Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
For many of us Hanafis in the UK who want to pray Tahajjud it is extremely difficult to then make the Fajr jamah and then consequently go to work early in the morning. For example, Tahajjud ends around 03:40AM in my area but Fajr congregational prayer is not until 5:15AM at the earliest. Most of us would get up to go to work from 7-8AM. Now if one prays Tahajjud in the last third of the night (which is superior and the Shuyukh consider imperative) then it is physically almost impossible to stay up till Fajr jamah without either sleeping through the morning or being seriously tired at work.
Most people do 1 of 2 things. Some omit Tahajjud and pray Fajr in jamah. Others, like myself, choose to pray Tahajjud and then Fajr at its beginning time (with one’s wife or individually) before sleeping through the jamah time and waking for work as usual in the morning. Is this second method permissible or even superior? What is the solution? In Ramadan the Fajr jamah time is straight after sehri time so people find it easier to eat sehri and also pray Fajr jamah at mosque. Why is not the same principle applied to Tahajjud? If Fajr jamah is earlier then everyone can pray Tahajjud comfortably. This happens in Amman, Jordan for example where the Azaan for Tahajjud precedes very shortly before the Azaan of Fajr. However in England I cannot find a single Hanafi mosque that does not have a huge difference between Tahajjud and Fajr jamah times. Please help.
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
The Obligatory Is Better Than The Recommended
1. The general principle is that the obligatory is better than the recommended. As mentioned in the hadith of electhood (wilaya), the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) related that Allah Most High says, “My servant draws towards me with nothing more dear to me than that which I have made obligatory upon him. Then, he keeps drawing towards me with recommended acts until I love him ” [Bukhari]
Also, the sunnas directly related to the obligatory are generally better than those not directly related to them.
The Virtues of Praying Fajr in the Mosque
2. The virtues of praying Fajr (and Isha) in the mosque, for men, are tremendous. It is enough to hear the words of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), “Give glad tidings of absolute light on the Day of Judgment for those who constantly walk in darkness to the mosque.” [Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud, with sound chains of transmission]
Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “If people knew the reward of going to the mosque early, they would have raced each other to it. And if they knew the reward of Isha and Fajr [in the mosque], they would have gone to them, even if they had to crawl.” [Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Ibn Maja, and Ahmad]
Uthman (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Whoever prays Isha in congregation, it is as if he spent half the night in prayer. Whoever prays Fajr in congregation, it is as if he spent the whole night in prayer.” [Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, and Ahmad] Imam Badr al-Din al-`Ayni (Allah have mercy on him) explained in his Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud that this means that whoever prays both Isha and Fajr in congregation has the reward of spending the whole night in prayer; each one has the reward of spending half the night in prayer. [`Ayni, Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud, 3.32, Maktabat al-Rushd]
Praying in Congregation is the Most Confirmed of Sunnas for Men
3. It is one of the most confirmed sunnas for men to pray in congregation when able; in fact, it is at the level of being incumbent (wajib), and most of the Hanafi scholars actually said it was incumbent (wajib). [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar] The place to do this, whenever able, is the mosque. [ibid. and Jassas, Ahkam al-Qur’an]
As such, if it is an either/or issue, then it is superior to pray Fajr in congregation than to perform Tahajjud.
Not Either This Or That
4. However, it should not be reduced to an either/or issue. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) told us to, “Be avid for that which benefits you.” [Muslim, Ibn Maja, and Ahmad] As such, one should find a solution that enables one to perform both the night vigil (tahajjud) prayer and Fajr in congregation at the mosque.
One may consider:
a) Taking a light nap (qaylula) any time in the afternoon, if possible, as this is from the sunna of the Beloved of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him);
b) Sleeping immediately after praying Isha, especially in the Summer months, as this too is from the sunna. It is disliked to stay up talking or doing other worldly activities if this would lead one to miss the night vigil prayer or Fajr in congregation, as the fuqaha have mentioned, based on explicit Prophetic hadiths regarding this;
c) Taking a short nap between one’s Tahajjud prayer and the Fajr prayer. This too is established from the sunna of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace);
d) Avoiding heavy meals at night;
e) Resolving to do simply do it, and keep at it without fail until it becomes a habit. It may be difficult at first, but after a while, one gets used to it, and Allah gives those who are consistent the success (tawfiq) to continue, and fills their consistent efforts with true baraka, outwardly and inwardly.
As for delaying the Fajr prayer to the latter part of its time, this is established by authentic hadiths of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), such as, “Pray Fajr when it is bright, for it is greater in reward.” [Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, and Nasa’i]
As for women, it is generally best for them to pray at home, for reasons explained in past answers. [See: http://www.sunnipath.comin the Women and Prayer sections.]
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam, your brother,
Faraz Rabbani.