Source: Fatāwā Muḥammadīyah, Vol. 1, p. 366
Is reciting Duʿāʾ al-Qunūt in the Fajr prayer a permanent Sunnah established from the practice of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd:
This is a matter of scholarly difference, with two well-known opinions:
According to them, reciting Qunūt in the second rakʿah of Fajr after rukūʿ is legislated.
According to Imām Abū Ḥanīfah and Imām Aḥmad (رحمهم الله), Qunūt in Fajr or any other prayer (besides Witr) is not Sunnah unless due to nawāzil (calamities).
After analyzing the evidences of both sides, he concluded that the view of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah and Imām Aḥmad is stronger. He writes:
“The stronger opinion in my view is that of Abū Ḥanīfah and Aḥmad: Qunūt is not Sunnah in any prayer besides Witr unless there is a reason (like calamities). Neither in Fajr nor in other prayers. For this practice, no ṣaḥīḥ marfūʿ ḥadīth free of defects and explicit in meaning supports the view of Mālik and al-Shāfiʿī. In fact, ṣaḥīḥ aḥādīth exist that prove the contrary.”
(Mirʿāt al-Mafātīḥ, 2/22)
❀ It is incorrect to call reciting Qunūt in Fajr a permanent Sunnah.
❀ The stronger opinion is that Duʿāʾ al-Qunūt is specific to times of nawāzil (calamities), such as plague, drought, or fear of an enemy.
هٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
Question:
Is reciting Duʿāʾ al-Qunūt in the Fajr prayer a permanent Sunnah established from the practice of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd:
This is a matter of scholarly difference, with two well-known opinions:
① View of Imām Mālik and Imām al-Shāfiʿī
According to them, reciting Qunūt in the second rakʿah of Fajr after rukūʿ is legislated.
② View of the Ḥanafī and Ḥanbalī Scholars
According to Imām Abū Ḥanīfah and Imām Aḥmad (رحمهم الله), Qunūt in Fajr or any other prayer (besides Witr) is not Sunnah unless due to nawāzil (calamities).
Research of Shaykh Abū al-Ḥasan ʿUbaydullāh Mubārakpūrī (رحمه الله)
After analyzing the evidences of both sides, he concluded that the view of Imām Abū Ḥanīfah and Imām Aḥmad is stronger. He writes:
“The stronger opinion in my view is that of Abū Ḥanīfah and Aḥmad: Qunūt is not Sunnah in any prayer besides Witr unless there is a reason (like calamities). Neither in Fajr nor in other prayers. For this practice, no ṣaḥīḥ marfūʿ ḥadīth free of defects and explicit in meaning supports the view of Mālik and al-Shāfiʿī. In fact, ṣaḥīḥ aḥādīth exist that prove the contrary.”
(Mirʿāt al-Mafātīḥ, 2/22)
Conclusion
❀ It is incorrect to call reciting Qunūt in Fajr a permanent Sunnah.
❀ The stronger opinion is that Duʿāʾ al-Qunūt is specific to times of nawāzil (calamities), such as plague, drought, or fear of an enemy.
هٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
