Al Minah Al `Aliyyah (11)

Secondly,

Fajr Time

There are numerous actions that form part of the Sunnah of the Prophet r , of which include :

To repeat after the Muezzin. It is Sunnah for the one who hears the adhan to repeat the same words as the adhan except when the Muezzin says, “Hayy ‘ala as-Salah, hayy ‘alal al-falah,” a person should say, لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله “lahawla wa la quwata illa billah,” (there is neither might nor power except in Allah) in its place in accordance with the following hadith. It was narrated from ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab t that the Allah’s Messenger r  said:

“If the Muezzin says, ‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar (Allah is most great, Allah is most great),’ and one of you says, ‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar (Allah is most great, Allah is most great)’; Then he says, ‘Ashhadu an lā ilāha ill-Allah (I bear witness that there is no god except Allah),’ and you say, ‘Ashhadu an lā ilāha ill-Allāh (I bear witness that there is no god except Allah)’; Then he says, ‘Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah (I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah),’ and you say, ‘Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah (I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah)’; Then he says, ‘Hayya ‘alal-solāh (Come to prayer),’ and you say, ‘La hawla wa lā quwwata illa Billāh (There is no power and no strength except with Allah)’; Then he says, ‘Hayya ‘alal-falāh (come to prosperity),’ and you say, ‘Lā hawla wa lā quwwata illa Billāh (There is no power and no strength except with Allah)’; Then he says, ‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar (Allah is most great, Allah is most great),’ and you say, ‘Allāhu Akbar, Allāhu Akbar (Allah is most great, Allah is most great)’; Then he says, ‘Lā ilāha illallāh (There is no god but Allah),’ and one of you says, ‘Lā ilāha illallāh (There is no god but Allah),’ From the heart, he will enter Paradise.”^[1]

Ibn al-Qayyem (may Allah have mercy upon him) said,

“This responds to the great wisdom of the link between the Muezzin and the one who hears him. Therefore, the words of the adhan are dhikr, and it is the Sunnah to repeat them. The words “hayy ‘ala as-Salah” (come to pray) is the call for the prayer, hence, it is Sunnah for the one who hears the adhan to say: “There is neither might nor power except in Allah, asking Allah’s aid to be able to offer the prayer.^[2]

During the Fajr prayer when the Muezzin says, “As-salaatul khairun mina an-Nawn,” (prayer is better than sleep) instead of “hay ‘ala as-Salah.” Sheikh Muhammad Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy upon him) said, “The Prophet’s r saying, ‘Say as the Muezzin say,’ indicates that the one who hears the dawn adhan is allowed to say that prayer is better than sleep.”^[3] Ibn Hajar reported from Ibn Juraij that the latter said, “I reported that people used to listen to the adhan the same way as they would listen to the Qur’an.” ^[4]

To say the following dhikr after hearing the two testimonies of the Muezzin (I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad r is Allah’s Messenger). It is Sunnah to say the following dhikr after the Muezzin’s saying, “I bear witness that Muhammad r is Allah’s Messenger.” This is proven by the hadith of Sa’d Ibn abi Waqqas t as he narrated that the Prophet r said,

“Whoever says, when he hears the muezzin: ‘Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika lahu wa anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa Rasuluhu, raditu Billahi Rabban, wa bil-Islami dinan wa bi Muhammadin Rasula (I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah alone, with no partner or associate, and that Muhammad is the His slave and Messenger; I am content with Allah as my Lord, Islam as my religion and Muhammad as my Messenger),’ his sins will be forgiven.”^[5]

To send peace and blessings upon Prophet Muhammad r after the adhan.  ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah’s Messenger r said,

“Whoever says upon hearing the adhan, Allaahumma rabba haadhihi da’waatu-t-taamma wa-s-walaatul qaaeema , aati Muhammad al-waseela wal-fadhwila , wab’athuhu maqaaman mahmoomadaan allaadhi wa’addtahu (O Allah Lord of this perfect call and this established prayer, grant Muhammad the Highest station (al-waseela) and the honor: and resurrect him in the praiseworthy position which You have promised him.” Whoever says this upon hearing the adhan, then my intercession becomes due to him. ”^[6]

“The best formula to be said is the Abrahamic one which is, « اللهم صلِّ على محمد وعلى آل محمد ,كما صليت على إبراهيم...»

‘O Allah! Send Your peace and blessings upon Muhammad and his family the same as You did to Ibrahim and his family…’ up to the end.’”

To make supplication after the adhan: Jabir t narrated that the Prophet r said,

 “Whoever says the following after hearing the call to prayer deserves my intercession (shafa`a) on the Day of Judgment:

«اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ ، وَالصَّلَاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ ، آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ ، وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ ،حَلَّتْ لَهُ شَفَاعَتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ »

‘O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and ready prayer! Grant Muhammad the mediation (waseela) and honor, and resurrect him on the praised station that you have promised him . ”^[7] The word waseela here is defined by the previous hadith narrated by ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) “Then ask Allah to grant me the mediation (waseela), for it is a rank in Paradise that none but a single servant of Allah’s servants deserves, and I hope that it be me, so whoever asks Allah that he grant me the mediation shall have my intercession.”^[8]

The word fadilah mentioned in the supplication is a rank in heaven that is only given to Prophet Muhammad r. Sheikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen (may Allah have mercy upon him) said,

“The perfect call mentioned in the hadith is the adhan. It is described as complete because it includes the Oneness and Greatness of Allah, confession of the two testimonies and call to goodness. The praiseworthy position includes all manifestations of the Day of Judgement, particularity the great intercession granted to Prophet Muhammad r. ” ^[9]

To supplicate after the adhan as ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr  (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, “A man said to Allah’s Messenger r :  ‘O Messenger of Allah! Muezzins are more privileged than us!’ He replied said,

‘Say as they say and when you finish ask Allah and He will respond to your request.’” ^[10]

 Also, there is the hadith narrated by Anas t where the Prophet r is reported to have said,

“A supplication made between the Adhan and Iqama is not rejected.” ^[11]

Leaving the mosque after the adhan

has been pronounced is not permitted .

What proves this is the hadith that Muslim reported. Abu al-Sha’tha said, we were sitting with Abu Hurairah t in the mosque. A man went out of the mosque after the adhan for the afternoon prayer had been called. Abu Hurairah said: “As in regards to this (man), he had disobeyed Abu al-Qasim, the Prophet r."^[12]

The Sunnah of Fajr (i.e. offering two rak ’ahs that precede the two obligatory raka ’at ), includes many Sunnan :

It is one of the daily Sunnan that the Muslim performs routinely. It comprises of numerous acts of other Sunnan. Before presenting them, it is compulsory on me to present the permanent Sunnan that the Muslim performs on a daily basis and they are the twelve raka’at. 

The hadith of Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her-) who said,

“I heard the Messenger of Allah r saying, ‘Whoever prays twelve rak’ahs in a day, Allah I, the Mighty and Sublime, will build for him a house in Paradise.’” ^[13]

 In another narration by At-Tirmidhi, he added,

“Four Rak‘ahs before Dhuhr and two Rak‘ahs after Dhuhr, two Rak‘ahs after Maghrib, two Rak‘ahs after ‘Isha and two Rak‘ahs before Fajr prayer.” ^[14]

It would be better to offer the regular Sunnah at home and what proves this are the following ahadith:

 Zaid Ibn Thabit t narrated that Allah’s Messenger r said,

“O people! Perform your (voluntary) Salat (prayers) at your homes because the best prayer of a man is the one he performs at home, except for the obligatory prayers.’’^[15]

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased him) narrated that the Prophet r said,

“Do not turn your homes into graveyards, observe some of the Nawafil (voluntary) prayers in your homes.’’^[16]

Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah t narrated that Allah’s Messenger r said,

“If one of you performs prayer at the mosque, let him offer the additional (voluntary) prayers at home, as Allah will give him goodness for doing that.”^[17]

Assurance of the daily Sunnan ,

what indicates this are the following ahadith:

‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “I would not leave the two rak’ahs before Fajr prayer under any circumstance. ”^[18]

‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Prophet r said,

“The two rak’ahs of Fajr are better than the whole word.”^[19]

Imam Muslim also reports through ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet r also said that.^[20]

Besides, it was reported in the two sahih ahadith that the Prophet r would neither leave the two rak’ahs before Fajr nor the witr whether travelling or not. Ibn Al-Qayyem (may Allah have mercy upon him) said,

“He r would not leave the Sunnah of Fajr whether travelling or at home. He used to stick to the witr and Fajr Sunnah more than anything else. He was not reported to offer any other Sunnan in his travels apart from these two.” ^[21]

The Sunnah of Fajr include many things :

Firstly, its legality in travel or residence as we have already explained. As for the rest of Sunnan, it is better to leave them in these two cases as the Sunnan of noon, afternoon and sunset prayers.

Secondly, its reward is better than the whole world as was stated.

Thirdly, it would be better to perform them quickly.  What proves this is the hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) as she stated, “The Prophet r used to perform the two rak’ahs before the Fajr prayer so quickly that I would wonder whether he recited al- Fatihah or not. ”^[22]

Yet, this performing of the Sunnah quickly should not lead the person to hasten his prayer to such an extent so that it would spoil their prayer.

Fourthly, it is Sunnah to recite the chapter of Al-Kafiron (no. 108)ﮋ ﭑ  ﭒ  ﭓ ژ in the first raka’ah after al-Fatihah and to read the chapter of ﮋ ﭑ  ﭒ  ﭓ  ﭔ ژ Al-Ikhlas (no. 112).  Alternatively, a person can recite the following verse in the first Raka’ah,

{ قُولُوا آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَى وَعِيسَى وَمَا أُوتِيَ النَّبِيُّونَ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ } [البقرة: 136]

“Say (O Muslims), ‘We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma’il (Ishmael), Ishaque (Isaac), Ya’qub (Jacob), and to Al-Asbat [the twelve sons of Ya’qub (Jacob)], and that which has been given to Musa (Moses) and ‘Iesa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam).’”        (2:136)

In the second raka’ah a person can can recite the following verse,

{ قُلْ يَاأَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ} [آل عمران: 64]

 “Say (O Muhammad):“O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: “Bear witness that we are Muslims.”                              (3:64)

These are some of the Sunnan that came in different forms and a Muslim may follow any of which they want to choose.

 What supports this is the following:

The hadith of Abu Hurairah t that the Prophet r used to recite chapter no. ﮋ ﭑ  ﭒ  ﭓ    ژ 108 and chapter no. ﮋ ﭑ  ﭒ  ﭓ  ﭔ    ژ 112 in the second raka’ah. ^[23]

 The hadith of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) which mentions that Allah’s Messenger r would recite the verse:

{ قُولُوا آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ } [البقرة: 136]

 “Say (O Muslims), “We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham).” (2:136)

In addition to this, he would read the following verse in the second raka’ah,

{فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّ عِيسَى مِنْهُمُ الْكُفْرَ قَالَ مَنْ أَنْصَارِي إِلَى اللَّهِ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ اللَّهِ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ} [آل عمران: 52]

 “Then when ‘Iesa (Jesus) came to know of their disbelief, he said: “Who will be my helpers in Allah’s Cause?” Al-Hawariun (the disciples) said: “We are the helpers of Allah; we believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e. we submit to Allah).”                                  (3:52)

In Muslim’s narration through Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) it says that in the second raka’ah the following verse is to be recited,

{ قُلْ يَاأَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ } [آل عمران: 64]

 “Say (O Muhammad): “O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you.”                                                  (3:64)

Fifthly, it is Sunnah to lie on the right side after finishing the Fajr prayer according to the following ahadith:

‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that, “The Prophet r would lie on his right side when he finished performing the two rak’ahs of Fajr. ”^[24]

‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that, “The Prophet r would talk to me when he would finish the two rak’ahs of Fajr if he found me awake, if he found me asleep, he would lie down.”^[25]

It is advised to perform the salaah while it is still dark, i.e. to offer it on time. This is the opinion that the majority of scholars chose and this is supported by the following ahadith:

‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated, “Women would pray Fajr with the Prophet r , and they would return wrapped in their garments, unknown in the darkness.”^[26]

The hadith of Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah t narrated that the Prophet r prayed the morning prayer and it was still dark.^[27]