The Fajr prayer consists of 2 rak'ahs (units of prayer) and is performed between the break of true dawn and sunrise. It is one of the most virtuous prayers, and Allah ﷻ has honored it in the Qur'an by saying: *"Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony."* [Coran, Sourate Al-Israa:78]
---
Step-by-Step Guide to Praying Fajr:
1. Make your intention (niyyah) in your heart to pray the 2 obligatory rak'ahs of Fajr.
2. Raise your hands to your ears and say "Allahu Akbar" to begin the prayer.
3. Recite Surah Al-Fatihah (the opening chapter of the Qur'an), followed by another short surah or verses.
4. Bow down (Ruku') saying "Subhana Rabbiyal Adheem" (Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent) three times.
5. Stand up straight saying "Sami' Allahu liman hamidah" (Allah hears those who praise Him), then "Rabbana lakal hamd" (Our Lord, to You is all praise).
6. Prostrate (Sujood) saying "Subhana Rabbiyal A'la" (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High) three times.
7. Sit briefly between the two prostrations.
8. Prostrate again as in step 6.
9. Stand up for the second rak'ah and repeat steps 3-8.
10. After the second prostration, sit and recite the Tashahhud (attestation of faith), then send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, and conclude with "Assalamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah" turning your head to the right, then to the left.
---
Important Points About Fajr:
- The time of Fajr begins at the "true dawn" – when the light spreads across the horizon – and ends at sunrise. The Prophet ﷺ said: *"There are two Fajrs: the one that resembles the tail of a wolf (false dawn) does not make prayer permissible nor food forbidden, but the one that spreads across the horizon makes prayer permissible and food forbidden."* [Hadith narrated by Al-Haakim, authentic]
- The two sunnah rak'ahs before Fajr are highly recommended. The Prophet ﷺ was most diligent in performing these two light rak'ahs before the obligatory prayer. [Sahih Bukhari & Muslim] In fact, ʿĀ'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: *"The two rak'ahs of Fajr are better than this world and everything in it."* [Sahih Muslim]
- If you miss the Fajr prayer and the sun has already risen, you should still pray it as soon as you remember. The Prophet ﷺ said: *"Whoever catches one rak'ah of Fajr before sunrise has caught the Fajr prayer."* [Sahih Bukhari & Muslim]
---
A Beautiful Sunnah to Practice:
After praying Fajr, the Prophet ﷺ would remain seated in his prayer place, making dhikr (remembrance of Allah) until the sun rose brightly. [Sahih Muslim] This is a blessed time for supplication and reflection.
---
Practical Advice:
Set your alarm a few minutes before Fajr time so you can perform wudu (ablution) calmly and pray the two sunnah rak'ahs before the obligatory prayer. You can check the exact Fajr time in your Al Muslim Plus app under the Prayer Times section, and use the built-in Qibla compass to ensure you're facing the right direction. May Allah accept your prayers and increase you in faith.