Fatwā

QUESTION

I would like to find out the ruling regarding qunūt in Fajr ṣalāh. Can one choose when and when not to read it in Fajr ṣalāh? Also, does the same ruling apply to both muqtadi (follower) and Imam (leader)?

ANSWER

According to the Shāfiʿī madhhab, the sunnah is for the qunūt to be made in the Fajr salah on a daily basis throughout the year. This is based on the hadith of Anas, documented and authenticated by the likes of Bayhaqi and Daraqutni which states: “As for Subh, he salla Llahu ‘alayhi wasallam continued making qunūt in it till he left the world.” (Bayhaqi, al-Sunan al-Kubra, vol. 2 p. 201; Daraqutni, Sunan, vol. 2 p. 39) Now, while in principle the omission of a sunnah from the salah does not invalidate the salah, the category of sunnah termed the ab’ad–of which qunūt is an example–does bring about a deficiency in the salah serious enough that it has to be compensated for by performing thesujud al-sahw, or the prostration of forgetful error. Thus, for one practising upon the madhhab the omission of the qunūt is not simply a matter of choice. As for the follower in salah, when his imam makes the qunūt he would obviously follow. If the imam for whatever reason does not make the qunūt, the carried rule of the madhhab states that the follower should in such an instance make sujud al-sahw on his own after the imam’s salam. There are however alternative views in the madhhab, notably those of al-Qaffal al-Marwazi, Isnawi and Suyuti, in terms of which the muqtadi does not have to make the sujud al-sahw. ( al-Ashbah wa-al Naza’ir, p. 682). This view may be practiced upon. And Allah knows best.

M.T.Karaan