What is meant by shortening the two rak'ahs of Fajr?
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The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
It has been reported, O esteemed Shaykh, that there is a virtue in shortening the two rak'ahs of Fajr. Is the meaning of shortening that one should be quick in them and perform the minimum of perfection in terms of tasbih? And regarding the case where the adhan for Fajr prayer is called while I am in the qunut of witr, am I considered to have caught the witr?
The Shaykh : Yes, the Sunnah of Fajr involves shortening. A person recites in the first rak'ah: and in the second: [Al-Ikhlas 112:1] or he recites in the first: [Al-Baqarah 2:136] the verse in Surat al-Baqarah, and in the second: [Ali 'Imran 3:64] the verse in Ali 'Imran.
In the ruku', he also shortens, limiting himself to the minimum of perfection, three times: Subhan Rabbi al-'Azeem. In the sujud, likewise, and in the tashahhud, he does not prolong it. This is the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). For this reason, we say that if a person leaves his house for the mosque and did not pray the rawatib at home, the best thing is that when he reaches the mosque, he prays the Sunnah of Fajr with shortening, and it suffices as the greeting of the mosque. That is, it is better than praying the greeting of the mosque first and then the Sunnah second, because the shortening of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in what is established as recommended in this time indicates that it is not befitting to add to this time beyond the amount recommended. Here, if he prays the Sunnah of Fajr upon entering the mosque, it suffices as the greeting of the mosque. So the best is to limit himself to the two rak'ahs with the intention of the rawatib, and it suffices for him as the greeting of the mosque. This is regarding the first question. The second question?
The questioner : If the Fajr adhan is called!
The Shaykh : If the adhan is called and you are in the witr, complete the witr, and you will be considered to have caught it. First: because of the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):Muwatta Malik 1:15.
And secondly: because most mu'adhdhins in Fajr call the adhan before the time. This is because it has been established for us through the precise calculation of some of our brothers who have expertise in astronomy that the existing calendar is five minutes ahead of the time. This means that a person is free until five minutes after the time according to the existing calendar. This is only in Fajr, as for the other times, they have not shown us a difference.
However, some of our brothers exaggerate in the matter of Fajr, saying that Fajr does not end until a third of an hour or a quarter of an hour after the existing time. But this appears to contain some exaggeration. It is only five minutes, and our brothers who have knowledge of astronomy have told us that five minutes is confirmed in the advance. For this reason, you should not rush the two rak'ahs of Fajr if you know that he calls the adhan according to the calendar.
The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
It has been reported, O esteemed Shaykh, that there is a virtue in shortening the two rak'ahs of Fajr. Is the meaning of shortening that one should be quick in them and perform the minimum of perfection in terms of tasbih? And regarding the case where the adhan for Fajr prayer is called while I am in the qunut of witr, am I considered to have caught the witr?
The Shaykh : Yes, the Sunnah of Fajr involves shortening. A person recites in the first rak'ah:
Say: O you disbelievers!
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَSay, "He is Allah, [who is] One,
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌSay, [O believers], "We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us
قُولُوا آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْنَاSay, "O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you
قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْIn the ruku', he also shortens, limiting himself to the minimum of perfection, three times: Subhan Rabbi al-'Azeem. In the sujud, likewise, and in the tashahhud, he does not prolong it. This is the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). For this reason, we say that if a person leaves his house for the mosque and did not pray the rawatib at home, the best thing is that when he reaches the mosque, he prays the Sunnah of Fajr with shortening, and it suffices as the greeting of the mosque. That is, it is better than praying the greeting of the mosque first and then the Sunnah second, because the shortening of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in what is established as recommended in this time indicates that it is not befitting to add to this time beyond the amount recommended. Here, if he prays the Sunnah of Fajr upon entering the mosque, it suffices as the greeting of the mosque. So the best is to limit himself to the two rak'ahs with the intention of the rawatib, and it suffices for him as the greeting of the mosque. This is regarding the first question. The second question?
The questioner : If the Fajr adhan is called!
The Shaykh : If the adhan is called and you are in the witr, complete the witr, and you will be considered to have caught it. First: because of the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):
Whoever catches a raka of the prayer has caught the prayer.
من أدرك ركعة من الصلاة فقد أدرك الصلاةAnd secondly: because most mu'adhdhins in Fajr call the adhan before the time. This is because it has been established for us through the precise calculation of some of our brothers who have expertise in astronomy that the existing calendar is five minutes ahead of the time. This means that a person is free until five minutes after the time according to the existing calendar. This is only in Fajr, as for the other times, they have not shown us a difference.
However, some of our brothers exaggerate in the matter of Fajr, saying that Fajr does not end until a third of an hour or a quarter of an hour after the existing time. But this appears to contain some exaggeration. It is only five minutes, and our brothers who have knowledge of astronomy have told us that five minutes is confirmed in the advance. For this reason, you should not rush the two rak'ahs of Fajr if you know that he calls the adhan according to the calendar.