Fajr prayer: 2 rak‘ahs, step by step
The dawn prayer: what is recited, aloud, and the recommended surahs
Fajr, the dawn prayer, has 2 obligatory rak‘ahs. The imam recites Al-Fatiha aloud, then a surah, in each of the two rak‘ahs, often long surahs. They are preceded by two sunnah rak‘ahs, which the Prophet ﷺ never left. The prayer ends with a single sitting for the tashahhud, then the salam.
What the schools agree on
Fajr has 2 rak‘ahs, with Al-Fatiha and a surah in each, recited aloud by the imam. It has a single sitting: the last tashahhud, then the salam.
The first rak‘ah is often a little longer than the second.
At Dhuhr, the Prophet ﷺ recited Al-Fatiha and a surah in the first two rak‘ahs and Al-Fatiha alone in the last two, making the first rak‘ah longer; he did the same at Asr and Fajr.
According to ‘A’isha, the Prophet ﷺ did not leave four rak‘ahs before Dhuhr, nor two before Fajr.
Fajr, rak‘ah by rak‘ah
Two rak‘ahs aloud and a single sitting, at the end: the table follows Fajr rak‘ah by rak‘ah. Each movement and each dhikr is detailed on the positions page.
| Rak‘ah | Recitation | Imam’s voice | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Al-Fatiha, then a surah | aloud | stand up |
| 2 | Al-Fatiha, then a surah | aloud | last tashahhud, prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ, salam |
The four schools, all valid
Which surahs to recite at Fajr?
Practice is to recite long surahs at Fajr, those at the start of the Mufassal, from Qaf to Al-Mursalat. On Fridays, the Prophet ﷺ recited As-Sajdah and Al-Insan.
On Fridays, at Fajr, the Prophet ﷺ recited Surahs As-Sajdah and Al-Insan.
Abu Hurayra described a prayer very close to the Prophet’s ﷺ: the first two rak‘ahs of Dhuhr long, Asr lighter, short surahs at Maghrib, surahs like Ash-Shams at Isha and two long surahs at Fajr.
| Surah | Verses | Listening | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| As-Sajdah | 30 | 11 min 13 s | Sahih al-Bukhari 891 · on Fridays |
| Al-Insan | 31 | 6 min 13 s | Sahih al-Bukhari 891 · on Fridays |
| Qaf | 45 | 10 min 41 s | Mufassal, long |
| Adh-Dhariyat | 60 | 8 min 55 s | Mufassal, long |
| At-Tur | 49 | 8 min 09 s | Mufassal, long |
| An-Najm | 62 | 9 min 33 s | Mufassal, long |
| Al-Qamar | 55 | 8 min 42 s | Mufassal, long |
| Ar-Rahman | 78 | 10 min 37 s | Mufassal, long |
| Al-Waqi'ah | 96 | 10 min 37 s | Mufassal, long |
| Al-Hadid | 29 | 16 min 17 s | Mufassal, long |
Frequently asked questions
How many rak‘ahs does Fajr have?
2 obligatory rak‘ahs, preceded by 2 sunnah rak‘ahs.
Is Fajr recited aloud when praying without an imam?
The schools differ: the Malikis and Shafi‘is recommend reciting aloud, the Hanafis and Hanbalis leave the choice.
Is the qunut said at Fajr?
The schools differ: the Shafi‘is and Malikis say it at Fajr, the Hanafis and Hanbalis do not in ordinary times. Follow what your imam does.
How can I check my Fatiha and the surahs I recite in prayer?
Recite them out loud in the Tilawa app: it follows your recitation word by word and shows you the words and tajweed rules to work on. During prayer, it can also follow the verses you recite.
Tilawa editorial team · Updated 2026-10-24 · Report an error