Sheikh Mohamed Kamal, Fatwa Secretary at Dar Al-Ifta Egypt, shared four practical and time-tested steps to help Muslims wake up for the Fajr (dawn) prayer easily and consistently, stressing that divine assistance begins with sincere intention.
The first step, he said, is sincere intention. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Actions are judged by intentions.” Sheikh Kamal encouraged Muslims to sleep with the firm intention of performing Fajr and to make this heartfelt supplication before sleeping: “O Allah, awaken me for Fajr prayer and make it dearer to me than sleep.”
The second step is sleeping in a state of purity, by performing ablution (wudu) and reciting the recommended supplications and verses such as Ayat al-Kursi, the last verses of Al-Baqarah, Surah Al-Ikhlas, and Al-Mu’awwidhatayn. These spiritual practices calm the heart and prepare the mind for early awakening.
The third step involves avoiding late-night activities, particularly spending long hours on phones or the internet, as they exhaust the body and hinder early rising. Sleeping early, he noted, is the true key to consistent Fajr prayer.
As the fourth step, Sheikh Kamal advised placing the alarm clock away from the bed, forcing one to get up to turn it off. He also mentioned modern mobile apps that require completing a task before the alarm stops, helping ensure one wakes up fully.
He concluded by saying that whoever sincerely intends and seeks Allah’s help will be aided to perform Fajr, becoming among those under Allah’s protection, as the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever prays Fajr is under Allah’s care.”
