷺ praised his community for not delaying Maghrib.
- Disliked: delaying it until the stars are thick in the sky, without a reason such as travel or illness.
- Still on time: a Maghrib prayed late, but before the twilight goes, is on time and not qada.
- Fasting: breaking the fast with a date or water first and then praying is fine; just do not let iftar run on until the time is nearly out.
If the twilight has gone before you pray, Maghrib is missed and you make it up as qada. For the times when no prayer is allowed, see the forbidden times for prayer.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Hud 11:114
وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ طَرَفَىِ ٱلنَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًۭا مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلْحَسَنَٰتِ يُذْهِبْنَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ذِكْرَىٰ لِلذَّٰكِرِينَ ﴿١١٤﴾
And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.
Prayer is tied to set times at the ends of the day and the coming of night.
Sahih Muslim 612
Sahih... ووقت صلاة المغرب ما لم يغب الشفق ...
"The time of the Maghrib prayer lasts as long as the twilight has not gone."
Maghrib ends when the twilight disappears.
Sunan Abi Dawud 418
Grading to be checked... لا تزال أمتي بخير ما لم يؤخروا المغرب إلى أن تشتبك النجوم ...
"My community will remain in good as long as they do not delay Maghrib until the stars crowd together."
Delaying Maghrib until the stars are thick is disliked.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Salah, chapter on prayer times (mawaqit). Maghrib runs from sunset until the twilight goes, which Abu Hanifa held is the white glow.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Salah, chapter on prayer times. Discusses the fatwa on the red and white twilight and the dislike of delaying Maghrib.
- al-Majmu' (Nawawi), Chapter on prayer times. Sets out the Shafi'i new view of a single short Maghrib time and the old view preferred by Nawawi.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.