How Should the Two Cycles Before Fajr and What Is Their Ruling?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

I recently found out that two rakats before fajr are obligatory and must be made up if missed.

1 – Is this prayer separated from the Fajr prayer?

2 – When should I pray it?

3- Sometimes I wake up 20 minutes before sunrise, can I pray this prayer at this time before the Fajr prayer?

4 – What the other prayers I have to do beyond the five daily prayers?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

The two cycles before Fajr are an emphasised sunna, and they are only prayed after the time if you awaken after sunrise and make up Fajr before Zuhr on the same day.

1. Yes, it is a separate to the two cycle obligatory Fajr prayer.

2. It is prayed during Fajr time, hence after the adhan.

3. Yes, you should be praying it daily.

4. The emphasised sunnas are twelve: two before Fajr, four before Zuhr, and two after Zuhr, Maghrib and ‘Isha.

Please also see: The Importance of Fajr Prayer and How to Pray It on Time and: Do I Have To Make Up the Sunna Prayer of Fajr Along With Any Missed Obligatory Fajr Prayer?

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And Allah Most High alone knows best.

wassalam,
[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.