Islam Question and Answer - Is it essential to stay in the place where one prayed Fajr in order to obtain the benefit?

Is it essential to stay in the place where one prayed Fajr in order to obtain the benefit?

If a person prays Fajr then moves from the place in which he prayed and sits remembering Allaah, is that permissible or should he stay where he was in order to attain the reward?.

 

Praise be to Allaah.

Al-Tirmidhi narrated (485) that Anas (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Whoever prays Fajr in congregation then sits remembering
Allaah until the sun rises, then prays two rak’ahs, will have a reward like
that of Hajj and ‘Umrah, complete, complete, complete.” Classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, no. 3403. 

It seems that in order to attain this reward it is not
essential for the worshipper to stay in the place where he prayed; so long
as he is in the mosque, remembering Allaah, may He be exalted, then there is
the hope that he will attain this reward. This is indicated by the general
meaning of the hadeeth: “Whoever prays Fajr in congregation then sits
remembering Allaah until the sun rises…” The Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allaah be upon him) did not stipulate that he should stay in the place where
he prayed. So if he moves to another place inside the mosque, and sits
remembering Allaah, then the hadeeth includes him. This was stated by some
of the scholars. Ibn Rajab (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Fath
al-Baari (4/56): Several hadeeths have been narrated concerning the
virtue of one who sits in the place where he prayed after Fajr until the sun
rises and after ‘Asr until the sun sets. 

Is what is meant by the phrase “the place where he prayed”
the spot where he prayed or the entire mosque in which he prayed? There is a
difference of opinion concerning this. 

In Saheeh Muslim it is narrated from Jaabir ibn
Samurah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him), when
he had prayed Fajr, would sit in the place where he prayed until the sun had
fully risen. According to another report: the Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allaah be upon him) did not get up from the place in which he had prayed
Fajr until the sun rose, then when the sun rose, he would get up. It is well
known that he (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) did not sit in the
place where he had prayed, because he would go to his companions following
the prayer and turn to face them. 

This was narrated by al-Tabaraani, who says: When he had
prayed Fajr, he would sit and remember Allaah until the sun rose. 

In the completion of the hadeeth of Jaabir ibn Samurah which
was narrated by Muslim it says: And they would talk and discuss issues from
the time of Jaahiliyyah and they would laugh and he would smile. 

This hadeeth indicates that what is meant by the place in
which he had prayed and in which he would sit is the mosque as a whole. This
was the view of a number of the scholars including Ibn Battah among our
companions and others. End quote. 

And Allaah knows best.

 

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