Question: 

Currently in the city I reside Fajr begins at ~1.25 and ends with sunrise ~5.00.

Is it permissible for me to pray Fajr during the summer months around 2.00am if I am awake at this time of the night due to not falling asleep after Isha? (the reasons for this are due to medication which I am taking for a chronic illness which delay sleep)

With any personal mitigations aside, would it be permissible under the Hanafi fiqh to pray Fajr salah at any time during the ‘valid’ times (i am of the understanding that it is preferred to offer Fajr salah with congregation of course, and close to sunrise? please correct me if I am mistaken on this)

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

According to Hanafī Madhab the time of Fajr Salah is from true dawn till sunrise.[1] As long as one prays his Salah al Fajr within this time, the Salah will be valid.

However, this would also mean that you forgo the congregation at the Mosque. Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wasallam has mentioned great virtues of congregational prayer. Congregational prayer is Sunnah Mu’akkadah(emphasized sunnah)[2] and abandoning an emphasized sunnah without valid reason is sinful.[3]

Your Fajr Salah at 2:00AM will be valid. If the timings for the medication are re-arranged, as per the doctor’s consultation, then it may be possible for you to sleep in time to wake up for Fajr Salah and reap its rewards.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mawlana Faisal bin Abdul Hameed,
Student Darul Iftaa
Montréal, Canada

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.