Question:

If one over sleeps until after the sun rises, should he pray the sunnah for Fajr first and then the fardh of Fajr?

Answer:

In the narration of the Book Sunnan Abu Dawuud it mentions the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam offered the two rak’ahs sunnah then prayed Fajr. Therefore if a person oversleeps till after sun rise he should pray two rak’ahs sunnah first before praying Fajr and Allah knows best.

عن أبي هريرة أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حين قفل من غزوة خيبر فسار ليله حتى إذا أدركه الكرى عرس وقال لبلال اكلأ لنا الليل فصلى بلال ما قدر له ونام رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأصحابه فلما تقارب الفجر استند بلال إلى راحلته مواجه الفجر فغلبت بلالا عيناه وهو مستند إلى راحلته فلم يستيقظ بلال ولا أحد من أصحابه حتى ضربتهم الشمس فكان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أولهم استيقاظا ففزع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال أي بلال فقال بلال أخذ بنفسي الذي أخذ بنفسك بأبي أنت وأمي يا رسول الله قال اقتادوا فاقتادوا رواحلهم شيئا ثم توضأ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأمر بلالا فأقام الصلاة فصلى بهم الصبح فلما قضى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم الصلاة قال من نسي صلاة فليصلها إذا ذكرها فإن الله عز وجل قال ( وأقم الصلاة لذكري )

Sahih Muslim Hadith 1448

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah:

When the Messenger of Allah (salallaahu alayhi wa salam) returned from the expedition to Khaybar, he (salallaahu alayhi wa salam) travelled one night and stopped for rest when he became sleepy. He (salallaahu alayhi wa salam) told Bilal to remain on guard during the night while the Messenger of Allah (salallaahu alayhi wa salam) and his companions slept. When the time for dawn approached, Bilal leaned against his camel facing the direction from which the dawn would appear. However he was overcome by sleep while he was leaning against his camel, and neither the Messenger of Allah (salallaahu alayhi wa salam), nor Bilal, nor anyone else among his Companions rose until the sun shone on them. Allah’s Messenger (salallaahu alayhi wa salam) was the first of them to awake and, being startled, he (salallaahu alayhi wa salam) called to Bilal who said: O Messenger of Allah (salallaahu alayhi wa salam)! May my father and mother be offered as ransom for thee, the same thing overpowered me which overpowered you (sleep). The Prophet (salallaahu alayhi wa salam ) then said: Lead the beasts on (meaning continue the journey). So they led their camels to some distance. The Messenger of Allah (alayhi as-salaatu was-salaam) then performed ablution and gave orders to Bilal who pronounced the Iqamah and then led them in the morning prayer. When he (alayhi as-salaatu was-salaam) finished the prayer he said: When anyone forgets the prayer, he should observe it when he remembers it.

Answered by

AbdulFattaah bin Uthman
Abu Fajr