The Ruling on the Fajr Prayer and Its Time
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Question:
The questioner says: Is the Fajr prayer obligatory or voluntary? And when is its time? I ask for clarification on this. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The Fajr prayer is one of the five obligatory prayers, one of the five obligatory prayers by the consensus of the Muslims. It is obligatory for every accountable person, male or female, to perform the five prayers: Fajr with two rak'ahs, Zuhr with four rak'ahs, 'Asr with four rak'ahs, Maghrib with three rak'ahs, and 'Isha' with four rak'ahs. It is obligatory for all accountable Muslim men and women to perform these five prayers with tranquility and sincerity for the sake of Allah.
One prays Fajr with two rak'ahs, reciting al-Fatihah and whatever is easy for him with it in the first rak'ah, then he bows and is tranquil, then he rises and stands upright and is tranquil, then he prostrates two prostrations and is tranquil in them, saying in them: "Subhan Rabbi al-A'la" (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High), and he says in the bowing: "Subhan Rabbi al-Azim" (Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent). He sits between the two prostrations and is tranquil, saying: "My Lord, forgive me... My Lord, forgive me." He is tranquil and stands upright after the bowing, standing tranquil after the bowing before he prostrates. Then the second rak'ah is the same in Fajr. Then he sits and recites the known tashahhud. Then after reciting the tashahhud and sending blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he seeks refuge with Allah from the punishment of the Hellfire, from the punishment of the grave, from the trial of life and death, and from the trial of the Dajjal (the false messiah). He supplicates with whatever is easy for him of supplication, and among that isSunan Abi Dawud 1522Sahih (Al-Albani). Then he says the closing salam twice: "As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah" (Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah) to his right, and "As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah" to his left.
And in Zuhr there are four rak'ahs. One prays two rak'ahs with al-Fatihah and whatever is easy for him with it, then he sits for the first tashahhud, reciting the tashahhud up to the two testimonies. If he sends blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), it is better. Then he stands and performs the third and fourth rak'ahs.
And 'Asr is the same, and 'Isha' is the same, four rak'ahs. As for Maghrib, it is three. One prays two rak'ahs and sits for the first tashahhud, then he stands and performs a third rak'ah. He sits for the final tashahhud after sending blessings upon the Prophet and supplicating. Maghrib is concluded this way.
Except for the traveler, who prays Zuhr with two rak'ahs, 'Asr with two rak'ahs, and 'Isha' with two rak'ahs, shortening them. If he is a traveler, he prays Zuhr with two rak'ahs, shortening it, and 'Asr with two rak'ahs, and 'Isha' with two rak'ahs. As for Fajr, it remains as it is in travel and residence, and likewise Maghrib remains as it is in travel and residence.
It is obligatory for every accountable person to learn and understand the religion. This is the obligation; because they were created to worship Allah. Allah the Exalted says: [Surat ad-Dhariyat: 56]. The prayers are part of this worship for which you were created. So you must learn, and it is obligatory for the woman to learn, and to ask the people of knowledge until she understands the religion of Allah, and until she is upon clear evidence. And likewise the man. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 1037a And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 1893a And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 2699a.
And I advise listening to the Quran Radio, for there is knowledge in it. The Quran Radio has "Nur 'ala al-Darb" (Light on the Path) for the scholars, with useful lectures and scientific seminars. I advise all my brothers and sisters in Allah to listen to the Quran Radio and benefit from it, and to ask the people of knowledge about whatever is difficult for them via telephone or via correspondence. It is necessary to understand the religion, it is necessary to ask. May Allah guide them all. Yes.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good for this blessed guidance, O Shaykh.
The questioner says: Is the Fajr prayer obligatory or voluntary? And when is its time? I ask for clarification on this. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The Fajr prayer is one of the five obligatory prayers, one of the five obligatory prayers by the consensus of the Muslims. It is obligatory for every accountable person, male or female, to perform the five prayers: Fajr with two rak'ahs, Zuhr with four rak'ahs, 'Asr with four rak'ahs, Maghrib with three rak'ahs, and 'Isha' with four rak'ahs. It is obligatory for all accountable Muslim men and women to perform these five prayers with tranquility and sincerity for the sake of Allah.
One prays Fajr with two rak'ahs, reciting al-Fatihah and whatever is easy for him with it in the first rak'ah, then he bows and is tranquil, then he rises and stands upright and is tranquil, then he prostrates two prostrations and is tranquil in them, saying in them: "Subhan Rabbi al-A'la" (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High), and he says in the bowing: "Subhan Rabbi al-Azim" (Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent). He sits between the two prostrations and is tranquil, saying: "My Lord, forgive me... My Lord, forgive me." He is tranquil and stands upright after the bowing, standing tranquil after the bowing before he prostrates. Then the second rak'ah is the same in Fajr. Then he sits and recites the known tashahhud. Then after reciting the tashahhud and sending blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he seeks refuge with Allah from the punishment of the Hellfire, from the punishment of the grave, from the trial of life and death, and from the trial of the Dajjal (the false messiah). He supplicates with whatever is easy for him of supplication, and among that is
O Allah, help me in remembering You, in giving You thanks, and worshipping You well.
اللهم أعني على ذكرك، وشكرك وحسن عبادتكAnd in Zuhr there are four rak'ahs. One prays two rak'ahs with al-Fatihah and whatever is easy for him with it, then he sits for the first tashahhud, reciting the tashahhud up to the two testimonies. If he sends blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), it is better. Then he stands and performs the third and fourth rak'ahs.
And 'Asr is the same, and 'Isha' is the same, four rak'ahs. As for Maghrib, it is three. One prays two rak'ahs and sits for the first tashahhud, then he stands and performs a third rak'ah. He sits for the final tashahhud after sending blessings upon the Prophet and supplicating. Maghrib is concluded this way.
Except for the traveler, who prays Zuhr with two rak'ahs, 'Asr with two rak'ahs, and 'Isha' with two rak'ahs, shortening them. If he is a traveler, he prays Zuhr with two rak'ahs, shortening it, and 'Asr with two rak'ahs, and 'Isha' with two rak'ahs. As for Fajr, it remains as it is in travel and residence, and likewise Maghrib remains as it is in travel and residence.
It is obligatory for every accountable person to learn and understand the religion. This is the obligation; because they were created to worship Allah. Allah the Exalted says:
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِHe upon whom Allah intends to bestow goodness, He confers upon him an insight in religion
من يرد الله به خيرًا يفقهه في الدينOne who guides to something good has a reward similar to that of its doer.
من دل على خير فله مثل أجر فاعلهhe who treads the path in search of knowledge, Allah would make that path easy, leading to Paradise for him
من سلك طريقًا يلتمس فيه علمًا سهل الله له به طريقًا إلى الجنةAnd I advise listening to the Quran Radio, for there is knowledge in it. The Quran Radio has "Nur 'ala al-Darb" (Light on the Path) for the scholars, with useful lectures and scientific seminars. I advise all my brothers and sisters in Allah to listen to the Quran Radio and benefit from it, and to ask the people of knowledge about whatever is difficult for them via telephone or via correspondence. It is necessary to understand the religion, it is necessary to ask. May Allah guide them all. Yes.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good for this blessed guidance, O Shaykh.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.