What is the ruling on one who prayed the 'Isha prayer outside its prescribed time due to ignorance, thinking that midnight was twelve o'clock, and what is your advice to the developers of prayer time applications?

Night begins with sunset and ends with the break of dawn. To determine midnight, one must accurately know the times of sunset and dawn. Then, half the sum of the hours of the night is considered its midpoint.

Linguists have differed on the definition of night: whether it is from sunset until sunrise or until the break of dawn. However, in Islamic law, it is apparent that night ends with the break of dawn. Accordingly, the night whose midpoint is determined to ascertain the time for the 'Isha prayer is from sunset until the break of dawn.

A fixed system for determining midnight should not be established, as its length varies with different times and places.

If one prays 'Isha after midnight, their prayer is considered performed on time according to most scholars. However, delaying it without a valid excuse incurs sin upon the Muslim, though there is no sin on the ignorant or the forgetful. A Muslim must strive to perform obligatory prayers in congregation in the mosque and not delay them beyond their preferred time except for a valid excuse.