Answered by Shaykh Abu Usamah
I would like to know if the two rakat sunnah which must be prayed before the fard of the fajr prayer have to be prayed before the time of fajr has begun or they can be prayed, before the two fard, also when the time of fajr has already begun.
Answer:
Al-Salam `alaykum
The Sunna of Fajr can ONLY be prayed once the time of Fajr has set in i.e. after subh sadiq. It cannot be prayed before this time.
Voluntary prayers performed before Fajr time count as night prayer (tahajjud), and there is great merit in these, as explained in past answers.
Abu Usamah