IMPORTANCE THE PROPHET PLACED ON OFFERING THE VOLUNTARY PRAYER BEFORE DAWN H 1122 Bilal went to inform the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, before calling the Adhan for the Dawn prayer but was asked a question by Lady Ayesha, Mother of the Believers. Having replied to the question Bilal then went to the Prophet who, proceeded to offer his voluntary two units of prayer at home, then he came out and lead the obligatory prayer. Afterwards, Bilal told the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, he had been delayed from calling the prayer and mentioned the reason. Thereupon the Prophet said, "Had you come even if the morning light had become brighter I would still have prayed my two voluntary units of prayer, and I would have prayed them nicely and beautifully." R 1122 Abu Daud with a chain up to Bilal who related that the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
1103- وعن أبي عبد الله بلالِ بن رَبَاح رضي الله عنه ، مُؤَذِّن رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم : أنَّهُ أتَى رَسُول اللهِ صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ، لِيُؤْذِنَه بِصَلاةِ الغَدَاةِ ، فَشَغَلَتْ عَائِشَةُ بِلالاً بِأَمْرٍ سَأَلَتْهُ عَنْهُ ، حَتَّى أصْبَحَ جِدّاً، فَقَامَ بِلالٌ فَآذَنَهُ بِالصَّلاَةِ، وَتَابَعَ أذَانَهُ ، فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ، فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ صَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ ، فَأخْبَرَهُ أنَّ عَائِشَةَ شَغَلَتْهُ بِأمْرٍ سَأَلَتْهُ عَنْهُ حَتَّى أصْبَحَ جِدّاً ، وَأنَّهُ أبْطَأَ عَلَيْهِ بِالخُرُوجِ ، فَقَالَ - يَعْنِي النَّبيَّ صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم - : "إنِّي كُنْتُ رَكَعْتُ رَكْعْتَي الفَجْرِ" فقالَ : يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ، إنَّكَ أصْبَحْتَ جِدّاً ؟ فقَالَ : "لَوْ أصْبَحْتُ أكْثَرَ مِمَّا أصْبَحْتُ ، لَرَكَعْتُهُمَا ، وَأحْسَنْتُهُمَا وَأجْمَلْتُهُمَا" رواه أبُو دَاوُدَ بإسناد حسن .