How to Pray Salat al-Fajr
Fajr is the first of the five daily prayers, offered between the entry of true dawn (subh sadiq) and the rising of the sun. It is two rakats of fardh preceded by two highly-emphasized sunnah rakats — the Prophet (peace be upon him) said the two sunnah rakats of Fajr are better than the world and everything in it.
رَكْعَتَا الْفَجْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا.
“The two rakahs before Fajr (the Sunnah) are better than the world and all that it contains.”
Step 1Confirm the Fajr time has entered
Fajr time begins at true dawn (subh sadiq) — when the white horizontal light first spreads across the horizon — and ends at sunrise. Use a reliable prayer-times source, like the live Fajr time at qabasi.com for your city, to confirm the window has begun.
Step 2Perform Wudu
Make a complete ablution before standing in prayer. If you slept, washing the hands three times before dipping them in any vessel is sunnah.
Step 3Pray two rakats of Sunnah Mu'akkadah
These are the two rakats the Prophet (peace be upon him) never abandoned, in residence or in travel. Sunnah is to keep them brief — recite Surah al-Kafirun (109) in the first rakah and Surah al-Ikhlas (112) in the second.
Note
If you miss them before the Fajr fardh, you may pray them after sunrise.
Step 4Stand for the two rakats of Fardh
Make a fresh intention for the obligatory Fajr (two rakats fardh). The recitation in Fajr is jahriyyah (aloud) — both for the imam in congregation and for the individual praying alone.
Step 5Recite a longer surah aloud after al-Fatihah
Sunnah for Fajr is to recite a longer portion than other prayers — the Prophet often read between 60 and 100 verses across the two rakats. After al-Fatihah, recite a surah of moderate length aloud.
Step 6Complete with tashahhud and salaam
Pray ruku, two sujood, stand for the second rakah, and after the second rakah's two sujood, sit for tashahhud and conclude with salaam to the right and the left.
Note
After Fajr it is sunnah to remain seated reciting morning athkar until sunrise — a session the Prophet equated with the reward of an accepted Hajj and Umrah.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Praying Fajr after sunrise. Once the sun has risen, the Fajr fardh becomes a missed prayer (qada).
Praying the fardh before the sunnah without good reason — the sunnah is meant to come first.
Reciting silently in Fajr. The recitation is aloud, even when praying alone.
Skipping the two sunnah rakats. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was the most consistent in keeping them.
Going back to sleep before Fajr time enters and missing the prayer altogether. Set multiple alarms or a reliable adhan app.