The hadith of 'Aishah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray the two rak'ahs of Fajr in his house.

The questioner : Another hadith, meaning one that follows immediately, from 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that he used to pray the Fajr sunnah in the house. The writer says: When 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar saw the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) praying the two rak'ahs of Fajr in the mosque, he did not see him praying them in the house. And 'Aishah was with him in the house, so she saw him praying them in the house. He says: It is permissible to do this and that.

The Shaykh : We did not differ, but where is the hadith that the Messenger used to pray the Fajr sunnah in the mosque?

The questioner : From 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar.

The Shaykh : How? No, he did not say: in the mosque.

The questioner : And he did not say: in his house.

The Shaykh : It is not necessary that he did not say it...

The questioner : That is what it means.

The Shaykh : Perfect.

The questioner : Okay, why did he mention that one in the house and not mention these?

The Shaykh : This is a question that arises, but due to our inability to give a definitive answer as to why, no scientific loss results from it. However, the soul truly longs to know why he did not say it. It may be for one reason or more, but have we not known the answer yet? For example, this question: Why did he not say the Fajr sunnah or the two rak'ahs of Fajr in the house? We do not know. Do we invalidate the other texts, such as the hadith of Lady 'Aishah and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) in the previous hadith: Do we invalidate these texts and say, no, when he did not mention the Fajr sunnah in the house, it means he used to pray them in his mosque? No. Then the conclusion you are quoting from that writer, which is that it is permissible to pray them in the house and it is permissible to pray them where? In the mosque. This is a conclusion. We agree with him in the conclusion, meaning both are permissible. But we will ask the next question, which is: What is better in the Fajr sunnah, for example? Because the research is still ongoing. What is better: to pray them in the house or in the mosque?

The questioner : According to the hadith you mentioned, in the house.

The Shaykh : Okay, and according to what that writer says.

The questioner : He did not say what is better, meaning I...

The Shaykh : No, we agreed with him on the permissibility, but I want to draw attention to what is the benefit of the writer's assessment you are referring to, that Ibn 'Umar's not mentioning the Fajr sunnah in the house means the Dhuhr, meaning he used to pray them where? In the mosque. What is the fruit of this? If the fruit is that we say it is permissible, then the answer is established with less than that. And if the fruit is equating praying them in the house with praying them in the mosque, the answer is: No. So suppose there is an explicit text that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray the Dhuhr sunnah in the mosque, what is the fruit? Permissibility, permissibility.

The questioner : Permissibility.

The Shaykh : As for what is better?

The questioner : In the house.

The Shaykh : Without a doubt.

The questioner : Meaning, if I, for example, am a student seeking to practice the Sunnah, meaning I love to practice the Sunnah, if I prayed it once in the house and once in the mosque?

The Shaykh : You would have contradicted the Sunnah.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : You would have contradicted the Sunnah, you would have contradicted the practical Sunnah and the verbal Sunnah which specifies the preference. But in both cases, or in both contradictions, if you prayed in the mosque, it is permissible, but you left what is better.

The questioner : You left what is better.

The Shaykh : Yes. The better is what the Messenger did, and the better is what the Messenger encouraged.

The questioner : So the better is in the house.

The Shaykh : Yes, without a doubt.

The questioner : So if there is a necessity, he prays in the mosque.

The Shaykh : It is not a condition that there be a necessity, even if it is for a need other than a necessity.

The questioner : That is what I meant.

The Shaykh : No, because it is not hidden from you that necessity is different from need. So if he prayed it, or meaning lack of interest and lack of desire for the virtues of deeds, so he prayed it in the mosque, there is no obstacle. But he must be on clear knowledge that the better is as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
And therefore, for the sake of this hadith.