Fajr Prayer: Key to Success in This Life and the Hereafter
In the religion of Islam, after the belief in the oneness of God (Tawhid), prayer holds a position of superiority and eminence over all other acts of worship. Allah the Almighty has designated it as the dividing line between faith and disbelief. Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:
“إِنَّ بَيْنَ الرَّجُلِ، وَبَيْنَ الشِّرْكِ وَالْكُفْرِ، تَرْكَ الصَّلَاةِ”.
"Indeed, between a man and polytheism (shirk) and disbelief (kufr) is the abandonment of prayer." (1)
Undoubtedly, prayer is the pillar of the religion of Islam and its foundational structure. When the pillar collapses, the religion itself falls. Therefore, one who does not perform prayer is as if they have no religion.
While the importance of all prayers is well-established, the Fajr prayer, in particular, has been endowed with special rewards, immense virtue, and boundless blessings. Thus, the Fajr prayer serves as a test of faith and a symbol of submission and obedience to Allah.
In the Holy Quran, Allah the Almighty highlights the importance and virtue of the Fajr prayer, stating:
{أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ اللَّيْلِ وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ ۖ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا} – (٢)
"Establish prayer from the decline of the sun until the darkness of the night and [also] the Quran of dawn. Indeed, the Quran of dawn is ever witnessed."
Imam Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) explains:
“In the verse, ‘Quran of dawn’ refers to the Fajr prayer.” (3)
🌟 The Shari’ah has prescribed rewards for the observance of the Fajr prayer that are unique compared to other prayers. Thus, one who is steadfast in the Fajr prayer is enveloped in virtues:
📍(1) The angels testify in their favor in the court of Allah:
Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“يَتَعَاقَبُونَ فِيكُمْ مَلَائِكَةٌ بِاللَّيْلِ وَمَلَائِكَةٌ بِالنَّهَارِ، وَيَجْتَمِعُونَ فِي صَلَاةِ الْعَصْرِ وَصَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ، ثُمَّ يَعْرُجُ الَّذِينَ بَاتُوا فِيكُمْ، فَيَسْأَلُهُمْ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ، فَيَقُولُ: كَيْفَ تَرَكْتُمْ عِبَادِي، فَيَقُولُونَ: تَرَكْنَاهُمْ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ وَأَتَيْنَاهُمْ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ”.
“Angels come to you in succession by night and by day, and they gather at the time of the Fajr and ‘Asr prayers. Then those who have spent the night with you ascend, and He (Allah) asks them, though He knows best about you, ‘In what state did you leave My servants?’ They reply, ‘We left them while they were praying, and we came to them while they were praying.'” (4)
📍(2) They remain under Allah’s protection and guarantee throughout the day:
Jundub ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“مَنْ صَلَّى الصُّبْحَ فَهُوَ فِي ذِمَّةِ اللَّهِ، فَلَا يَطْلُبَنَّكُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ ذِمَّتِهِ بِشَيْءٍ، فَيُدْرِكَهُ، فَيَكُبَّهُ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ”.
“Whoever prays the morning prayer is under the protection of Allah. So do not let Allah call you to account for anything concerning His protection, for if He does, He will seize him and cast him into the fire of Hell.” (5)
📍(3) They receive the reward equivalent to standing in prayer for the entire night:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:
“مَنْ صَلَّى الْعِشَاءَ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ، فَكَأَنَّمَا قَامَ نِصْفَ اللَّيْلِ، وَمَنْ صَلَّى الصُّبْحَ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ، فَكَأَنَّمَا صَلَّى اللَّيْلَ كُلَّهُ”.
“Whoever prays ‘Isha in congregation, it is as if he has stood for half the night. And whoever prays the morning prayer (also) in congregation, it is as if he has prayed the entire night.” (6)
📍(4) They will be granted something better than the world and all that it contains:
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“رَكْعَتَا الْفَجْرِ، خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا”.
“The two rak’ahs of Fajr are better than the world and all that is in it.” (7)
📍(5) They will be blessed with the vision of Allah the Almighty:
Jarir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, “We were with the Prophet ﷺ and he looked at the moon on a full-moon night and said:
“أَمَا إِنَّكُمْ سَتَرَوْنَ رَبَّكُمْ كَمَا تَرَوْنَ هَذَا، لَا تُضَامُّونَ أَوْ لَا تُضَاهُونَ فِي رُؤْيَتِهِ، فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَنْ لَا تُغْلَبُوا عَلَى صَلَاةٍ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا فَافْعَلُوا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: {وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا} [طه: ١٣٠]
“Indeed, you will see your Lord as you see this moon, and you will not be harmed or have any doubt in seeing Him. So, if you are able to not be overcome in performing the prayer before the rising of the sun and before its setting, then do so.” Then he recited the verse: ‘So glorify the praises of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting.'” (8)
📍(6) They will be granted a perfect light on the Day of Resurrection:
Buraidah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“بَشِّرِ الْمَشَّائِينَ فِي الظُّلَمِ إِلَى الْمَسَاجِدِ بِالنُّورِ التَّامِّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ”.
“Give glad tidings to those who walk to the mosques in the darkness of a complete light on the Day of Resurrection.” (9)
📍(7) The Fajr prayer guarantees their entry into Paradise:
Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“مَنْ صَلَّى الْبَرْدَيْنِ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ”.
“Whoever prays the two cool prayers (Fajr and ‘Asr) will enter Paradise.” (10)
📍(8) The Fajr prayer guarantees their salvation from Hellfire:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna ‘Umarah ibn Ruwaybah al-Thaqafi (may Allah be pleased with him) that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:
“لَنْ يَلِجَ النَّارَ أَحَدٌ صَلَّى، قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ، وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا، يَعْنِي الْفَجْرَ، وَالْعَصْرَ”.
“Never shall a person enter the Fire who prays before the rising of the sun and before its setting, meaning Fajr and ‘Asr.” (11)
The Importance of Fajr Prayer to the Pious Predecessors (Salaf as-Salihin):
📍(1) Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“لَأنْ أَشْهَدَ صَلاةَ الصُّبْحِ في الجماعةِ أحبُّ إِلَيَّ من أنْ أَقُومَ ليلةً”.
“To witness the morning prayer in congregation is more beloved to me than to stand in worship for an entire night.” (12)
📍(2) Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) stated:
“كُنَّا إِذَا فَقَدْنَا الإِنْسَانَ فِي صَلاةِ الْعِشَاءِ الآخِرَةِ وَالصُّبْحِ أَسَأْنَا بِهِ الظَّنَّ”.
“When we did not find a person in the ‘Isha’ and Fajr prayers, we would think ill of him (suspecting him of hypocrisy).” (13)
📍(3) Harith bin Hassan (may Allah be pleased with him) married one night, yet he was present for the Fajr prayer. He was asked, “Are you coming out for the Fajr prayer today, even though you just married your wife this night?” He replied, “By Allah! A woman who prevents me from praying the morning (Fajr) prayer in congregation is indeed an evil woman.” (14)
The Consequences of Neglecting the Fajr Prayer:
📍(1) Laziness towards Fajr is a sign of hypocrisy:
Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“لَيْسَ صَلَاةٌ أَثْقَلَ عَلَى الْمُنَافِقِينَ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ وَالْعِشَاءِ، وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِيهِمَا لَأَتَوْهُمَا وَلَوْ حَبْوًا”.
“No prayer is heavier upon the hypocrites than the Fajr and ‘Isha’ prayers, and if they knew what is in them (of reward), they would come to them even if they had to crawl.” (15)
📍(2) The influence of Satan on one who abandons Fajr prayer:
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man was mentioned in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ who had slept all night until morning. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“ذَاكَ رَجُلٌ بَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ فِي أُذُنَيْهِ أَوْ، قَالَ: فِي أُذُنِهِ”.
“That is a man in whose ears, or he said, in whose ear, Satan has urinated.” (16)
📍(3) Deprivation from Fajr prayer is a primary cause of daily distress and depression:
Indeed, performing the Fajr prayer at its appointed time increases a person’s alertness, brings comfort to the soul, and protects it from distress, depression, and laziness. A sound hadith on this matter states that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“يَعْقِدُ الشَّيْطَانُ عَلَى قَافِيَةِ رَأْسِ أَحَدِكُمْ، إِذَا هُوَ نَامَ ثَلَاثَ عُقَدٍ يَضْرِبُ كُلَّ عُقْدَةٍ عَلَيْكَ لَيْلٌ طَوِيلٌ فَارْقُدْ، فَإِنِ اسْتَيْقَظَ فَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ انْحَلَّتْ عُقْدَةٌ، فَإِنْ تَوَضَّأَ انْحَلَّتْ عُقْدَةٌ، فَإِنْ صَلَّى انْحَلَّتْ عُقْدَةٌ، فَأَصْبَحَ نَشِيطًا طَيِّبَ النَّفْسِ وَإِلَّا أَصْبَحَ خَبِيثَ النَّفْسِ كَسْلَانَ”.
“Satan ties three knots at the back of the head of any of you when he sleeps. On every knot he says, ‘The night is long, so sleep.’ If he wakes up and remembers Allah, one knot is undone. If he performs ablution, a second knot is undone. And if he prays, a third knot is undone, and he wakes up energetic with a good spirit, otherwise he wakes up in a bad spirit and lazy.” (17)
This is why the people of Fajr (those who perform the Fajr prayer) have radiant faces, luminous foreheads, pure souls, blessed deeds, and blessed times.
The Fajr prayer is akin to a final exam, for which the other prayers are preparatory. In other words, the Fajr prayer is the ultimate test. Whoever participates in it succeeds, and whoever neglects it is a failure and among the losers. This is just like a student who attends classes all year but is absent from the final exam; they are considered to have failed.
Know this! If there is pleasure, comfort, and sweetness in sleep, then what can be said of the pleasure, comfort, and sweetness of the Fajr prayer!
May Allah enable us all to be punctual in offering the Fajr prayer and all other prayers at their appointed times. Ameen, O Lord of the worlds.
(1) Sahih Muslim: 82
(2) Al-Isra: 78
(3) Tafsir al-Qurtubi, commentary on the mentioned verse
(4) Sahih al-Bukhari: 7429
(5) Sahih Muslim: 657
(6) Sahih Muslim: 656
(7) Sahih Muslim: 725
(8) Sahih al-Bukhari: 573
(9) Sunan Abi Dawud: 561, authenticated by Al-Albani
(10) Sahih al-Bukhari: 574
(11) Sahih Muslim: 634
(12) Sahih al-Targhib (423), Sahih Mawquf
(13) Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 1485, Sahih
(14) Al-Mu’jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani (3/253), Hasan
(15) Sahih al-Bukhari: 657, and Sahih Muslim: 651
(16) Sahih al-Bukhari: 3270
(17) Sahih al-Bukhari: 1142
Umm Muhammad Khushnuma Muslihuddin Nuriyah Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah al-Mukarramah
