Delaying maghrib for a few minutes

Assalamualaikum

Is it a sin to delay maghrib past the first few minutes of its time if you are busy in some other task and want to finish that first?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما

One would not be sinful for delaying Maghrib for a few minutes after sunset. However, there has been a lot of emphasis in hadith to pray Maghrib as early as possible and this was the general practice of the Messenger (may Allah bless him and give him peace). Therefore, one should avoid delaying Maghrib unnecessarily. Consider the following narration:

Raafi’ bin Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) reports, “We would pray Maghrib (with the Messenger) and after the prayer (there would still be enough sunlight that) we could see exactly where our arrows were (on the ground). 

(Bukhari)

والله اعلم

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala knows best.

Taha Abdulkareem 

Approved by Mufti Husain Ahmad Madani