Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … There is no doubt that the practice of saying "al-salatu khayrun min al-nawm" (prayer is better than sleep) in the call to the dawn (Fajr) prayer began during the Prophetic era itself, by the command of the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Some evidences are mentioned in this chapter, and some will be mentioned later. A few narrations are as follows: Sayyiduna Anas radi Allahu anhu says: "It is from the Sunnah that when the mu’adhdhin says in the Fajr call to prayer 'Hayya ‘ala al-falah', he should then say: 'al-salatu khayrun min al-nawm'." (Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, Dar Qutni, Bayhaqi) When the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam taught Sayyiduna Abu Mahdhurah radi Allahu anhu the call to prayer (adhan), he said to him: "If it is the dawn (subh) prayer, then say: 'al-salatu khayrun min al-nawm, al-salatu khayrun min al-nawm'." (Abu Dawud: 500)

The meaning is that he commanded that these words "al-salatu khayrun min al-nawm" be said in the call to the Fajr prayer, and forbade saying them in the call to the ‘Isha prayer, as is coming in other hadiths that he ordered these words to be said in the Fajr adhan. (Abdullah Rafiq)