Posts Tagged "Fajr"
Is Qunut in Fajr Obligatory? What about behind a Hanafi Imam?
Shafiifiqh.com has received many questions pertaining to the rulings of Qunut in Salatul-Fajr (the dawn prayer). In this question and answer fatwa with Shaykh Taha Karaan, he answers the following questions:
1) Is the Salah valid if one does not make qunut – in other words what is the mu’tamad hukm on the qunut?
2) Should the one making Salah make sajdatus sahu if he does not perform qunut?
3) What does one do behind a Hanafi Imam?
May Allah almighty bless Shaykh Taha for his time and efforts amin!
Question:
Is the Salah valid if one does not make qunut – in other words what is the mu’tamad hukm on the qunut?
Answer:
The qunut is regarded as a sunnah of the ab’ad type. What this means is that omitting it would not invalidate the salah, but its omission would be compensated for by making the sajdat al-sahw (the prostration of forgetfulness).
Question:
Should they make sajdatus sahu (the prostration of forgetfulness) if not performed.
Answer:
The general rule would be to make sajdat al-sawh on account of the omission of the qunut.
However, when following an imam who does not make the qunut (a Hanafi imam, for example), two questions arise:
- Firstly, should one read the qunut on your own behind the imam?
- Secondly, would sajdat al-sahw have to be made independently after the imam’s salam?
Should one read the qunut on your own behind the imam?
The position of our madhhab is that one may make the qunut on your own provided you are able to join the imam in his first sajdah. If reading the qunut would delay you to the point where you would only join the imam after he has completed his first sajdah, the qunut should be left out and one should rather join the imam. (Mughni al-Muhtaj 1:362)
When considering whether one would or would not manage to catch up with the imam in his first sajdah, it should not be imagined that the entire qunut has to be read, from Allahumma hdina fi man hadayt … up to the salawat. The rule about the qunut is that any du’a would suffice as qunut, even if it is as brief as Allahumma ghfir li (Oh Allah forgive me). Even a verse from the Qur’an containing du’a would suffice. (Tuhfat al-Muhtaj 2:65) Needless to say, a qunut as brief as this would definitely allow one to join the imam in his first sajdah.
Would sajdat al-sahw have to be made?
On this point the opinions of our fuqaha differ. The mu’tamad (relied upon) position of the madhhab is that whether one has managed to make a qunut on one’s own or not, sajdat al-sahw would still have to be made after the imam makes salam. (Mughni al-Muhtaj 1:362)
Opposed to the above mu’tamad position there are two alternative positions in the madhhab:
- Ibn al-Muqri’ would appear to hold the view that where one has actually managed to make a qunut independently behind the imam, sajdat al-sahw need not be made. (Mughni al-Muhtaj 1:362)
- Al-Qaffal al-Marwazi, al-Isnawi and al-Suyuti take the position that sajdat al-sahw does not need to be made at all on account of the omission of qunut behind a Hanafi imam, for example. (al-Ashbah wa l-Naza’ir p. 437) According to this view, a Shafi’i praying behind a Hanafi imam will omit the qunut along with the imam and will not make sajdat al-sahw when the imam makes salam.
Although these two views are not the mu’tamad positions of the madhhab, it would be perfectly valid, and even encouraged, for individuals to practice upon them.
And Allah Knows Best
Answered by Shaykh Taha Karaan
Dar Al-Ulum Al-Arabiyyah wal-Islamiyyah
Read MoreRaising the Hands in Qunut; What is the proof?
Question:
Does one raise their hands for Qunut in Fajr and Witr? What is the proof for it if so?
Answer:
الحمد لله رب العالمين ، وصلى الله على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين، وبالله التوفيق
Imam An-Nawawi states in his Kitab At-Tahqiq,
يندب رفع يديه دون مسح وجهه في الأصح
“ِAnd it is recommended to raise one’s hands [in qunut] without wiping one’s face according to what is most correct.”
Ibn Naqib Al-Masri states in his ‘Umdat As-Salik (Reliance of the Traveller),
“While performing the dawn prayer it is Sunna to lift one’s hands and supplicate after straightening up from bowing in the second raka’ah. [...] one does not stroke the face or chest with one’s hands after the supplication.”1
Before continuing to the actual question of raising the hands, we should clarify that it is the Sunnah of the Nabi (‘alayhis salam) to wipe his face after du’aa, however Imam An-Nawawi states that one is only to do it outside of Salah and not within it, as there is no evidence to conclude that the Prophet Muhammad (‘alayhis salam) wiped his face within Salah. There is, however, a weaker view in our school that it is to be done. Such was held by Al-Qadi Abu Tayyib, Shaykh Abu Muhammad Al-Juwayni, Ibn As-Sabbagh, Al-Mutawalli, Shaykh Nasr in his Kitab, and the author of Al-Bayan.2 However, according to Imams An-Nawawi, Ar-Rafi’i and Al-Bayhaqi as well as others, it is not Sunnah and is disliked to do so within Salah – though outside of Salah is Sunnah. This topic was researched in depth in another article on Shafiifiqh.com titled, “Wiping the face after making du’aa”. Imam Al-Bayhaqi said in his Sunan Al-Kubra:
فأما مسح اليدين بالوجه عند الفراغ من الدعاء فلست أحفظه عن أحد من السلف في دعاء القنوت وإن كان يروي بعضهم في الدعاء خارج الصلاة
“As for wiping the face with the hands and the end of one’s du’aa, then this is not preserved from anyone from amongst the salaf (righteous predecessors) in the Du’aa of the Qunut, and it is reported from some of them with regards to du’aa outside of Salah.”3
- page 147-148, Reliance of the Traveler, trans. Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller [↩]
- Al-Majmu’ Vol 3 pg 480 [↩]
- See Sunan Al-Kubra, 2968 [↩]
The Shafi’i Ruling as Well as Proofs for Qunut in Salat-ul-Fajr
Compiled by Abul Layth
Imam An-Nawawī states in his primer Al-Minhāj,
- “And the Qunut is a Sunnah when rising from the bowing position (ruku’) in the second raka’ah of the morning prayer (As-Subh). And what is said is [the supplication],اللهم اهديني فيمن هديت”Allahumma Ahdini fiman hadayt…”
Until the end of the supplication. The Imam recites [the du'aa] in plural form, and what is correct (sahīh) is that it is Sunnah to send blessings upon Rasūlullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) at the end of the supplication, and that the hands be raised, and that one does not wipe their face, and that the Imām says it aloud while the the one following says Amīn…”1
- Sirraj Al-Wahhaj ‘Ala Matn Al-Minhāj page 148: Dar-Al-Kutub Al-‘Ilmiyyah [↩]
Recent Comments