What is the ruling with regards to sleeping after Fajr Salaah before sunrise?
Answer -
It is a Sunnah to stay awake after the Fajr Salaah engaging in the Thikar of Allah until the sun has risen, and to then pray 2 or 4 Rakaats of Salatul Ishraq.
The time for performing Salah Ishraq commences approximately twenty minutes after sunrise when the sun is above the horizon approximately to the length of a spear
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لأَنْ أَقْعُدَ مَعَ قَوْمٍ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى مِنْ صَلاَةِ الْغَدَاةِ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ أَنْ أُعْتِقَ أَرْبَعَةً مِنْ وَلَدِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ
Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “That I sit in the company of the people who remember Allah the Exalted from Fajr Salaah till the sun rises is dearer to me than that I emancipate four slaves from the children of Ismaeel. [Abu Dawud Book 26, Hadith 27]
Imam Tirmidhi (رضي الله عنه) narrates:
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَنْ صَلَّى الْغَدَاةَ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ ثُمَّ قَعَدَ يَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ كَانَتْ لَهُ كَأَجْرِ حَجَّةٍ وَعُمْرَةٍ
Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Whoever performs Fajr in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until the sun has risen, then he performs two rak’ah, then for him is the reward like that of a Hajj and Umrah.” [Tirmidhi] The same reward will apply for a lady performing Salaah in her home.
We are able to gauge from these narrations that Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) would not sleep after Fajr Salaat, but would remain in the Dhikr of Allah, the tilaawat of the Quraan, etc. until Ishraaq, Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam would perform Ishraq Salaah after which he would engage in other chores. After Zawaal, Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam would have a siesta.
It is makrooh (disliked) for one to sleep after Fajr till sunrise unless one has an excuse. Furthermore, it is not makrooh for one to sleep after sunrise.
ويكره النوم قبل العشاء والكلام المباح بعدها وبعد طلوع الفجر إلى أدائه ثم لا بأس بمشيه لحاجته وقيل يكره إلى طلوع ذكاء وقيل إلى ارتفاعها فيض (الدر المختار 1/ 381)
ويكره النوم في أول النهار وفيما بين المغرب والعشاء (هندية 376/5)
And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Yusuf Moosagie
10th October 2022