❖ The Importance of Fajr Sunnah in Light of Authentic Ahadith ❖
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
➊ Narrated by ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
“The Prophet ﷺ gave the greatest importance to the two Rak‘ahs before Fajr among all voluntary prayers.”
[Bukhari: 196; Muslim: 724; Abu Dawood: 1254; Nasa’i: 3/252]
➋ The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The two Rak‘ahs of Fajr are better than the world and all that it contains.”
[Muslim: 725; Tirmidhi: 414; Nasa’i: 3/252; Bayhaqi: 2/470]
✔ It is permissible to offer them after the Fajr prayer, as the Prophet ﷺ allowed Qays (رضي الله عنه) to do so.
[Sahih Tirmidhi: 346; Ahmad: 5/447; Abu Dawood: 1267; Ibn Khuzaymah: 1116]
✔ It is still permissible to offer them after the sun has risen.
[Nayl al-Awtar: 2/229]
✔ Narrated by Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه):
“Whoever did not pray the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr should pray them after the sun rises.”
[Sahih Tirmidhi: 347; Ibn Khuzaymah: 1117; Ibn Hibban: 2472; Hakim: 1/274]
✔ Narrated by ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
“The Prophet ﷺ used to pray the two Sunnah Rak‘ahs of Fajr so lightly that I would wonder if he even recited Surah Al-Fatihah in them.”
[Muslim: 725; Bukhari: 197; Abu Dawood: 1255]
✔ The Prophet ﷺ used to recite:
➊ Narrated by ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
“After praying the two Rakʿahs of Fajr, the Prophet ﷺ would lie down on his right side.”
[Bukhari: 626; Muslim: 736; Abu Dawood: 1330; Tirmidhi: 440]
➋ Narrated by Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه):
“When one of you has prayed the two Rakʿahs of Fajr, let him lie down on his right side.”
[Sahih Tirmidhi: 344; Abu Dawood: 1261; Ibn Khuzaymah: 1120]
✔ (Ibn al-Qayyim) cites narrations from ʿAbd al-Razzaq, who reported that notable companions like Abu Musa al-Ashʿari, Rafiʿ ibn Khadij, and Anas (رضي الله عنهم) would lie down after the Fajr Sunnah and encouraged others to do so.
[Zad al-Ma‘ad: 1/319]
✔ Many scholars hold that this practice is Mustahabb (recommended).
[Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 2/494; Nayl al-Awtar: 3/53]
❖ Sadly, this Sunnah has been largely abandoned in many places today and needs revival.
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
✿ The Emphasis the Prophet ﷺ Placed on Fajr Sunnah
➊ Narrated by ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
“The Prophet ﷺ gave the greatest importance to the two Rak‘ahs before Fajr among all voluntary prayers.”
[Bukhari: 196; Muslim: 724; Abu Dawood: 1254; Nasa’i: 3/252]
➋ The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The two Rak‘ahs of Fajr are better than the world and all that it contains.”
[Muslim: 725; Tirmidhi: 414; Nasa’i: 3/252; Bayhaqi: 2/470]
◈ If One Misses the Sunnah Before the Fajr Congregation
✔ It is permissible to offer them after the Fajr prayer, as the Prophet ﷺ allowed Qays (رضي الله عنه) to do so.
[Sahih Tirmidhi: 346; Ahmad: 5/447; Abu Dawood: 1267; Ibn Khuzaymah: 1116]
◈ If One Could Not Pray Before Sunrise
✔ It is still permissible to offer them after the sun has risen.
[Nayl al-Awtar: 2/229]
✔ Narrated by Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه):
“Whoever did not pray the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr should pray them after the sun rises.”
[Sahih Tirmidhi: 347; Ibn Khuzaymah: 1117; Ibn Hibban: 2472; Hakim: 1/274]
◈ The Fajr Sunnah Should Be Light
✔ Narrated by ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
“The Prophet ﷺ used to pray the two Sunnah Rak‘ahs of Fajr so lightly that I would wonder if he even recited Surah Al-Fatihah in them.”
[Muslim: 725; Bukhari: 197; Abu Dawood: 1255]
◈ What to Recite in Fajr Sunnah
✔ The Prophet ﷺ used to recite:
- In the first Rakʿah: Surah Al-Kafirun (قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ)
- In the second Rakʿah: Surah Al-Ikhlas (قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ)
[Muslim: 726; Abu Dawood: 1256; Nasa’i: 2/156; Ibn Majah: 1148]
◈ Lying Down After Fajr Sunnah
➊ Narrated by ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
“After praying the two Rakʿahs of Fajr, the Prophet ﷺ would lie down on his right side.”
[Bukhari: 626; Muslim: 736; Abu Dawood: 1330; Tirmidhi: 440]
➋ Narrated by Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه):
“When one of you has prayed the two Rakʿahs of Fajr, let him lie down on his right side.”
[Sahih Tirmidhi: 344; Abu Dawood: 1261; Ibn Khuzaymah: 1120]
✔ (Ibn al-Qayyim) cites narrations from ʿAbd al-Razzaq, who reported that notable companions like Abu Musa al-Ashʿari, Rafiʿ ibn Khadij, and Anas (رضي الله عنهم) would lie down after the Fajr Sunnah and encouraged others to do so.
[Zad al-Ma‘ad: 1/319]
✔ Many scholars hold that this practice is Mustahabb (recommended).
[Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 2/494; Nayl al-Awtar: 3/53]
❖ Sadly, this Sunnah has been largely abandoned in many places today and needs revival.
