Making Them Brief

Narrated 'Aishah:
The Prophet ﷺ would pray two rak'ahs before the dawn prayer lightly so much so that I would say: Did he recite Surah al-Fatihah in them.

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي شُعَيْبٍ الْحَرَّانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَمْرَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يُخَفِّفُ الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ صَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ حَتَّى إِنِّي لأَقُولُ هَلْ قَرَأَ فِيهِمَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ

Narrated Abu Hurairah:
The Prophet ﷺ would recite in the two (supererogatory) rak'ahs of the dawn prayer: "Say, O unbelievers" [Surat al-Kafiroon:1] and "Say: He is Allah, the one" [Surat al-Ikhlas:1]

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ مَعِينٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ كَيْسَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَرَأَ فِي رَكْعَتَىِ الْفَجْرِ { قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ } وَ { قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ } .

Narrated Bilal:

Ziyadah al-Kindi reported on the authority of Bilal that he (Bilal) came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to inform him about the dawn prayer. Aisha kept Bilal engaged in a matter which she asked him till the day was bright and it became fairly light. Bilal then stood up and called him to prayer and called him repeatedly. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not yet come out. When he came out, he led the people in prayer and he (Bilal) informed him that Aisha had kept him engaged in a matter which she asked him till it became fairly light; hence he became late in reaching him (in time). He (Bilal) said: Messenger of Allah, the dawn became fairly bright. He said: If the dawn became brighter than it is now, I would pray them (the two rak'ahs of the sunnah prayer), offer them well and in a more beautiful manner.

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْمُغِيرَةِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو زِيَادَةَ، عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ الْكِنْدِيُّ عَنْ بِلاَلٍ، أَنَّهُ حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّهُ، أَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لِيُؤْذِنَهُ بِصَلاَةِ الْغَدَاةِ فَشَغَلَتْ عَائِشَةُ - رضى الله عنها - بِلاَلاً بِأَمْرٍ سَأَلَتْهُ عَنْهُ حَتَّى فَضَحَهُ الصُّبْحُ فَأَصْبَحَ جِدًّا قَالَ فَقَامَ بِلاَلٌ فَآذَنَهُ بِالصَّلاَةِ وَتَابَعَ أَذَانَهُ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ صَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ وَأَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ شَغَلَتْهُ بِأَمْرٍ سَأَلَتْهُ عَنْهُ حَتَّى أَصْبَحَ جِدًّا وَأَنَّهُ أَبْطَأَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْخُرُوجِ فَقَالَ " إِنِّي كُنْتُ رَكَعْتُ رَكْعَتَىِ الْفَجْرِ " . فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّكَ أَصْبَحْتَ جِدًّا . قَالَ " لَوْ أَصْبَحْتُ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا أَصْبَحْتُ لَرَكَعْتُهُمَا وَأَحْسَنْتُهُمَا وَأَجْمَلْتُهُمَا " .

Narrated AbuHurayrah:

The Prophet ﷺ said: Do not omit them (the two rak'ahs before the dawn prayer) even if you are driven away by the horses.

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ إِسْحَاقَ الْمَدَنِيَّ - عَنِ ابْنِ زَيْدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ سِيْلاَنَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ " لاَ تَدَعُوهُمَا وَإِنْ طَرَدَتْكُمُ الْخَيْلُ " .

Narrated 'Abd Allah b. 'Abbas:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to recite in both rak'ahs of the dawn prayer: "Say: We believe in Allah and in the revelation given to us" (3:84) . This is in the first rak'ah and in the second rak'ah (he recited): "We believe in Allah and bear witness that we submit ourself (to Him)." (3:52).

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ حَكِيمٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ كَثِيرًا، مِمَّا كَانَ يَقْرَأُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي رَكْعَتَىِ الْفَجْرِ بِـ { آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْنَا } هَذِهِ الآيَةَ قَالَ هَذِهِ فِي الرَّكْعَةِ الأُولَى وَفِي الرَّكْعَةِ الآخِرَةِ بِـ { آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ } .