305. The Virtue Of Sitting In One Place

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam 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.” 

[al-Tirmidhi (586) ; hasan by Al-Albaani]

The scholars say that you don’t have to ‘sit’ in that same spot after praying Fajr in order to qualify for the reward of Hajj and Umrah. 

Rather you would qualify for that reward even if you moved to a different area as long as you continue to do Dhikr, etc and remember Allaah. 

The scholars said:

“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 masjid, 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 Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam did not stipulate that he should stay in the place where he prayed. 

So if he moves to another place inside the masjid, and sits remembering Allaah, then the hadeeth includes him. 

Ibn Rajab said:

“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 masjid 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 Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam 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 Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam 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 Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam 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.”

[Fath al-Baari (4/56)]

And Allaah knows best.