[30] Doing N?filah, after dawn break, other than the prior-Sunnah Sal?t:

Hafsah said: ‘At dawn break, the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) used to perform two short Rak‘ah only’. (1)

Commenting on this had?th, An-Nawaw? said: ‘Some may deduce from this had?th the prohibition of performing N?filah at dawn break except the prior Sunnah of the dawn Sal?t and the Sal?t which has specific reson. This ruling is one of the three rulings deduced by the Sh?fi‘? scholars. Q?d? ‘Iy?d reported that it is held by M?lik and the Jumh?r’. (2)

Al-Qastall?n? reported that M?lik? and Hanaf? scholars held that only the two prior-Sunnah Rak‘ahs of the dawn Sal?t could be done at dawn break. This opinion is also held by Ahmad’s followers and in one of the Sh?fi‘? views, so did Ibn As-Sal?h and Al-Mutawall? in his “Tatimmah”.

I believe that doing other than the two prior-Sunnah Rak‘ahs at dawn break is detested as affirmed in many ah?d?th traced back to ‘Abdull?h Ibn ‘Umar, ‘Abdull?h Ibn ‘Amru and Ab? Hurairah ( - رضي الله عنه -).

Although the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) was very keen to practice N?filah, he ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) never did at dawn break more than the two Rak‘ah Sal?t. This is clearly stated by Yas?r, the manumitted slave of Ibn ‘Umar, who said: ‘Ibn ‘Umar ( - رضي الله عنه -) once saw me performing N?filah Sal?t at dawn break. He then said: ‘O Yas?r! The prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) once saw us doing what your are doing and said: ‘Let those who are present inform those who are not; never do N?filah after dawn break but the two [prior-Sunnah Rak‘ahs of the dawn Sal?t]’. (3)