Surah Al-Kafirun and Al-Ikhlas in the Sunnah of Fajr

What should we recite in the two short rak’ahs before Subuh? The Prophet ﷺ had a habit for this prayer: Surah al-Kafirun and Surah al-Ikhlas. It is a small sunnah that takes less than a minute, and it turns the sunnah of Fajr (qobliyah Subuh) into a daily renewal of our belief in one God. Here are the authentic hadiths, the two surahs with their meaning, and simple ways to make it a habit.

The hadith

Ibn ‘Umar watched the Prophet ﷺ closely for a whole month and saw the same thing every time:

A month of watching tells us this was his regular habit, not something he did once. Both hadiths name al-Kafirun first and al-Ikhlas second, which is why it is commonly practised as al-Kafirun in the first rak’ah and al-Ikhlas in the second.

It is not a must for you to recite these two surahs, but you’ll be reviving the Prophet’s ﷺ sunnah if you follow it. And how else do we show our love for Prophet Muhammad ﷺ if not by following his sunnah? May Allah grant us many good deeds when we uphold it.

Another sunnah: two verses instead of two surahs

The Prophet ﷺ did not always recite the same thing. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported a second set of passages for the same two rak’ahs:

So if you know these two verses, you can alternate between them and the two surahs. Both ways come from the Sunnah.

Personally, I recite al-Kafirun and al-Ikhlas most of the time in the nawafil before Fajr, though out of habit I alternate with other short surahs from time to time.

Reflection: all four passages say the same thing in different words. Al-Kafirun separates our worship from anything else, al-Ikhlas describes who Allah is, and the two verses are a short declaration of faith. The Prophet ﷺ opened his day with these words before the obligatory prayer, which is a beautiful way for us to start ours.

Surah al-Kafirun and al-Ikhlas in Arabic and English

Surah al-Kafirun (109)

Surah al-Ikhlas (112)

Both surahs are quite short, one with six ayahs and the other with four. May it be easy for you to memorize both, InsyaAllah.

A short prayer with a big reward

‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said the Prophet ﷺ kept these two rak’ahs so light that she wondered whether he had even recited al-Fatihah (Sahih al-Bukhari 1165). Two short surahs fit that well.

Short does not mean small. The Prophet ﷺ said the two rak’ahs before Fajr are better than this world and everything in it (Sahih Muslim 725a).

How to practise it in the sunnah of Fajr

• Pray the two rak’ahs after the Fajr adhan and before the obligatory prayer (see when to pray it).
• In the first rak’ah, recite al-Fatihah, then Surah al-Kafirun.
• In the second rak’ah, recite al-Fatihah, then Surah al-Ikhlas.
• Not sure of al-Kafirun yet? Read it a few times with the video above until it sticks; it is only six short ayahs.
• On some days, recite al-Baqarah 2:136 and Al ‘Imran 3:52 instead, to revive the other sunnah.

For rulings, such as what to do if you missed these two rak’ahs, please ask a qualified scholar near you.

Key lessons

• The Prophet ﷺ regularly recited al-Kafirun and al-Ikhlas in the sunnah of Fajr.
• Ibn ‘Umar saw this for a whole month, so it was his habit.
• He sometimes recited al-Baqarah 2:136 and Al ‘Imran 3:52 instead.
• He kept these two rak’ahs short, yet they are better than the world and all it contains.
• Following his sunnah is one way we show our love for him ﷺ.

Questions people ask

Following Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ sunnah should be every Muslim’s aspiration. Let’s try to follow as much of it as we can, as that is one of the ways to show our love for the Prophet ﷺ, besides sending salawat upon him. One step for tomorrow: at Subuh, recite al-Kafirun and al-Ikhlas in the two rak’ahs before the obligatory prayer.

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