Question: A person is praying the Sunnah of Fajr when the Iqamah is called. Should he complete those Sunnahs or give Salam and join the congregation?
Answer: When the Iqamah is called for the obligatory prayer, no prayer other than the obligatory one is valid. If someone is praying Sunnahs, he should break it off and join the obligatory congregation.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
إِذَا اُقِيْمَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَلَا صَلَاةَ اِلَّا الْمَكْتُوْبَةَ
“When the Iqamah is called for prayer, there is no prayer except the obligatory prayer.”
Narrated Abdullah bin Malik bin Lujaynah (RA):
ان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم راي رجلا وقد اقيمت الصلاة يصلي ركعتين فلما انصرف رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لاث به الناس فقال له رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : الصبح اربعا ؟ الصبح اربعا ؟
“Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saw a man praying two Rak’ahs while the Iqamah had already been called for prayer. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) finished the prayer, people surrounded him. The Prophet said to him: ‘Do you pray the four Rak’ahs of Fajr? Do you pray the four Rak’ahs of Fajr?'”
Narrated Abdullah bin Abbas (RA):
اَنَّ النَّبِیَّ صَلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ لِصَلَاۃِ الْغَدَاۃِ وَاِذَا رَجُلٌ یُّصَلِّیْ رَکْعَتَیِ الْفَجْرِ فَقَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللہِ صَلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ أَتُصَلِّیْ الصُّبْحَ اَرْبَعًا
This narration was declared authentic by Imam Hakim (RA) and Imam Dhahabi (RA).
“Indeed, the Prophet (peace be upon him) entered the mosque for the Fajr prayer and saw a man praying two Rak’ahs of Fajr. The Prophet said: ‘Do you pray the four Rak’ahs of Fajr?'”
Some people especially pray Sunnahs at the time of Fajr prayer. It is true that the Sunnahs of Fajr are very important, but they are to be performed before the obligatory prayer. Therefore, one should wake up on time and pray them before the obligatory prayer. If the obligatory congregation has started, then no prayer other than the obligatory one is valid, whether it is the Sunnahs of Fajr or any other prayer. Some say that one can pray Sunnahs in a corner of the mosque and then join the obligatory congregation. Such people should reflect on this Hadith.
Narrated Abdullah bin Surjis (RA):
دخل رجل المسجد ورسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى صلاة الغداء فصلي ركعتين فى جانب المسجد ثم دخل مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فلما سلم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال يا فلان ! باي الصلاتين اعتددت ؟ ابصلاتك وحدك ام بصلاتك معنا ؟
“A man entered the mosque while the Prophet (peace be upon him) was praying Fajr. He prayed two Rak’ahs in a corner of the mosque and then joined the Prophet in prayer. When the Prophet gave Salam, he said: ‘O so-and-so! Which of the two prayers do you count? The prayer you prayed alone or the prayer you prayed with us?'”
From this authentic Hadith, it is clear that when the obligatory congregation is present, one cannot pray Nafl prayers such as Sunnahs even in a corner of the mosque.
Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) said:
اُقِيْمَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَقُمْتُ اُصَلِّي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ فَجَذَبَنِيْ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّي اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ أَتُصَلِّي الصُّبْحَ اَرْبَعًا ؟
“When the Iqamah was called for prayer, I stood up to pray two Rak’ahs, but the Prophet (peace be upon him) pulled me and said: ‘Do you pray the four Rak’ahs of Fajr?'”
Allama Ghulam Rasool Saeedi writes in the commentary of Sahih Muslim:
“Imam Shafi’i (RA) forbade praying absolute Sunnahs at the time of Iqamah. Apparently, this Hadith supports Imam Shafi’i because the Sunnahs of Fajr were emphasized by the Prophet (peace be upon him), yet the Prophet himself expressed displeasure at praying Sunnahs at the time of Iqamah of Fajr. Therefore, following the Hadith requires not to start Sunnahs at the time of Iqamah of Fajr, because the one whose command is to pray Sunnahs is himself forbidding it.”
Allama Washkani writes:
“Hazrat Umar (RA) used to beat the person who prayed Sunnahs at the time of Iqamah of Fajr because the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade it. It is a very wrong practice that when the Fajr congregation is standing in the mosque, people stand connected to the rows of the congregation and start praying Sunnahs. One problem is that the Imam is reciting the Qur’an loudly, which is obligatory to listen to, and the person engaged in Sunnahs neglects this obligation. The second problem is that the person engaged in Sunnahs apparently turns away from the obligatory prayer and congregation. The third problem is that this act contradicts the Hadiths of this chapter.”
From Allama Ghulam Rasool Saeedi Barelvi’s explanation, it is understood that those who engage in Sunnahs while the obligatory prayer is ongoing contradict the Hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and are deserving of punishment according to Hazrat Umar (RA), and they neglect the obligatory prayer by performing Sunnahs. Therefore, every worshipper should be very prompt in attending the prayer and perform Sunnahs at their proper time. When the Iqamah is called for the obligatory congregation, he should break off the Sunnahs and join the congregation, just as the Prophet (peace be upon him) broke the prayer of Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) and pulled him to join the congregation. May Allah grant success in correct actions. آمين !
