Ruling on Delaying the Fajr Prayer

Q: A person is consistent in performing the prayers except for the Fajr prayer; he prays it whenever he wakes up from sleep and does not pray it in the mosque. Is this permissible? We ask you to pray for his success in this prayer specifically, and in the other matters of religion generally.

A: This is a calamity that has befallen many people. Many stay up at night watching television or doing other things, so when Fajr arrives, they are asleep and do not get up for prayer. This is a great evil that is not permissible for a Muslim to do. If a person intentionally does this, he is in great danger, because some scholars have held that he commits disbelief by intentionally leaving its performance in its time. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the authentic hadith: It was narrated by the people of the Sunan with a sound chain.
And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It was narrated by Muslim.
Therefore, it is obligatory for this person and for others who stay up late to fear Allah, to go to sleep early, and to hasten to it so that they can pray the Fajr prayer with the people. As for the one who delays the prayer until he gets up for his worldly work and then prays it after the sun rises, this is a great evil that warrants disciplinary action and a deterrent punishment. He must be asked to repent; if he repents, well and good, otherwise he is killed for this action. It is obligatory for the rulers to ask him to repent; if he repents, well and good, otherwise he is killed, either as a disbeliever or by a fixed punishment, according to the disagreement among the scholars on this matter.
In conclusion, this is a great evil that many people have been afflicted with. Its causes are staying up late and being lax in not going to sleep early. When the time for prayer comes, they are like the dead, unable to get up, and this is not an excuse for them. They must fear Allah, hasten to sleep, and seek help from the clocks whose sound they hear at the Fajr adhan, or from someone among their family or others who wakes them up. Then they should pray with the people. It is not permissible for them to pray at home, nor to pray after the sun rises. All of this is forbidden and an evil that one should not remain silent about. Rather, they must get up at the time and pray with the Muslims in their mosques. It is not permissible for them to delay it until they pray it at home, even if it is within the time. It is not permissible for them to delay it until after the sun rises, and this is more evil, more severe, and more ugly. We ask Allah for safety and well-being, and we ask Allah for the questioner and others for success and guidance.