1104/1 - ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) would offer two brief Rak‘ahs between the Adhān and Iqāmah of the Fajr prayer.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
In another version: “He would offer the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of Fajr when he heard the Adhān and would make them so brief that I would wonder: Did he only recite Al-Fātihah in them?” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
In another version narrated by Muslim: “He would offer the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of Fajr when he heard the Adhān and would make them brief.” In another version: “... when it was dawn ...”
1105/2 - Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: “Whenever the Muezzin proclaimed the Adhān for the Fajr prayer and the morning emerged, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) would offer two brief Rak‘ahs.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
In another version by Muslim: “When it was dawn, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) would only perform two brief Rak‘ahs.”
1106/3 - Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) would pray in the night two Rak‘ahs by two Rak‘ahs and would observe Witr with one Rak‘ah at the latter part of the night, and he would perform two Rak‘ahs before the Fajr prayer as if the Iqāmah was ringing in his ears.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
As if the Iqāmah was ringing in his ears: He would make the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of Fajr so brief as if he was hearing the Iqāmah and fearing he would miss praying the Fajr prayer at its earliest time.
1) They point out that the Prophet’s guidance with regard to the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of Fajr is to make it brief, yet complete and excellent.
2) The time of the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of Fajr begins when it is certain that the earliest time for performing the Fajr prayer has started.
3) After the Adhān of the Fajr prayer, we may only offer the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of Fajr. Offering more supererogatory prayers at this time is not part of the Prophet’s Sunnah.
1107/4 - Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in the first Rak‘ah of the Sunnah prayer of Fajr {Say: “We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us...”} [Surat al-Baqarah: 136] and in the second Rak‘ah: {We have believed in Allah and bear witness that we are Muslims.} [Surat Āl-‘Imrān: 52]
In another version: “and in the second Rak‘ah: {Come to a word that is equitable between us and you} [Surat Āl-‘Imrān: 64] [Narrated by Muslim]
1108/5 - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) recited in the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah prayer of Fajr: Surat al-Kāfirūn and Surat al-Ikhlās.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1109/6 - Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: “I watched the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) closely for one month, and he used to recite Surat al-Kāfirūn and Surat al-Ikhlās in the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah prayer of Fajr.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; and he classified it as Hasan (sound)]
1) The reported variety of Surahs to be recited serves many wise purposes, such as making things easy for people, helping people maintain attentiveness of heart in prayer, and showing full compliance with the Prophet’s example, for a follower of his Sunnah would do all that is reported from him.
2) Observing the Prophet’s guidance in the recitation in the Sunnah of Fajr is better and recommended, for full compliance with the Prophet’s Sunnah lies in following all its aspects.
3) The verses (that the Prophet) recited in the Sunnah of Fajr contain disavowal of polytheism and its people, taking pride in monotheism, and display of loyalty towards the believers in the oneness of Allah Almighty. This highlights the significance of monotheism in people’s lives, as they begin their day with pronouncing it.