Fiqh-us-Sunnah Volume 2, Supererogatory Prayer, Fiqh 2.004A.

It is well-known that the Prophet would make a very short recital in the two rak’at before the dawn. Hafsah reports: “The Prophet would pray the two rak’at of fajr before the dawn in my house and he would make it very quick.” Naf’i states: “Abdullah [Ibn ‘Umar] would also make it very quickly.” This is related by Ahmad, al-Bukhari, and Muslim. ‘Aishah narrates: “The Prophet would pray the two rak’at before the dawn prayer in my house so quickly that I wondered if he had recited the Fatihah in them or not.” This is related by Ahmad and others. She also said: “When the Prophet prayed the two rak’at before the dawn prayer I estimated the time that he took in recital was like what it takes to recite al-Fatihah. This is related by Ahmad, an-Nasa’i, al-Baihaqi, Malik, and at-Tahawi. It is preferred to recite what has been related from the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam: ‘Aishah reports that the Prophet would silently recite the following in the two rak’at before salatul fajr

“Say: O disbelievers,” and “Say: He is Allah, the One.”

This is related by Ahmad and at-Tahawi. He would recite them after al-Fatihah as there is no prayer without the recital of al-Fatihah, as we have already discussed. She also reports that the Prophet said: “These are the two most blessed surahs,” and he would recite them in the two rak’at before salatul fajr. This is related by Ahmad and Ibn Majah. Jabir relates that a man stood to pray the two rak’at before the dawn prayer and recited “Say: O disbelievers!” in the first rak’ah until he finished the surah. The Prophet said: “That slave knows his Lord.” In the second rak’ah he recited: “Say: He is Allah, the One”…to the end of the surah. The Prophet said: “That slave (of Allah) believes in his Lord.” Talhah said: “I love to recite these two surahs in these two rak’at.” This is related by Ibn Hayyan and at-Tabarani. Ibn ‘Abbas reports that the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam would recite the following in the two rak’at before the dawn prayer: “Say: We believe in Allah and what has been revealed to us,”‘ and from surah al-Imran, ‘Come to common terms as between us and you.’ This is related by Muslim.