Performing the Sunnah of Fajr After the Farḍ Prayer – Evidence from Ḥadīth and Sharʿī Proofs

Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil – Discussion on Ṣalāh, Vol. 1, p. 214

❖ Question:​

Can a person perform the Sunnah rakʿahs of Fajr immediately after the Farḍ prayer? If yes, is there any ḥadīth or Sharʿī reference for this?

❖ Answer:​

Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʿammā baʿd!


Yes, performing the Sunnah of Fajr after the Farḍ prayer is permissible if they were missed before, and this is proven by authentic narrations.

✦ Primary Ḥadīth Evidence​

Imām al-Dāraquṭnī narrated in his Sunan:


Narration:
ʿAbd Allāh ibn Saʿīd reported from his father, from his grandfather:
He came while the Prophet ﷺ was performing the Fajr prayer. He prayed with him, and when the Prophet ﷺ finished, he (the man) stood up and prayed the two Sunnah rakʿahs of Fajr. The Prophet ﷺ asked: “What are these two rakʿahs?” He replied: “I had not prayed them before Fajr.” The Prophet ﷺ remained silent and did not say anything.
(Sunan al-Dāraquṭnī, Vol. 1, p. 384, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh)


This silence of the Prophet ﷺ shows approval.

✦ Other Ḥadīth Sources​

• This narration is also found in al-Mustadrak al-Ḥākim, Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah, and Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān, which further confirm its authenticity.

✦ Clarifying the Ḥadīth: «لَا صَلَاةَ بَعْدَ صَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ»​

Some cite the ḥadīth:


«لَا صَلَاةَ بَعْدَ صَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ»
"There is no prayer after the Fajr prayer."


The scholars have explained that this is not absolute; exceptions exist. Even Ḥanafī scholars agree that a missed obligatory prayer may be made up after Fajr but before sunrise.


Thus, this general prohibition is specified by other ḥadīths, including the above narration from al-Dāraquṭnī.

✦ Timing of the Sunnah of Fajr​

• The time of Fajr Sunnahs extends until sunrise, just like the time of the Fajr Farḍ prayer.
• Hence, if prayed after Farḍ but before sunrise, they are still considered performed on time (adāʾ), not qaḍāʾ.

✦ Praying After Sunrise​

• If the Sunnahs are not prayed until after sunrise, then performing them is allowed but will be counted as qaḍāʾ.
• Leaving them until after sunrise and preferring qaḍāʾ over adāʾ is not the preferred method.
• Importantly, there is no authentic ḥadīth proving that the Sunnahs of Fajr should deliberately be delayed until after sunrise.

Conclusion​

◈ If Fajr Sunnahs are missed, they may be prayed immediately after the Farḍ prayer but before sunrise.
◈ This is supported by authentic narrations, and the Prophet ﷺ did not object to it.
◈ Performing them after sunrise counts as qaḍāʾ, which is permissible but less virtuous.


ھٰذا ما عندي، واللّٰه أعلم بالصواب