Question Summary:
Missing Fajr with Jama’ah

Question Detail:

As-salamu alaikum dear respected Mufti saheb, Sometimes its happen that I woke up almost end-time of fajr ie might be few mins left to sunrise. In that case if I start fajr sunnat, I can't pray fardh as by that time sunrise will happen. In that case I just pray fajr fardh to avoid being it kadha.. in this case fajr sunnat can be prayed after ishraak. Also please make Dua for me that I can start joining fajr jamat in Masjid and pray the emphasize sunnat, and fajr fardh in congregation, where I was bit regular alhumdulillah, but from few months I can't make it due to overslept and praying almost at end time. Everyday I am having intention for it and asking Dua to Allah, may Allah accept, ameen...

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Shari’ah has emphasized on performing salaah with congregation.

See the following Ahadith

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ : صَلاَةُ الْجَمَاعَةِ تَفْضُلُ صَلاَةَ الْفَذِّ بِسَبْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ دَرَجَةً [1]

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The prayer in congregation is twenty seven times superior to the prayer offered by person alone."

عن عثمان بن عفان قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم من شهد العشاء في جماعة كان له قيام نصف ليلة ومن صلى العشاء والفجر في جماعة كان له كقيام ليلة [2]

Uthman bin Affan narrated that: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: "Whoever attends Isha (prayer) in congregation, then he has (the reward as if he had) stood half of the night. And whoever prays Isha and Fajr in congregation, then he has (the reward as if he had) spend the entire night standing (in prayer)."

والذي نفسي بيده، لقد هممت أن آمر بحطب فيحتطب، ثم آمر بالصلاة فيؤذن لها، ثم آمر رجلا فيؤم الناس، ثم أخالف إلى رجال فأحرق عليهم بيوتهم [3]‏ 

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, I sometimes thought of giving orders for firewood to be collected, then for proclaiming the Adhan for Salat. Then I would appoint an Imam to lead Salat, and then go to the houses of those who do not come to perform Salat in congregation, and set fire to their houses on them."

You should exert yourself to the best of your ability to wake up on time to perform Fajr with congregation. Where there is a will, there is a way. If you had an important meeting with a president or a king at that time of the morning, you would make every possible effort to ensure you are up before time even. This is a meeting with the king of kings, Almighty Allah. Take measures to ensure you are up on time. Impose a fine on yourself for every Fajr you miss with congregation. Keep in mind the rewards for performing prayer in congregation and the warnings for omitting prayer with congregation.

We make dua Allah make it possible for you to perform all your salaah with congregation. Aameen.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Aboobakr Siddeeq bin Mufti Amjad Mohammad

Student Darul Iftaa

Azaadville, JHB, South Africa

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

[1]

صحيح البخاري ـ حسب ترقيم فتح الباري - (1 / 165)

[2]

سنن الترمذي - (1 / 433)

[3]

موطأ مالك - (2 / 177)