The Fajr prayer includes 2 rakah of sunnah and 2 rakat of farz. A common concerning question is what time does fajr prayer come in. Well, It begins when the sky turns from pitch black to just a shade lighter and ends at sunset.
This is approximately a full and half hour before sunrise. You can also check the online fajr namaz time for the starting time according to your current location.
But if you want to know in detail about how late can I pray Fajr, you can read the information given below.
Time for Fajr Prayer In the Light of the Quran & Hadith
Allah has revealed in the Quran Surah Al Isra Ayat 78 regarding how early can I pray Fajr.
“Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur’an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed. Fajr prayer is also called a prayer of dawn.
If we give you a reference for an explanation, then according to an Islamic scholar, sheikh Ahmed Kutty, from the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Fajar time starts with the appearance of the first dawn. This is the best time for fajr prayer when there is still darkness outside.
How Late Can I Pray Fajr According to Hadith?
A question that still needs to be answered is: when does Fajr time end? According to hadith, the fajr end time is when the sun rises.
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Whoever could get one rak`a (of the Fajr prayer) before sunrise, he has got the (morning) prayer, and whoever could get one rak`a of the `Asr prayer before sunset, he has got the (`Asr) prayer.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 579):
The above hadith has clear your doubt about how late can I pray fajr. But somehow if you can’t get up before sunrise for a valid reason then there is another hadith discussed below.
When You Can Pray Fajr After Sunrise?
If somehow you are unable to get up for the Fajr prayer before sunrise, you can even pray it whenever you wake up.
Narrated by Amr ibn Umayyah ad-Damri:
“We were in the company of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) during one of his journeys. He overslept, abandoning the morning prayer until the sun had arisen. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) awoke and said: Go away from this place. He then commanded Bilal to call for prayer. He called for prayer. They (the people) performed ablution and offered two rak’ahs of the morning prayer (sunnah prayer). He then commanded Bilal (to utter the Iqamah, i.e. to summon the people to attend the prayer). He announced the prayer (i.e. uttered the Iqamah), and he led them in the morning prayer.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 444).
Are you concerned whether can you pray fajr before sunrise or not? So according to above hadith it clear that you can pray before or after sunrise but only in case of any autentic reason.
Who Misses The Two Rak’ah Before Fajr Praying
There is a debate between Fiqhs for missing two rakats before the fajr prayer. Some say you can offer sunnah right after the Farz prayer. On the other hand, some agree that these sunnahs will be offered after 20 minutes of sun rising. A hadith regarding this debate is:
Qais narrated:
“Allah’s Messenger (S) went out, and the Iqamah was called for the Salat, so I prayed As-Subh with him. Then the Prophet (S) turned and found me performing Salat so he said: ‘Easy O Qais! Are there two prayers together?’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I did not perform the two Rak’ah (before) Fajr.’ He said: ‘Then there is no harm.'” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 422):
If you still have doubts, we recommend you consult with your Fiqh’s imam or any scholar with expertise on this topic.
You can also enlighten your thoughts about whether is it obligatory to pray in a mosque for men or women. You can check about Fajar, too, from this perspective.
Intentionally Missing Fajr Prayer and Offering After Sunrise
Many people ask about how late can I pray fajr, even after sunrise. Well, the Fajr prayer is only permitted after sunrise when one cannot get up early before the sun rises for any genuine reason. However, according to all Islamic scholars, if anyone intentionally misses the Fajr prayer and offers it after sunrise, then their prayer will not be accepted in front of Allah.
A Few Last Words About How Late Can I Pray Fajr?
Overall, from Hadith and all Fiqh regarding the question of when does Fajr end, it is proven that the fajr prayer can last till sunrise. But if any situation occurs that you weren’t able to offer it before sunrise, then you can offer it after sunrise.
Furthermore, for those people who intentionally delay the Fajr after sunrise, their prayers will not be accepted in front of Allah. May Allah (Swt) enlighten our hearts to offer prayer 5 times daily with congregations and without delay (amen).