The Messenger of Allah peace and blessing of Allah be upon him 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.’.
It was reported by Jabir ibn Samura may Allah be pleased with him that “when the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him observed the dawn prayer, he sat at the place of worship till the sun had risen enough”.
The reward of the Almighty Allah is a virtue given to whomever He wants. Praying Fajr in congregation, then sitting to remember Allah until the sun has risen, then praying two Rak’ah, all of that is rewarded like that of a Hajj and Umrah. The Messenger of Allah affirms that by saying: “Complete, complete, complete”.
However, such deed does not suffice for Hajj and Umrah, as it could be part of Muslim’s deeds in Hajj and Umrah to pray Fajr prayer in congregation in the Great Mosque of Mecca or the Mosque of the Prophet, siting at the place of worship to remember Allah until the sun rises, then praying two Rak’ah will be rewarded this great reward each time, besides his reward of Hajj and Umrah, and the reward of praying in Al-Haram mosques: therefore, scholars say: “they both share the same reward, but it does not indicate that such deed can replace Hajj and Umrah”.
The puzzling question is: as long as this great reward is a promise from the Almighty Allah, why people usually miss it?
What makes most of the Muslim people today -except for few- do not grab the chance to start the habit of “praying Fajr prayer in congregation, sitting in the worshiping place, then praying two rakat”?
People of knowledge said that praying in congregation does not necessarily involve the mosque, though the reward of praying in the mosque is greater; but the reward is the same for praying Fajr in congregation in the house with the availability of the conditions of the congregational prayer, when sitting in the worshiping place until the sun rises then praying two rakat. Men and women are equal in reward, and women are not required to pray in congregation; praying in their houses is better for them and more rewarding than praying in congregation and have the same reward as men like the reward of Hajj and Umrah “complete, complete, complete” if they sit at the place of worship till the sun had risen enough”.
Sleeping after Fajr prayer should not be criticized too harshly, but it should be at least “disliked”, especially when it is a habit; however, in special circumstances, like the need for sleeping, preparing for a long day of work and abstaining from taking siesta for instance is not disgraceful and should not be accused for “disobedience of God”; unless they intend to break the sunnah. Muslim individuals are required to do supererogatory and mandatory deeds, like remembering Allah in the early time in the morning, as reported in the Holy Hadith, which is the reference in this regard:
“My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (supererogatory) deed till I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (Refuge), I will protect him; (i.e. give him My Refuge)”.
O Allah, grant us your love, the love of whoever loves You, and the love of every deed You love
Dr. Mohamed Babaami
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“Sitting until the sun rises”: means staying still to invoke Allah until the sun rises enough”
– Extracted from “Fajr and Early Morning Time – between revelation, reality and obsession with the West” which will be published soon, as part of “the appeal to establish a new science”.
Written by: Dr. Mohamed Babaami
Translated by: Toufik Achour
Date:21/10/2023
The Article title in Arabic: حجّة وعمرة: تامة، تامة، تامة … (أفضال البكور لا حصر لها)