How Long Does Maghrib Last For?

The Maghrib prayer begins just when the sun sets and remains till the time of Isha prayer starts. According to the Hanafi school, Isha'a begins when complete darkness has arrived and the yellow twilight in the sky has disappeared. According to a minority opinion in the Maliki school, the prescribed time for Maghrib prayer ends when the red thread has disappeared from the sky. In another opinion of the Shafi'i school, the disappearance of the red thread marks the end of the Period of Necessity.