It is narrated in a number of sahihahadith that the words al-salaatu khayrun min al-nawm (prayer is better than sleep) are to be said in the adhan of Fajr. It is mentioned in some of them that this phrase is to be said in the first adhan without stating what is meant by the phrase “the first adhan”: is it the adhan that is given before Fajr or is it the adhan of Fajr itself?

These ahadith include the following:

1 – It was narrated that Abu Mahdhurah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I used to give the adhan for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and in the first adhan of Fajr I used to say: “Hayya ‘ala al-falah, al-salatu khayrun min al-nawm, al-salatu khayrun min al-nawm, Allahu akbar Allahu akbar, la ilaha ill-Allah (come to prosperity, prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep, Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, there is no god but Allah).” (Abu Dawud and al-Nasa’i).

2 – It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: In the first adhan after the word al-falah it was said: Al-salatu khayrun min al-nawm, al-salatu khayrun min al-nawm (prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep). (al-Tahhawi with a hasan isnad)

These ahadith provide evidence for those who said that this should be said in the first adhan which comes at the end of the night. But the correct view is that it should be said in the adhan which comes after the time for prayer has begun. That is for a number of reasons:

(a) The word awwal (first) mentioned in the above ahadith is in relation to the iqamah, for the iqamah is the second call to prayer. There are reports in which the iqamah is called an “adhan”, as in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Between each two calls (adhanayn) is a salah” ( al-Bukhaari and Muslim).

In Sahih Muslim the adhan which comes after the time for prayer begins is called the first adhan. This appears in the hadith narrated by ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). She said: He used to sleep during the first part of the night and wake up during the latter part, then if he had any need for intimacy with his wife, he would satisfy that need, then he would sleep. Then when it was the time of the first call, he would wake up and pour water over himself, and if he was not junub he would make wudoo’ as a man does for prayer, then he would pray two rak’ahs. 

What is meant by two rak’ahs here is the regular Sunnah of Fajr, as stated by al-Nawawi in Sharh Muslim.

(b) In some authentic ahadith it is clearly stated that the adhan in which this phrase appears is called adhan salat al-subh, adhan al-fajr, etc. These phrases indicate that this adhan should come after the time for the prayer begins while the adhan that is given at the end of the night comes before the time for prayer begins. These ahadith include the following:

1 – It was narrated that Abu Mahdhurah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I said: “O Messenger of Allah, teach me the Sunnah of adhan.” He wiped the front of my head and said: “Say Allah akbar, Allahu akbar, Allah akbar, Allahu akbar (Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great)… And if it is Fajr prayer, then say: Al-salatu khayrun min al-nawm, al-salatu khayrun min al-nawm (Prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep).  (Abu Dawood and al-Nasa’i;).

2 – It was narrated that Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: It is a Sunnah for the muezzin, after saying Hayya ‘ala al-falah (come to prosperity) in the adhan of Fajr Prayer to say: “al-salatu khayrun min al-nawm (prayer is better than sleep)” twice.  (al-Daraqutni, Ibn Khuzaymah in his Sahih and al-Bayhaqi in his Sunan)

These ahadith show that this phrase appears in the adhan for Fajr prayer. The adhan which is the call to prayer is that which comes after the time for the prayer has begun, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When the time for prayer begins, then let one of you give the adhan for you.” (al-Bukhari and Muslim).

As for the adhan which comes at the end of the night, this is not an adhan for Fajr prayer as such, rather it is done so that the one who is praying qiyam may take notice and the one who is asleep may wake up.

Thus it is clear that the tathwib which is called in the adhan which comes after the time for the prayer begins is not a bid’ah (innovation), rather it is Sunnah.