Fajr (Dawn Prayer)
The first of the five daily prayers, performed at dawn.
Fajr (Arabic: فجر) is the first of the five daily obligatory prayers in Islam. The word "fajr" means "dawn" in Arabic and refers to the time when the first light begins to appear on the eastern horizon, before the sun rises.
The Fajr prayer consists of two rak'ah (prayer cycles) and is the shortest of the five daily prayers. It must be prayed in the period from the true dawn (when the light spreads horizontally along the horizon) until sunrise. It is recommended to pray Fajr as early as possible after the adhan.
Fajr time is calculated based on the sun's position below the horizon. Most calculation methods use a solar angle of between 15° and 19° below the horizon. At higher latitudes, the Fajr time can vary significantly between summer and winter. In summer, Fajr may begin as early as 2-3 AM, while in winter it can be as late as 6-7 AM.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever prays the Fajr prayer is under Allah's protection." The Fajr prayer is considered one of the most important prayers, as it requires one to rise from sleep to worship Allah.
Related terms
Salat al-Ayat (Prayer of the Signs)
An obligatory prayer performed during natural phenomena such as solar and lunar eclipses.
Salat al-Tasbih (The Prayer of Glorification)
A special voluntary prayer with 300 tasbih recitations, recommended for forgiveness of sins.
Ijma' (Consensus)
Agreement among Islamic scholars on a legal question, considered the third source of Islamic law.
Madhhab (School of Law)
An Islamic school of law with its own methodology for legal derivation from the sacred sources.
Sahifa al-Sajjadiyyah (The Psalms of Sajjad)
A collection of supplications from the 4th Imam, called "The Psalms of Islam."
Wudu (Ritual Ablution)
The ritual cleansing with water, required before prayer.