Assalamu alaikum,

Thank you for your inquiry.

There are three times when it is not permissible to perform prayer (salah):

When the sun rises until it has risen above the horizon. This lasts for about 20 minutes after sunrise, which is the end of fajr time.

When the sun is at its zenith and is at its highest point in the sky until it has left this point and begins its descent (the time of zawal). This happens for a very short time. However, as it is difficult to determine exactly when this happens, it is best to avoid praying within a 20-minute period before the time for the zuhr prayer begins.

When the sun begins to set until it is down. This is when the sun begins to change color and its rays begin to look pale. This can last for about 20 minutes. The only thing that is permissible to pray during this time is the day’s Asr prayer if this has not been done, but it is haram to postpone Asr until that time.

At all these times, it is highly disliked (makrooh tahrimi) to perform nafl prayers. It is also highly disliked to perform sajdah due to Quranic recitation (sajadah al-tilawah) if it is the case that the verse for which one performs sajdah was recited before these times occurred. If the verse is recited within any of these times, it is still somewhat disliked (makrooh tanzihi) to perform sajdah. Therefore, it is not only permissible but better to postpone sajdah al-tilawah until a valid time. (Imdad al-Fiqh)

It is better not to recite the Quran at these times and rather do dhikr and read durud sharif. (Bahar according to al-Durr al-Mukhtar)

There are also two other times when you cannot perform voluntary prayers (nafl), but you can pray as many qada prayers as you want. From the start of the fajr time until sunrise, and after performing the asr prayer until the sun starts to set. Just like the qada prayers, you can perform as many sujud al-tilawah at these times as you need to.

And Allah knows best.

Najeeb-ur-Rehman Naz