Allah places importance on performing each of the five daily prayers during their designated times – none more so than Fajr, or dawn, prayer.
The sermon will tell worshippers that Fajr prayer is so important that Allah named a chapter in the Quran after it.
The rising of the sun and the spread of its rays across the skies is considered a sacred time when Angels are said to descend, flocking to be around those who have risen early to pray.
These Angels bear witness to the prayers of worshippers and hear their recitations of the Quran. They record these good deeds in their Scrolls to report back to Allah.
“Angels take turns among you by night and by day, and they all assemble at the dawn and afternoon prayers,” the Prophet Mohammed said.
“Those [of the angels] who spend the night among you, then, ascend, and their Lord asks them, though He is the best informed about the matter: How did you leave My servants? They respond: We left them while they were praying and we came to them while they were praying.”
Worshippers who pray Fajr should rejoice because they are in the company of Angels. Such people should be celebrated and Allah is said to boast about them.
“Look at My servant, he has left his bed and risen up for his prayer, only out of desire for what is with Me and a consideration for what is from Me,” says a Hadith Qudsi (Prophetic saying as revealed to him by Allah).
Fajr prayers mark the beginning of the day and call on people to fight their natural inclination to continue sleeping and to get up at dawn and strive to place themselves in the Divine presence before God.
The Prophet Mohammed advised adhering to prayer times, particularly Fajr and Isha.
“If they [the people] knew the reward for the Isha and the Fajr prayers in congregation, they would join them even if they had to crawl [to attend it],” he said.
Worshippers who pray Fajr are also privy to special protection from Allah, according to the Prophet.
