باب تخفيف ركعتي الفجر وبيان ما يقرأ فيهما، وبيان وقتهما.
This chapter looks at how the two units of prayer before the dawn (Fajr) prayer were performed: kept brief, prayed at the right time, and shaped by certain readings the Prophet chose.
The reports show him making these units short and light, and they record verses and chapters he would recite in them. The thread is gentle guidance for keeping this beloved prayer simple and steady at the start of the day.
Hadith 1104
'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
عن عائشة رضي الله عنها أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، كان يصلي ركعتين خفيفتين بين النداء والإقامة من صلاة الصبح". ((متفق عليه)) وفي رواية لهما: يصلي ركعتي الفجر، إذا سمع الأذان فيخففهما حتى أقول هل قرأ فيهمابأم القرآن!. وفي رواية لمسلم: كان يصلى ركعتيي الفجر إذا سمع الأذان ويخففهما. وفي رواية: إذا طلع الفجر.
The Prophet (ﷺ) used to perform two Rak'ah short prayer between the Adhan (call to prayer) and the Iqamah of the dawn (Fajr) prayers. [Al- Bukhari and Muslim] In another narration, 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to perform two supererogatory Rak'ah prayer of Fajr and make them so short in duration that I used to think whether he (ﷺ) had recited Surat Al-Fatihah (in it) or not. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] In the narration of Muslim, 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to hear the Adhan (of Fajr prayer) he would perform two supererogatory Rak'ah prayer and would make them short.
In plain words
Aishah recalls that the Prophet kept the two units before the dawn prayer so short, prayed between the call and its starting, that she sometimes wondered whether he had even recited the opening chapter. A picture of a light, brief prayer.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1104 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 114
Hadith 1105
Hafsah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
وعن حفصة رضي الله عنها أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا أذن المؤذن للصبح، وبدا الصبح صلى ركعتين خفيفتين. ((متفق عليه)). وفي رواية لمسلم: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا طلع الفجر لا يصلى إلا ركعتين خفيفتين.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to perform two short Rak'ah prayer when it was dawn and the Mu'adhdhin had called Adhan (for the Fajr prayer). [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Hafsah reports that the Prophet would pray two short units once dawn came and the call to the Fajr prayer had been given, confirming his habit of keeping them brief.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1105 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 115
Hadith 1106
Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
وعن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصلي من الليل مثنى مثنى، ويوتر بركعة من آخر الليل، ويصلي الركعتين قبل صلاة الغداة، وكأن الأذان بأذنيه". ((متفق عليه)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to perform his optional night prayers at night, two Rak'ah followed by two Rak'ah, and at the end he would conclude with an odd Rak'ah (Witr). Then he would perform two Rak'ah prayer before the dawn (Fajr) prayer after hearing the Adhan, and he would make them so brief as if he could hear the Iqamah being called. [Al- Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Ibn Umar describes the Prophet's night prayer in pairs ending with an odd unit, then the two brief units before dawn, made so short it was as if he were already hearing the call to begin the obligatory prayer.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1106 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 116
Hadith 1107
Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
وعن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، كان يقرأ في ركعتي الفجر في الأولى منهما: {قولوا آمنا بالله وما أنزل إلينا} الآية التي في البقرة، وفي الآخرة منهما: {آمنا بالله واشهد بأنا مسلمون}. وفي رواية: في الآخرة التي في آل عمران: {تعالوا إلى كلمة سواء بيننا وبينكم}. ((رواهما مسلم)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite during the two Rak'ah of Fajr prayer: "Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us..." (:136) which is in Surat Al-Baqarah in the first Rak'ah and the Verse: "We believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e., we submit to Allah." (:) in the second Rak'ah. According to another narration, he (ﷺ) recited from Surat Al-'Imran the Verses: "Come to a word which is just between us and you..." (:). [Muslim].
In plain words
Ibn Abbas records the verses the Prophet would recite in the two units before the dawn prayer, drawn from the chapters al-Baqarah and Aal-Imran, affirming faith in Allah and what He revealed.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1107 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 117
Hadith 1108
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، قرأ في ركعتي الفجر: {قل يا أيها الكافرون} و{قل هو الله أحد} ((رواه مسلم)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited in the two supererogatory Rak'ah of the Fajr prayer Surat Al-Kafirun (No. 109) [in the first Rak'ah], and Surat Al-Ikhlas (No. 112) [in the second Rak'ah]. [Muslim].
In plain words
Abu Hurairah reports the two chapters the Prophet would recite in the two voluntary units of the dawn prayer: al-Kafirun in the first and al-Ikhlas in the second.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1108 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 118
Hadith 1109
Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
وعن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما، قال رمقت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم شهرًا يقرأ في الركعتين قبل الفجر: {قل يا أيها الكافرون} ، و: {قل هو الله أحد} . ((رواه الترمذي وقال: حديث حسن)).
I observed the Prophet (ﷺ) for one month reciting in the two supererogatory Rak'ah of the Fajr prayer Surat Al-Kafirun (No. 109) [in the first Rak'ah], and Surat Al-Ikhlas (No. 112) [in the second Rak'ah]. [At-Tirmidhi].
In plain words
Ibn Umar observed the Prophet over a month reciting the same two chapters, al-Kafirun and al-Ikhlas, in the two voluntary units of the dawn prayer, confirming it as a steady practice.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1109 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 119