The ruling on qunut in the final rak'ah of the Fajr prayer

Question:
May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good. The listener, 'Atiyyah Hasan al-'Awad, also asks about qunut in the final rak'ah of the Fajr prayer: what is its ruling? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
The ruling, according to the majority of scholars, is that it is a bid'ah (religious innovation), except in times of calamity. When a calamity befalls the Muslims, such as an enemy besieging them or a sudden danger threatening them, they perform qunut in the Fajr prayer and in other obligatory prayers until Allah removes what is afflicting them. Qunut is the supplication made after bowing in the final rak'ah during such calamities. As for performing qunut in the Fajr prayer on a permanent basis, the scholars have stated that this was not part of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and that it is an invented matter. As for the narration that he continued to perform qunut in the Fajr prayer until he passed away, the intended meaning of qunut here is prolonging the standing. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to prolong his standing in the Fajr prayer. It is no doubt said that standing and recitation are part of the Fajr prayer, as Allah the Exalted said: . Qunut has several meanings; the scholars mentioned that it has ten meanings, one of which is prolonging the standing. Therefore, the qunut in the Fajr prayer that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) persisted in until he passed away is the prolonging of the standing and the lengthening of the recitation therein. This is what is prescribed.