Some brothers tend to delay praying the two Sunnah Raka’ah of Fajr that they miss out of excuse. They pray it after praying the Fajr and after they sit for a long time to say the Dhikr, and they justify what they do saying that it is permissible to pray at times when it is disliked when there is a reason, and so it is for those who recite the Qur’an at this time, and during their recitation they come to places that one should make the prostration of Tilawah. So I would like a detailed answer from you about the following: Is it prohibited, detested, or just disliked to pray at such time (after Fajr)? How much do the majority of scholars agree on the permissibility of praying at such times (i.e. the times at which the Prophet forbid us from praying)? Is it disliked to sit before making up the Salah (is it preferable to pray the two Raka’ah right after finishing the Fajr prayer)? Is there any difference between making up the two (Sunnah) Raka’ah of Fajr and the prostration of Tilawah at that time (after Fajr)? If the matter is open and is a matter of Ijtihad, then please advise me about the limits of denying on others who adopt the view of other Madhahib in this matter. Also, how correct is it to pray more than the voluntary Raka’ah before the Fajr prayer with no reason for that? May Allaah reward you with all good.

In the name of Allaah, all praise is for Allaah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allaah, his family, companions, and those who are loyal to him. Praying at that time is only disliked, and that is the view of the majority of the people of knowledge. A Muslim has the choice in when to pray the Sunnah of Fajr if he missed it; he may make it up after sunrise – and that is the best because of the Prophet’s  command that Al-Tirmidhi reported in his Sunan book, “Whoever did not pray the two Raka’ah of Fajr in time, let him pray it after sunrise” - or he can pray it right after the Salah of Fajr, as he  did not deny it on the man who prayed it at that time. Based on that, it is an open matter, and praying the two Raka’ah of Fajr after the Salah of Fajr does not contradict the ahadeeth that prevent one to pray after Fajr until the sun rises the length of an arrow in the sky, because what the Prophet  forbade is praying without a reason for praying. Yet, if one delays it after the time of Duha and he does not fear to be busy or to forget it by then, then it is better to pray it at that time. Thus, a Muslim should choose what suits him, so do not enforce on others what has not been enforced on them by Allaah or His Messenger. None of us should deny on our brothers in matters that the Salaf have disputed and were open about. As for the prostration of Tilawah at that time, it is allowed according to some of the people of knowledge, and it is the most correct view because it is made for a reason and it is not a Salah. As for praying more than two voluntary Raka’ah before the Fajr prayer without a reason, then that is prohibited, because the Prophet  said, “No Salah after the time of Fajr except two Raka’ah”, and it is also proven from his act that when Fajr commenced he would only pray two short Raka’ah. And Allaah, the Most High, knows best.