From: Fatāwā ʿUlamāʾ-e-Ḥadīth, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Volume 1, Pages 155–156
Starting the Fajr prayer this late is not only contrary to the Sunnah but is also considered impermissible according to the Ḥanafī school.
(Fayḍ al-Bārī, Volume 1, Page 134)
(Muḥaddith Dehlī, Volume 9, Issue 5)
❀ Question
In our village, the congregational Fajr prayer is held quite late — only ten minutes before sunrise. Is this practice in accordance with the Sunnah?❀ Answer
Delaying the Fajr congregation to such an extent, near the time of sunrise, is against the consistent practice of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Rightly Guided Caliphs. The Prophet ﷺ and his Companions used to offer the Fajr prayer during ghalas — i.e., in darkness, before dawn visibly brightened.Starting the Fajr prayer this late is not only contrary to the Sunnah but is also considered impermissible according to the Ḥanafī school.
❀ Statement of Mawlānā Anwar Shāh
"According to us, 'Isfār' means completing the Fajr prayer at such a time that, if for some excuse it needs to be repeated, there is still sufficient time to do so before sunrise — while also maintaining the performance of the Sunnah prayers."(Fayḍ al-Bārī, Volume 1, Page 134)
(Muḥaddith Dehlī, Volume 9, Issue 5)
