If the imam prays Fajr before its time has entered, should we pray with them or not?

The questioner : The adhan for Fajr is called before its legal time, so the imam leads the people in prayer and finishes the prayer while the time is entering. The question raised is: what is the obligatory duty for the young Muslim to perform?

The Shaykh : Do you mean the Fajr prayer or the Zuhr prayer?

The questioner : The Fajr prayer, O Shaykh.

The Shaykh : Fajr. In this case, we advise that all Muslims leave their homes to their mosques to pray with the Muslim congregation, even if they believe that the imam is praying before the legal time. They consider this prayer a voluntary prayer, then they return to their homes and pray in congregation with their families. Thus, they combine the congregational prayer in the mosque, which is voluntary for them, with the Fajr prayer in its prescribed time in their homes. In addition to this, if it is possible, those who are praying in the mosque following the congregation, if they have some knowledge of correct Islamic jurisprudence, should alert the imam and those praying behind him who have no knowledge, teaching them the legal time for the true Fajr. If they can do that, a time may come when these imams retract from their ignorance of the legal time and pray in the legal time, and you pray with them at that time once. Because the principle regarding the obligatory prayer is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) meaning it is not permissible for a Muslim to pray the same obligatory prayer twice with the intention of obligation. However, praying once with the intention of obligation and another time with the intention of voluntary, or once with the intention of voluntary and another time with the intention of obligation, this is established in many authentic hadiths. I hope you understood me, if Allah wills.

The questioner : Yes, O Shaykh, it is understood. I think, O Shaykh, you mean by that, as I suppose, the hadith of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him).

The Shaykh : What matters to you is this detail? This is not a place for detail. The free [person] is sufficient with the indication, and it suffices him instead of the explicit expression. The important thing is if you have another question, ask it, otherwise make room for someone else.

The questioner : I think it was measured by analogy to this hadith, but is this analogy an analogy with a difference?

The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. Leave the detail for now. An analogy with a difference, not a difference. There is no analogy here; there are texts.