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Fajr prayer

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"Fajr" redirects here. For other uses, see Fajr (disambiguation).
Fajr prayer
Late summer dawn over the Mojave Desert, California
Official nameصلاة الفجر، صلاة الصبح، صلاة الغداة
Observed byMuslims
SignificanceA Muslim prayer offered to God at the dawn hour of the morning.
ObservancesSunnah prayer (صلاة السنة)
BeginsDawn
Ends
  • Sunnis (except Malikis), Shias, many Quranists: Sunrise
  • Malikis: The time you can see people's faces (in the case of a valid excuse, it is extended to sunrise)
  • Ahmadis: "A few minutes before" Sunrise
FrequencyDaily
Related toSalah, Qunut, Five Pillars of Islam
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The Fajr prayer[a], also known as the Subh prayer[b][c], is one of the salah (daily Islamic prayer) offered in the early morning. Consisting of two rak'a (units), it is performed between the break of dawn and sunrise.[2][3] It is one of two prayers mentioned by name in the Quran.[4][5] Due to its timing, Islamic belief holds the Fajr prayer to be of great importance. During the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Muslims begin fasting with the Fajr prayer.

Quran and Ahadith

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Quran 11:114 establishes Fajr as it talks about prayer "at both ends of the day":

Establish prayer ˹O Prophet˺ at both ends of the day and in the early part of the night. Surely good deeds wipe out evil deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful.

— Quran 11:114 ("The Clear Quran" translation by Mustafa Khattab)

The Quran also mentions Fajr prayer in 17:78 as being a prayer witnessed by angels:

Observe the prayer from the decline of the sun until the darkness of the night and the dawn prayer, for certainly the dawn prayer is witnessed ˹by angels˺.

— Quran 17:78 ("The Clear Quran" translation by Mustafa Khattab)

Several ahadith also claim that there will be many benefits given to those who pray Fajr:

Narrated Jarir bin `Abdullah: We were with the Prophet (ﷺ) on a full moon night. He looked at the moon and said, "You will certainly see your Lord as you see this moon, and there will be no trouble in seeing Him. So if you can avoid missing (through sleep, business, etc.) a prayer before the rising of the sun (Fajr) and before its setting (`Asr) you must do so. He (the Prophet (ﷺ) ) then recited the following verse: And celebrate the praises Of Your Lord before The rising of the sun And before (its) setting." (50.39)

— Sahih al-Bukhari 573, Sahih Muslim 633a, Sunan Abi Dawud 4729, Sunan Ibn Majah 177

Narrated Abu Bakr bin Abi Musa: My father said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'Whoever prays the two cool prayers (`Asr and Fajr) will go to Paradise.' "

— Sahih al-Bukhari 574

Jundab b. 'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who prayed the morning prayer (in congregation) he is in fact under the protection of Allah. And it can never happen that Allah should demand anything from you in connection with the protection (that He guarantees) and one should not get it. He would then throw him in the fire of Hell.

— Sahih Muslim 657a

'A'isha reported Allah's Messenger as saying: The two rak'ahs at dawn are better than this world and what it contains.

— Sahih Muslim 725a

Anas bin Malik narrated that: the Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever prays Fajr in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until the sun has risen, then he prays two Rak'ah, then for him is the reward like that of a Hajj and Umrah." He said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Complete, complete, complete.'"

— Jami` at-Tirmidhi 586

Ahadith also claim that the munafiqun struggled the most with Fajr and Isha:

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "No prayer is heavier upon the hypocrites than the Fajr and the `Isha' prayers and if they knew what is in them (in reward), they would have attended them, even if (it was) crawling. Certainly, I felt the urge to order the Mu'adh-dhin (call-maker) so that he would pronounce Iqama, then order a man to lead the people (in prayer), then take a flame of fire so that I burn (the houses) upon those who had not left for the prayer yet."

— Sahih al-Bukhari 657, Sahih Muslim 651b, Sunan an-Nasa'i 843, Sunan Ibn Majah 797

Format

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The Fajr prayer consists of two compulsory (fardh) rak'a. In addition, there is the voluntary sunnah prayer, consisting of 2 rak'a and is done before the compulsory prayer.[6] In Fajr, Al-Fatiha and the additional surah are to be read aloud (jahr), like Maghrib and Isha.[7]

Sunni Islam

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The most burdensome prayers for the hypocrites are the 'Isha' prayer and the Fajr prayer. If only they knew what (reward) there is in them, they would come to them even if they had to crawl.

Muhammad, narrated by Ibn Majah in Sunan Ibn Majah

  • Beginning time: The schools agree that the time period for prayer begins at "the true dawn" (al-fajr al-sadiq). The true dawn is indicated by a white line appearing across the horizon, in contrast to "the false dawn" (al-fajr al-kadhib) shortly before which appears as a vertical line.[8][9][1]
  • End time: With the exception of the Malikis, the schools agree that the prayer time ends at sunrise. For Malikis, it lasts until faces are recognizable (the time of isfar), however, if one has a valid excuse, they can pray until sunrise.[9][1]

Shia Islam

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  • Beginning time: Shias also believe that the time period for Fajr begins at the true dawn.[9]
  • End time: Shias also believe that the prayer time ends at sunrise.[9]

Ahmadi Islam

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  • Beginning time: Ahmadis also believe that the time period for Fajr begins at dawn.[10]
  • End time: Ahmadis believe that the time period for Fajr ends "a few minutes before sunrise".[10]

Quranist Islam

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  • Beginning time: Many Quranists also believe that the time period for Fajr starts at dawn.[11][12][13]
  • End time: Many Quranists also believe that the time period for Fajr ends at sunrise.[11][12][13]

See also

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The other Islamic obligatory prayers, which are, in chronological order following the Fajr prayer: Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha.

  • Sunnah and nafl prayers – optional prayers performed by Muslims, some of which are performed before or after the obligatory prayers
  • Shacharit – the Jewish morning prayer

Notes

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  1. ^ Arabic: صَلَاةُ الْفَجْر, romanized: Ṣalāt al-Fajr
  2. ^ Arabic: صَلَاةُ الْصُبْح, romanized: Ṣalāt al-Ṣubḥ
  3. ^ Some Malikis do not use them interchangeably, referring to the two-rakat voluntary Sunnah prayer as "Fajr" and the two-rakat mandatory Fardh prayer as "Subh"[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Times of the Prayer – Shaykh Muhammad al-'Arabi al-Qarawi". 2015-04-10. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  2. ^ Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim world. Internet Archive. New York : Macmillan Reference USA : Thomson/Gale. 2004. ISBN 978-0-02-865603-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. ^ Glassé, Cyril (2001). The new encyclopedia of Islam. Internet Archive. Walnut Creek, CA : AltaMira Press. ISBN 978-0-7591-0189-0.
  4. ^ 89
  5. ^ 103
  6. ^ sufyan (2011-07-05). "What Are the Confirmed Sunna and Non-Confirmed Sunna Prayers Associated With the Obligatory Prayers?". SeekersGuidance. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  7. ^ Monnot, Guy (1995). Encyclopaedia of Islam. Vol. VIII (New ed.). Leiden: Brill Publishers. p. 928. ISBN 9004098348.
  8. ^ "Different Types of Adhan | Mohammad Zahid". www.inkoffaith.com. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  9. ^ a b c d "Prayer (Salat): According to Five Islamic Schools of Law Part 1". www.al-islam.org. 2013-11-12. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  10. ^ a b "Glossary of Terms". Al Islam. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  11. ^ a b "True Islam - Number of Salat". Quran-Islam. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  12. ^ a b Yüksel, Edip; Shaiban, Layth Saleh al-; Schulte-Nafeh, Martha, eds. (2007). The Quran: A Reformist Translation. United States of America: Brainbow Press. p. 509. ISBN 978-0-9796715-0-0.
  13. ^ a b "10. How Can we Observe the Sala Prayers by Following the Quran Alone? - Edip-Layth - quranix.org". quranix.org. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
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