This is also indicated by the report from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever prays Fajr in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until the sun rises, and thereafter prays two rak'ahs (1), will receive a reward equal to that of a Hajj and an Umrah—complete, complete, complete.” Recorded by al-Tirmidhī. (2)
Abū Umāmah reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever performs the Fajr prayer in a mosque with the congregation and remains there until he performs the Duhā prayer will receive a reward like that of one who performs Hajj or Umrah, with his Hajj and Umrah complete.” Recorded by al-Tabarānī.
According to another narration: “Whoever performs the Fajr prayer in congregation and then sits remembering Allah until the sun rises…” Recorded by al-Tabarānī. (3)
As for its time ending when the sun passes its zenith, this is because it is the Duhā prayer.
As for its most virtuous time, this is indicated by the report from Zayd ibn Arqam that he saw some people
(1) Al-Tībī said: “This prayer is called the Ishrāq Prayer, and it is the earliest Duhā prayer.” Cited in *Tuhfat al-Ahwadhī* (1/405).
I say: I have already explained this more fully; see (1-4, The Ishrāq Prayer).
(2) A *hasan li-ghayrihi* hadith (acceptable due to corroborating evidence).
It was recorded by al-Tirmidhī in the “Book of Prayer, Chapter on the Recommendation to Remain in the Mosque after the Fajr Prayer until Sunrise.”
Al-Tirmidhī described the hadith as “hasan gharīb.” Al-Mubārakfūrī graded it *hasan* on the basis of corroborating reports in *Tuhfat al-Ahwadhī* (1/406), and Shaykh Ahmad Shākir concurred in his edition of al-Tirmidhī (2/481). Al-Albānī also graded it *hasan* in *Sahīh Sunan al-Tirmidhī* (1/182), as did the editor of *Jāmi al-Usūl*, on the basis of its corroborating reports (9/401).
I say: The following hadith is among its corroborating reports.
(3) A *hasan* hadith.
It was recorded by al-Tabarānī in *al-Mujam al-Kabīr* (8/174, 181, 209).
Al-Mundhirī and al-Haythamī judged its chain of transmission to be good, while al-Albānī graded it *hasan* in *Sahīh al-Targhīb wa-al-Tarhīb* (1/189). See also *Majma al-Zawāid* (10/104).