Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother Burhan, Assalamalaikum,

Many of our brothers have mis conceived this point and ensures they say this 2 rakah before obligatory fajr prayer even after obligatory prayer is started.

My understanding is, we should reach the mosque for Fajr prayer estimating sufficient time to complete 2 rakah befor the call of iqama of obligatory prayer.

Kindly advice the right approach to correct our mis conception. May Allah guide us all to the righteous way that HE the Almighty guided us through HIS beloved prophet (PBUH).

Jazakallah ho khair!

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Two rakah before fajr

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The two-rakah voluntary ‘Sunnah’ prayer before the obligatory ‘Fajr’ prayers is what is known as the ‘Sunnah Muaqqedah’; a voluntary prayer which the Prophet (saws) himself never missed to offer and exhorted the believers to do the same.

Obviously the best option is for one to either offer the two-rakah voluntary Sunnah prayer at their homes and then go to the Masjid to offer their obligatory prayer in congregation, or reach the masjid early and complete the two-rakah prayer well before the ‘Iqamah’ is announced to start the obligatory ‘Fajr’ prayer in congregation.

If for any reason, one happens to reach the masjid late, and has started to offer the Sunnah prayer, and hears that the ‘iqamah’ for the congregation is announced, one should immediately break and leave their Sunnah prayers and join the congregation for the obligatory prayer……for an obligatory act always supersedes a voluntary act.

To start or continue with a voluntary prayer when an obligatory prayer in congregation has started is absolutely discouraged and undesirable.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan