The Ruling on Qunut in Fajr Prayer

Question :

I am a Muslim girl who has lived here in Saudi Arabia for about six years, and in our country, when we perform the Fajr prayer, we recite Qunut. Here, I have seen them praying Fajr without Qunut. What is the ruling on the recitation of Qunut in Fajr?

Answer:

The Shafi'is hold that it is preferred to recite Qunut always in the second Rak'ah of the Fajr prayer, after straightening up from the bowing position. As evidence they cite the Hadith in which it was reported that the Prophet continued to recite Qunut in the dawn prayer until he departed the life of this world, and because no report reached them of what he used to recite in Qunut, they used the Hasan Hadith in which it was reported that in the Qunut of Witr, he used to say:

"O Allah! Guide me among those whom You have guided...

Imam Ahmad and others held that Qunut is not prescribed in Fajr prayer unless some calamity befalls the Muslims, such as an attack by their enemies or due to fear or some general illness or the like. This is because it was reported from the Prophet that he made Qunut for a month, invoking (Allah) upon some Arab tribes who had killed some of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, then he stopped it. They said that what he continued to do was to stand for long periods in prayer as in Allah's Words:

And stand before Allah Qanitin (with obedience).

At any rate, whoever always made the Qunut, following the Shafi'i school, should not be criticized, although the correct view is that it is not prescribed, and it has not been confirmed from the Prophet that he continued it. Therefore it appears that it is disliked, if it is done without cause. And Allah knows best.

Source:
Ibn Jibreen
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 2 Pages 236-237