Instructions for Sitting in the Mosque Until Sunrise
① It is narrated from Sayyiduna Muadh Jahni, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
من قعد فى مصلاه حين ينصرف من صلاة الصبح حتى يسبح ركعتي الضحى لا يقول إلا خيرا غفرت له خطاياه وإن كانت أكثر من زبد البحر
“Whoever prays Fajr and then remains seated at his place of prayer, and during that time does not speak except good, until he prays two rak’ahs of Duha prayer, his sins will be forgiven, even if they are like the foam of the sea.”
Performing Nafl Prayer at Home
① Sayyiduna Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
إجعلوا فى بيوتكم من صلاتكم، ولا تتخذوها قبورا
“Pray some voluntary prayers in your homes; do not make them like graveyards.”
② Sayyiduna Jabir رضي الله عنه himself narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
إذا قضى أحدكم الصلاة فى مسجده فليجعل لبيته نصيبا من صلاته فإن الله جاعل فى بيته من صلاته خيرا
“When any of you prays in his mosque, let him keep some part of his prayer for his home, for Allah will bring goodness and blessings to his home because of his prayer.”
③ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Zaid bin Thabit رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
صلاة المرء فى بيته أفضل من صلاته فى مسجدي إلا المكتوبة
“Praying voluntary prayers in one’s home is better than praying in my mosque besides the obligatory prayers.”
④ Sayyiduna Ka’b bin Ujrah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم prayed Maghrib prayer in the mosque of Banu Ashhal, and the people started praying voluntary prayers. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
عليكم بهذه الصلاة فى البيوت
“Pray these voluntary prayers in your homes.”
⑤ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Zaid bin Thabit رضي الله عنه that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
صلوا أيها الناس فى بيوتكم فإن أفضل الصلاة صلاة المرء فى بيته إلا المكتوبة
“O people! Pray voluntary prayers in your homes, for besides the obligatory prayers, the best prayer of a servant is the one he prays in his home.”
Short Recitation in the Two Rak’ahs of Fajr
① It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا أذن المؤذن بالصبح و بدأ الصبح صلى ركعتين خفيفتين
That the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to pray a short two rak’ahs between the Adhan and Iqamah of the morning prayer.
② Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) also states:
كان رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم يصلي ركعتين يخففهما حتى أقول هل قرأ فيهما بأم القرآن
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to pray two rak’ahs, and he recited them so briefly that I would say, did the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) recite Surah Al-Fatiha in them?
③ It is narrated from Sayyida Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her) that:
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا أذن المؤذن بالصبح و بدأ الصبح صلى ركعتين خفيفتين
“When the Mu’adhdhin would give the morning Adhan and the morning appeared, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would pray a short two rak’ahs.”
④ Sayyida Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her) also states:
كان رسول الله إذا طلع الفجر لا يصلي إلا ركعتين خفيفتين
When Fajr would dawn, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would pray only two short rak’ahs.
Praying at the Earliest Time
① It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
لو يعلم الناس ما فى النداء والصف الأول ثم لم يجدوا إلا أن يستهموا عليه لاستهموا عليه ، و لو يعلمون ما فى التهجير لاستبقوا إليه ، ولو يعلمون ما فى العتمة والصبح لأتوهما ولو حبوا
“If people knew the virtue of the call to prayer (Adhan) and the first row, and that they would not manage without competing for it, they would compete for it. If they knew the virtue of praying at the earliest time, they would hasten to it. And if they knew the virtue of the Isha and Fajr prayers, they would certainly attend them, even if they had to come crawling on their knees.”