Chapter on the Regular Sunnah Prayers (1)
The emphasis on the two-rakʿah Sunnah of Fajr and its virtue
Each obligatory prayer has regular sunnah prayers attached to it. Their legislation has been decisively confirmed in the purified Sunnah by the Prophet’s exhortation, his own practice, and his tacit approval.
These prayers yield great benefits and abundant rewards: they multiply good deeds, elevate ranks, expiate sins, mend the flaws that occur in the obligatory prayers, and make up for their deficiencies. For that reason they deserve special care and diligent observance when one is not travelling.
While on a journey, however, nothing is reported from the Prophet ﷺ that he observed of these regular sunnahs except the two rakʿahs of Fajr, which he never abandoned—whether resident or travelling.
First ḥadīth
ʿAbd-Allāh ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) said: “I prayed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ two rakʿahs before Ẓuhr and two after it, two after Jumuʿah, two after Maghrib, and two after ʿIshāʾ.”
Another wording states: “As for Maghrib, ʿIshāʾ, Fajr, and Jumuʿah, he performed them in his house.”
And in a version recorded by al-Bukhārī: Ibn ʿUmar said, “Hafsah related to me that the Prophet ﷺ used to pray two brief prostrations—that is, two light rakʿahs—after daybreak had appeared, and that was a time when I would not enter upon the Prophet.”
Overall meaning
This ḥadīth outlines the regular sunnah prayers linked to the five daily prayers. Ẓuhr has four sunnah rakʿahs—two before it and two after it; Jumuʿah has two after it; Maghrib has two after it; and ʿIshāʾ has two after it. The Prophet ﷺ would offer the paired sunnahs of the night prayers—Maghrib and ʿIshāʾ—as well as the sunnahs of Fajr and Jumuʿah in his home.
Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) had ready access to the Prophet’s household because his sister Hafsah was one of the Prophet’s wives. He would enter at times of worship, yet he was well-mannered and refrained from entering at certain hours, fulfilling the Almighty’s command: “O you who believe, let those whom your right hands possess and those who have not yet reached puberty among you ask your permission at three times: before the dawn prayer …” (Qur’an 24:58).
Accordingly, he would not go in during the period before the Fajr prayer so as not to intrude while the Prophet ﷺ was performing those two light rakʿahs.