Being Outside at the Time of Magrib

Question: What is the ruling on believers being outside after Maghrib?
Is it disliked?

Answered by the Fatwa Department Research Committee - chaired by
Sheikh `Abd al-Wahhâb al-Turayrî

It is not prohibited for believers to be outside at the time of Maghrib. Indeed, it is required for men to go out at that time, since they have to go to the mosques to perform their Maghrib prayers and then go outside again after prayer in order to return to their homes.

We are encouraged, however, to keep our children indoors at this time, for the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "When night falls, keep your children indoors, for the devils are out and about at this time. When an hour of the night goes by, you can let them go." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî: (3280, 5623) and Sahîh Muslim (2012)]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said: "Cover your dishes, close your ontainers, shut your doors, and keep your children indoors at nightfall, for the Jinn are out and about and stalking." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (3316)]

The meaning of "hour" in the above hadîth is explained by the following hadîth where the Prophet (peace be upon him) says: "Do not send out your cattle or your children when the sun sets until the blackness of the night descends, for indeed the Satans are sent forth when the Sun sets until the blackness of the night descends." [Sahîh
Muslim (2013)