Fajr prayer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fajr prayer |
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| Official name | صلاة الفجر، صلاة الصبح، صلاة الغداة |
| Also called | Dawn prayer |
| Observed by | Muslims |
| Type | Islamic |
| Significance | A Muslim prayer offered to God at the dawn hour of the morning. |
| Observances | Fajr nafl prayer (رغيبة الفجر) |
| Begins | Astronomical Dawn |
| Ends | Sunrise |
| Frequency | Daily |
| Related to | Salah, Qunut, Five Pillars of Islam |
The Fajr prayer (which means "dawn prayer" in Arabic) is the first of the five required daily prayers in Islam. Muslims perform this prayer early in the morning. It starts when the first light of dawn appears and must be finished before the sun rises. This prayer is very special because it's done when most people are still sleeping.
The Fajr prayer is mentioned in the Quran, which is the holy book of Islam. The teachings of Prophet Muhammad explain that this prayer is one of God's most favored prayers.
During the holy month of Ramadan, the start of the Fajr prayer time also marks the beginning of the daily fasting. This means Muslims begin their fast from dawn until sunset.
The five daily prayers are a very important part of being a Muslim. They are one of the Five Pillars of Islam for Sunni Muslims. For Shia Muslims, they are one of the ten main practices of their religion.
Contents
How to Perform Fajr Prayer
The Fajr prayer has two rakat, which are like sets of movements and recitations. If you pray with a group, the prayer leader, called an imam, says the prayers out loud.
Before these two required rakat, it is highly recommended to perform two extra rakat. These extra steps are called Fajr nafl prayer.
The time to perform the Fajr prayer is from the very beginning of dawn until the sun starts to rise. During this time, the parts of the Quran recited during the prayer are said aloud.
Why Fajr Prayer is Important
The Prophet Muhammad taught a lot about the importance of the Fajr prayer. His sayings and actions, called hadith, tell us why this prayer is so special.
What the Prophet Muhammad Said
- Prophet Muhammad always performed two rakat before the Fajr prayer.
- He said that if you can complete even one rakat of the Fajr prayer before sunrise, you should finish your prayer.
- It is said that angels visit people at night and during the day. They all gather during the Fajr (dawn) and Asr (afternoon) prayers. When they go back to heaven, God asks them how they left His followers. The angels reply, "We left them while they were praying."
- Prophet Muhammad also said that the two extra rakat before the Fajr prayer are "better than this world and everything in it." This shows how much value they have.
- He was always very eager to perform these two extra rakat before the morning prayer.
- Prophet Muhammad advised Muslims not to skip the two rakat of Fajr, even in difficult situations.
- He also mentioned that the Fajr prayer and the Isha (night) prayer are the hardest for those who are not truly devoted. He said if they knew how rewarding these prayers are, they would come to them even if they had to crawl.
- Some teachings also suggest that it is not good for Muslims to go back to sleep right after the Fajr prayer until the sun has fully risen.
See Also
- Fajr nafl prayer
- Wudu (washing before prayer)
- Other daily prayers:
- Zuhr prayer (Mid-day)
- Asr prayer (Afternoon)
- Maghrib prayer (Sunset)
- Isha prayer (Night)
- Dhikr (remembering God)
- Tasbih (praising God)
- Nafl prayer (extra prayers)
