Distinguishing  features  of  True  

and  False  Fajr  (dawn)  
Translated  by  Nasrin  As-­‐Salafiyah  

[Author  Name]  
Distinguishing  features  of  true  and  
false  fajr  (dawn)  
 
 
Masdud  narrated  from  Yahya  from  At-­‐taymee  from  Abi  Uthmaan  from  Ibn  Mas’ud  that  he  said,  the  
Messenger  of  Allah  sallallahu  alayhe  wa  sallam  said,  “Do  not  let  the  call  of  Bilal  prevent  any  of  you  from  his  
suhur  –  pre-­dawn  meal  because  he  makes  prayer  call  or  he  said,  he  calls  in  order  to  return  those  standing  in  
(prayer)  amongst  you  (to  take  pre-­‐dawn  meal)  and  to  awaken  those  in  slumber  amongst  you  and  he  said  the  
true  fajr  is  not  like  this  –  Yahya  gathered  his  palms  –  until  he  said  (it  is)  like  this.”  And  Yahya  extended  his  two  
index  fingers.    
 
Explanation:    
 
“He  said  like  this”  –  Spread (of white light) without circulating (i.e. does not keep growing in its white light), this is
the false dawn.

“Until he said like this” – It (the white light) spreads circulating in the horizon extending from two sides right and
left, this is the true dawn.

Reported by Al-Bukhari

Additionally, Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen rahimahu Allah said,

“And the dawn is two (dawns): true dawn and false dawn. And the intention with the dawn in here is the true dawn,
and the difference between the true dawn and the false (dawn) are from three aspects:

The first difference: The false dawn is spread (of white light) in the sky not widthwise but it is lengthwise, as for
the true dawn it is widthwise extending from north to south.

The second difference: The true dawn, there is no darkness after it,  but  light  increases  until  the  sunrises,  as  for  
the  false  dawn,  there  happens  after  it  darkness  after  this  light,  and  this  is  why  it  is  called  false; because it
disappears and fades away.    
 
The third difference: The true dawn is connected to the horizon; as for the false (dawn) then there is darkness
between it and the horizon.

These are three horizonal sensory, people know them if they were in the rural area, as for in the cities, they (people)
don’t know them because the lights obscure these signs.

Source: From the tafseer of the Shaykh for surah al-fajr by way of his site

Reference: http://sahab.net/forums/showthread.php?t=371937 - # 1 & # 5