And under the heading “The Sunnah of Fajr” he says, concerning its merit:
“2 – From Abū Hurayrah: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Do not neglect the two rak‘ahs of Fajr even if mounted horsemen pursue you.’ It is narrated by Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd, al-Bayhaqī, and al-Ṭaḥāwī.”
I say: Two criticisms apply here.
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He remained silent about the report even though its isnād is weak, as ʿAbd al-Ḥaqq al-Ishbīlī stated explicitly, followed by Ibn al-Qaṭṭān; al-Bayhaqī also hinted at this when he cited it in al-Sunan al-Kubrā in suspended form, without any chain, saying (2/471): “It is related from Abū Hurayrah ….” Had the ḥadith been authentic, its outward wording would serve as evidence for those who hold that the Sunnah of Fajr is obligatory.
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He ascribed it to al-Bayhaqī without qualification, giving the impression that the report is connected in al-Bayhaqī’s work, whereas it is not; al-Bayhaqī has it without an isnād, as just noted. In such a case one should say, “and al-Bayhaqī in muʿallaq form.” Moreover, it ought to be listed after al-Ṭaḥāwī, because the latter belongs to an earlier tier of the traditionists.
I have examined the ḥadith and exposed its defect in Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl, no. 438, and in al-Silsilah al-Ḍaʿīfah, no. 1533.
His statement on how briefly the two rak‘ahs are performed: “2 – From ʿĀʾishah: she said, ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray the two rak‘ahs before dawn so lightly that I would wonder whether he had recited the Opening of the Book in them or not.’ Narrated by Aḥmad and others.”
I say: Who are these “others”? Both Imams al-Bukhārī and Muslim record it in their Ṣaḥīḥs, so had the compiler attributed it