Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

Fajr is a special time of the day. Allah the Exalted takes an oath by it in Surat Al Fajr, and whatever Allah takes an oath by is something special. This is the time of the day when all creatures on the earth start waking up. The sun spreads its first rays across the horizon, birds start making tasbih of Allah, plants start their day’s cycle, and Muslims pray their first prayers of the day. It is also the time when it is the hardest for us to wake up and pray. Let us look at some of the special blessings which Allah has bestowed on this time period, so that we can utilize them and have a blessed start of every day.

1. Special prayer of the Prophet (saws) for barakah

The Prophet (saws) made the following dua for his ummah:

اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لأُمَّتِي فِي بُكُورِهَا

O Allah, bless my nation in their early mornings (i.e., what they do early in the morning). [ibn Majah]

2. The two unit Sunnah prayer

Allah’s Messenger said: “The two Rak’ah of Fajr are better than the world and what is in it.” [Tirmidhi]

3. The two unit obligatory prayer

The Prophet said,

Whoever performs the Prayer before the rising of the sun [Fajr] and before its setting [‘Asr], will not enter the Hell. [Muslim]

Also,

Whoever prays the two cooler prayer times (i.e., Fajr and `Asr) will enter Paradise. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Also,

Whoever prays Fajr is under the protection of Allaah, so do not fall short with regard to the rights of Allaah, for anyone who does that, Allaah will seize him and will throw him on his face into the Fire of Hell. [Muslim]

4. Praying Fajr in congregation

He who went towards the mosque in the morning or evening, Allah would arrange a feast for him morning or evening in Paradise. [Sahih Muslim]

The Messenger of Allah said: ‘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. [ibn Majah]

5. Protection from shayateen:

Whoever offers the morning prayer, he is under the protection of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime. [ibn Majah]

6. Quran of Fajr is witnessed by the angels

Allah says in the Quran:

So establish the Prayer after the declining of the sun to the dusk of night and the [Quranic]recitation of Fajr [prayer].  Indeed, the [Quranic] recitation of Fajr is witnessed. [al-Quran 17:78]

The Messenger of Allah explained this verse as follows: It is witnessed by the angels of the night and the day. [ibn Majah]

The prophet used to recite sixty to 100 verses in the Fajr prayer.

7. Angels report it to Allah

There are angels who take turns in visiting you by night and by day, and they all assemble at the dawn (Fajr) and the afternoon (`Asr) prayers. Those who have spent the night with you, ascend to the heaven and their Rubb, Who knows better about them, asks: `In what condition did you leave My slaves?’ They reply: `We left them while they were performing Salat and we went to them while they were performing Salat.’ [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

8. The reward of Dhikr

وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ وَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ الْغَافِلِينَ

And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and in fear without being apparent in speech – in the mornings[ghadaah means early morning] and the evenings. And do not be among the heedless. [7:205]

وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ ۖ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُ فُرُطًا

And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect. [18:28]

9. The reward of sitting from Fajr to Duha

The Messenger of Allah said:  Whoever prays the morning prayer in congregation then sits remembering Allah until the sun rises, then prays two units of prayer has the reward like that of Hajj and `Umrah. [Tirmidhi]

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Tabassum Mosleh