6/9. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 711b — Are You Praying Fajr Four Rak'ahs?
It is disliked to start a voluntary prayer after the Mu’adhdhin has started to say Iqamah for prayer, whether that is a regular sunnah, such as the sunnah of Subh or Zuhr, or anything else, and regardless of whether he knows that he will catch up with the rak`ah with the Imam or not
Are You Praying Fajr Four Rak'ahs? A Hadith on Iqama
Sahih Muslim : 711b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 711b
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ حَفْصِ بْنِ عَاصِمٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ بُحَيْنَةَ، قَالَ أُقِيمَتْ صَلاَةُ الصُّبْحِ فَرَأَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلاً يُصَلِّي وَالْمُؤَذِّنُ يُقِيمُ فَقَالَ " أَتُصَلِّي الصُّبْحَ أَرْبَعًا " .
Ibn Buhainah Narrated from:
The dawn prayer had commenced when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw a person observing prayer, whereas the Mu'adhdhin had pronounced the Iqama. Upon this he (the Holy Prophet) remarked: Do you say four (rak'ahs) of Fard in the dawn prayer?
Reference : Sahih Muslim 711bIn-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 80USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1536
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 711b
This narration from Ibn Buhaina is very direct. The dawn prayer had commenced, and the mu'adhdhin was giving the iqama. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم saw a man praying and said, “Do you say four rak'ahs of Fard in the dawn prayer?” The main search topic is praying Sunnah after Fajr iqama. The Hadith does not need extra detail to make its point. It shows that when the Fard prayer is being established, a separate prayer should not distract from it. The Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم question also points to the proper form of Fajr, which is not four Fard rak'ahs. The lesson is to give the commenced obligatory prayer its due place.
What we learn from this hadith
- The dawn prayer had commenced and the iqama was being given.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saw a man still praying separately.
- He questioned whether Fajr was being prayed as four Fard rak'ahs.
- The report points worshippers to focus on the obligatory prayer once it begins.
