Salaah

End of Zuhr time

Q: What time does Zohar Salaah become Qadha. Does Zohar end at the time Asr starts? I see that the Shafi time for Asr is 15:15 and for Hanafi it is 16:03. I do understand the the shadow of an object needs to be twice the original size plus the bit that was there at midday. I am asking in regards to the times for the Salaah. This is the time in Durban.

Leaving out salaah due to depression

Q: I suffer from depression. Im a religious person and offer prayers five times a day and even tahajjud and read Quran with translation, but when I am depressed, I leave all this, miss prayers, mostly esha, I lose interest in prayers and don't offer most of them. What to do? There is nobody to ask me to offer prayer, what is the cure of this disease?

Sutra

Q:

1. What is the minimum requirement of a sutra (obstacle in front of the namazi) and where should it be placed?

2. Can namaz be offerd in front of a sofa/bed/chair?

3. What if some child comes and mistakenly sits on it while the person is praying behind the chair's back or in front of the bed?

Spouses missing Salaah due to having intimacy

Q: We are a newly married couple (1 year). Every time we get intimate, we are missing our namazes. Even though we are trying really hard to control our desires, even if we get intimate every 4 days. My wife because of her migraine, sinus and long hair delays ghusal which makes me feel bad as because of me she is missing her namaaz. How do you recommend we should control our desires. Please tell us possible solutions.

Facing the palms towards the qiblah when commencing salaah

Q:

1. When starting salah, do your hands have to be facing qiblah?

2. Will salah be valid if you start salah with your hands facing inward towards your head? One time my imam for salatul jumuah started salah and I think his hands were facing inward. What should I do in such a situation if my jumuah is invalid and I am going to have to wait for second jumuah or go catch jumuah at another masjid?