Abu Dawud

«وَأَوَّلُ وَقْتِ الْفَجْرِ إِذَا انْشَقَّ الْفَجُرُ وَ آخِرُهُ طُلُوعُ الشَّمْسِ»

And the beginning time of Fajr is from the appearance of the true dawn (subh sadiq). 1 And its last time is until sunrise. 2

1. ➊ It is narrated from Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari radi Allahu anhu that «فاقام الفجر حين انشق الفجر والناس لا يكاد يعرف بعضه بعضا» “The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would begin the Fajr prayer as soon as the true dawn appeared, to the extent that due to the darkness, the Companions could not recognize one another.” [مسلم 614، كتاب المساجد ومواضع الصلاة: باب أوقات الصلوات الخمس، نسائي 523، أبو داود 395]

➋ It is narrated from Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, “There are two types of Fajr: one Fajr in which eating becomes forbidden and prayer is permissible and allowed, and another Fajr in which prayer is forbidden but eating is allowed.” In al-Mustadrak al-Hakim, it is also narrated from Jabir radi Allahu anhu in a similar manner, with the addition: “The dawn in which eating is forbidden spreads across the edges and sides of the sky, and the other rises high like the tail of a wolf (i.e., it appears straight up in the sky like a pillar).” [صحيح: الصحيحة 693، حاكم 191/1، ابن خزيمة 356]
Imam Hakim rahimahullah and Imam Dhahabi rahimahullah have also declared it authentic.

------------------

The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would perform the Fajr prayer in darkness

➊ It is narrated from Aisha radi Allahu anha that believing women would participate in the Fajr prayer with the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and after the prayer ended, when they would return wrapped in their cloaks, «لا يعرفهن أحد من الغلس» “due to the darkness, no one could recognize them.” [مؤطا 5/1، كتاب وقوت الصلاة: باب وقوت الصلاة، بخاري 578، مسلم 645، أبو داود 423، نسائي 545، ترمذي 153، ابن ماجة 669، حميدى 174، أحمد 258/6، أبو عوانة 370/1، بيهقي 192/2]

➋ In a narration from Jabir radi Allahu anhu, it is mentioned that «والصبح كان النبى يصليها بغلس» “And the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would perform the Fajr prayer while it was still dark.” [بخاري: 565، كتاب مواقيت الصلاة: باب وقت العشاء إذا اجتمع الناس أو تأخرو، مسلم 246، أبو داود 397، نسائي 264/1، أحمد 369/3]

The following hadith appears to be contrary to the previous ahadith:

It is narrated from Rafi‘ ibn Khadij radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said «اصبـحــوا بــالـصبـح فــانــه أعظم لأجوركم» “Perform the Fajr prayer when the morning becomes bright and clear, for that will increase your reward.” [صحيح: صحيح أبو داود 409، كتاب الصلاة: باب فى وقت الصبح، أبو داود 424، ترمذي 154، نسائي 272/1، ابن ماجة 672، أحمد 465/3، دارمي 277/1]

These ahadith have been reconciled in two ways:

➊ (Ibn Qayyim rahimahullah, Tahawi rahimahullah) The prayer should be started in darkness, and the recitation should be so lengthy that the morning becomes bright and clear.

➋ (Shafi‘i rahimahullah, Ahmad rahimahullah) The meaning of “«اسفرو»” or “«اصبحوا»” is that there should remain no doubt about the appearance of Fajr. [أعلام الموقعين 290/2، الروضة الندية 203/1، نيل الأوطار 477/1، تحفة الأحوذي 505/1، ترمذى: كتاب الطهارة: باب ما جاء فى الإسفار بالفجر]

It should be noted that performing the Fajr prayer after the morning has become bright is also established from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, but the practice upon which he maintained consistency until his death was performing the Fajr prayer in darkness. As narrated from Abu Mas‘ud al-Ansari radi Allahu anhu, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam once performed the Fajr prayer in darkness and then on another occasion performed it after the morning had become bright, «ونم كانـت صـلاتـه بـعـد ذلك التغليس حتى مات ولم يعد إلى أن يسفر» “then until his death, his (Fajr) prayer remained in darkness; he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam never again performed it after the morning had become bright.” [حسن: صحيح أبو داود 378، كتاب الصلاة: باب فى المواقيت، أبو داود 394، ابن خزيمة 352، موطا 29، أحمد 120/4، دارمي 1189، بخاري 521، مسلم 610]

In any case, there is also a difference of opinion among the scholars on this issue.

(Malik rahimahullah, Shafi‘i rahimahullah, Ahmad rahimahullah) Performing the Fajr prayer in darkness is superior and recommended. This is also the position of Imam Ishaq, Imam Abu Thawr, Imam Awza‘i, Imam Dawud rahimahumullah ajma‘in, and likewise it is transmitted from Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali, Ibn Zubayr, Anas, Abu Musa, and Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhum.

(Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, Muhammad rahimahullah, Abu Yusuf rahimahullah) Performing the Fajr prayer after the morning has become bright is superior. (Their evidence is the hadith in which the words «اصبحوا بالصبح» appear.) [تحفة الأحوذى 498/1، نيل الأوطار 477/1، اللباب 60/1، القوانين الفقهية ص 45، الشرح الصغير 222]

(Preferred Opinion) Performing the Fajr prayer in darkness is superior, because this was the constant practice of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and it is also the position of the four Rightly Guided Caliphs and the majority of the Companions and Followers. It should also be remembered that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would only maintain consistency upon the most virtuous action. [الإعتبار للحازمي ص/268-275]

(Ibn Qudamah rahimahullah) Performing the Fajr prayer in darkness is superior. [المغنى 44/1]

(Ibn Hajar rahimahullah) Holds the same position. [كما فى تحفة الأحوذى 503/1]

(Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri rahimahullah) Also holds this view. [أيضا 505/1]

2. It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said «وقت صلاة الفجر مالم تطلع الشمس»

“The time for the Fajr prayer is until sunrise.” [مسلم 612، أحمد 210/2، أبو داود 396، شرح معاني الآثار 150/1، أبو عوانة 371/1]

. . . For the original article, see . . .
Fiqh al-Hadith by Imran Ayyub Lahori, Volume 1, p. 312

524. Commentary:

➊ "The shadow was equal to the width of a strap." That is, on the eastern side of the walls, only a slight shadow had appeared, as if a strap had been laid along the wall, meaning a thin line-like shadow, as soon as the sun began to decline.

➋ At the time of the ‘Asr prayer, this strap-like shadow was more than the first shadow, that is, the slight additional shadow was equal to the thickness of a strap.

➌ The last time for the Maghrib prayer is the disappearance of twilight, as has been explicitly mentioned in previous hadiths. However, since the time for Maghrib is short, it is generally performed right at sunset, as in this hadith it is mentioned that on the second day it was also performed at sunset. For this reason, some jurists have said that the beginning and end time for Maghrib prayer are the same, but the correct view is the one that has been mentioned earlier.