Abû Hurayrah relates that the Prophet (r) said:

“If the second call to prayer is made, then there is no prayer except the prescribed prayer.”

This is an authentic hadîth related in Sahîh Muslim, Sunan al-Tirmidhî, and Sunan al-Nasâ`î.

The hadîth indicates a prohibition against engaging in voluntary prayer after the second call to prayer (the iqâmah) has commenced. The indication is general, regardless of whether the voluntary prayer in question is the Sunnah prayer for Fajr or some other prayer.

In one narration of the hadîth, it reads that someone responded:

“O messenger of Allah! Not even the two units before Fajr?” to which he replied: “Not even the two units before Fajr.” (Ibn Hajr al-`Asqalânî declared the chain of transmission for this narration to be sound)

Indeed, the Prophet (r) rebuked someone who offered those two units of prayer after the second call for the Fajr prayer had been made. ‘Abd Allah b. Mâlik b. Buhaynah relates the following:

The Prophet (r) passed by a man who was praying after the second call for the Morning Prayer had been given. He said to him something that we could not make out. When we had finished our prayers, we converged on him and asked: “What did Allah’s Messenger (r) say to you?” He told us: “He said to me: ‘It is feared that one of you might pray the Morning Prayer as four units.’ ” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]

Ahmad b. Hanbal was asked about a man who enters the mosque while the imam is praying the Morning Prayer, what he should do if he has not already offered two units of prayer? Ahmad said: “He should join the prayer, because the Prophet (r) said:

‘If the second call to prayer is made, then there is no prayer except the prescribed prayer.’ ”

Many scholars have discussed the wisdom behind this ruling. Al-Nawawî writes:

“The wisdom behind it is so that the person will be free to perform the obligatory prayer from its inception, commencing it right after the imam does. Taking care to perform the obligatory prayer in the most complete manner takes precedence over engaging in voluntary prayers. Al-Qâdî ‘Iyâd says: ‘There is another aspect to its wisdom, which is the prohibition of acting differently than the imâm.’ ” [Sharh Sahîh Muslim]

Some scholars have ruled that it is permissible to offer the two units of Sunnah prayer for Fajr even after the iqâmah for prayer has been called. Some of them have made this conditional upon the worshipper’s belief that by doing so he will not miss the first unit of prayer in its entirety. Some have made the condition that he will not miss the second unit of prayer. Others have allowed it only outside of the mosque.

Mâlik says: “If he has already entered the mosque, he should join the imam and refrain from praying those two units. If he has not yet entered the mosque and does not fear that he will miss a unit of prayer with the imam, he may pray those two units outside of the mosque. Moreover, he may not pray them anywhere on the mosque grounds.”

Al-Thawrî says: “If he fears that he will miss a unit of the prayer, he should join them and refrain from praying those two units. Otherwise, he should pray them, even if he has already entered the mosque.”

Al-Awzâ`î says: “When he enters the mosque, he should pray the two units except if he is certain that by doing so, he will miss the second unit (of the obligatory prayer with the imâm). As for the first unit (of the obligatory prayer), he should pray (the two Sunnah units) even if he misses it.”

Abû Hanîfah and his colleagues advance the following opinion: “If he fears missing both units by not joining with the imam before he rises from bowing in the second unit of his prayer, then he should join the imâm. If he feels that he can catch one unit, then he should pray the two Sunnah units of Fajr outside the mosque and then enter and join the imam.”

These scholars support these various viewpoints with the following:

1. The two Sunnah units of Fajr are an emphatic Sunnah that the prophet (r) offered with absolute regularity.

2. They cite the following traditions:

It is related that Ibn Mas`ûd arrived while the imam was praying Fajr, so he prayed two units behind one of the mosque’s pillars, as he had not yet prayed his two units for Fajr. [Musannaf ‘Abd al-Razzâq (2/444)]

It is related that Ibn `Umar entered the mosque while the people were engaged in prayer, so he entered Hafsah’s home and prayed two units then he went out into the mosque and joined the prayer. [Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, al-Tamhîd (22/75)]

It is best to act upon the general meaning of the hadîth under discussion that “if the second call to prayer is made, then there is no prayer except the prescribed prayer.” When there is disagreement, the evidence of the Sunnah is the decisive factor.

Should the worshipper break off his voluntary prayer when the iqâmah is called?

On the strength of the hadîth’s general wording, some scholars are of the opinion that a worshipper should break off his voluntary worship when he hears the iqâmah being called. Al-‘Irâqî writes:

His statement “… there is no prayer …” may possibly mean that no prayer should be commenced when the second call for prayer is made. It might possibly also mean that he should not be engaged in prayer at that time, even if he had started praying before the iqâmah. The worshipper should rather break off his prayer in virtue of the prohibition. Quite possibly, the prayer might invalidate itself if the worshipper does not stop praying. Both are valid possibilities.

Other scholars consider the prohibition to apply only to commencing a prayer after hearing the iqâmah being called. If, on the other hand, he had already started praying beforehand, then the prohibition does not apply to him. He may continue praying as long as he will not miss the congregational prayer by dong so. Some scholars do not even impose that condition upon him.

They cite as evidence for this opinion the verse of the Qur’ân that states:

“Do not nullify your deeds.” [Sûrah Muhammad:33]

However, it is possible to argue that the verse is general while the hadîth is specific, so the hadîth will specify the general ruling of the verse. Moreover, the context of the verse indicates that we should not nullify our good deeds with sin and polytheism.

What I find to be most correct – and Allah knows best – is that when a worshipper who is engaged in a voluntary prayer hears the iqâmah being called, he should complete his prayer quickly if he feels that he will be able to join with the imam from the beginning so that he does not miss the first unit of the congregational prayer. Otherwise, he should find no objection to breaking off his prayer in consideration of the hadîth’s general wording.

And Allah is the one who grants success and guides to the Straight Path.