3 sunnat ways of offering the 2 sunnats of fajr
1. earliest time awwal waqt
2. at home
3. 1st raka’t recite kaafirun, 2nd Ikhlas
Other points
- There should be no prayer between the two sunnat and fard.
- Never miss it. It must be prayed even during travel. Prophet said it is more beloved to me than everything in the world. Prophet said do not miss it even if your enemy horses are trampling you.
- It must be prayed before the fard.
What to do when fajr congregation has begun?
Shafi’i, Hambal – join the congregation then do sunnat immediately after or after sunrise.
Abu Hanifa, Malik – sunnat before joining if thinks will manage to get at least some part of fard congregation. Best go off to a separate place of the masjid for this.
Hadith: (gist) if a congregation has started then join it. (Tirmidhi)
Hadith mutawatir: (gist) Prophet prohibited offering any prayer after fajr fard until after sunrise
Fiqh principle: Prohibition is given precedence over permission
Sahaba – abdullah ibn Umar, ibn Masud, abu Darda – offerred sunnat before joining congregation
Hadith in which the prophet did not object to a sahabi who prayed sunnat after fard (before sunrise) is not marfu’, is munqati’. Basically some weakness in the chain of narration.
This is a fiqhi difference of opinion. Do not dispute.