:salamext:
Really, really sorry for the late reply. Please forgive me, I've been busy.
Here's what you should know about the two dawns.
There are two types of 'dawns'. They are:
- The false dawn (al-fajr-ul kaadhib). This dawn does not signal the start of the fajr prayer nor does it prohibit one from eating or drinking (for the one who intends to fast)
- The true dawn (al-fajr-us saadiq). This is the one that signals the beginning time of the fajr prayer and makes forbidden food and drink for the fasting person.
Ibn 'Abbas (r) said that Allah's Messenger (:saws1:) said: "The fajr is two fajr. As for the first then it does not make food forbidden, nor does it make the prayer lawful. As for the second, it makes the food forbidden and the prayer lawful." (Reported by Ibn Khuzaima, Al Haakim, Ad-Daaraquntee and al Baihaqee)
Here when the Messenger :saws1: forbade food, he meant for the fasting person, and just for the sake of clarity the word 'fajr' means 'dawn', so don't get confused when the Messenger (saw) said that the fajr is two. To further clarify what was meant about the two dawns:
(1) The false fajr is the rising verticle column of whiteness which appears looking like the tail of a fox.
(2) The true fajr is the horizontal spreading reddishness which can be seen above the mountain passes and mountain tops, which spreads its light throughout the roads, streets and houses. It is this one upon which the rulings of fasting and prayer depend.
From Sumarah (r) who said that the Messenger (:saws1:) said: "Let not the adhaan of Bilal deceive you, nor this vertical whiteness of dawn until it spreads horizontally." (Reported in Muslim)
He (:saws1:) also said: "Eat and drink and do not let the tall vertical brighness deceive you, but eat and drink until the reddish one spreads horizontally for you." (Reported in Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, Ahmed and others)
The description of the true fajr is also in the ayaat of Surah Al Baqarah: "Until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (blackness of the night)..." (Surah Al Baqarah 2:187)
When the light of fajr spreads over the mountain passes and the mountain tops appear like a white thread, and a black thread appears above it, it is this which is the remnants of the darkness which is passing away.
So when this becomes clear to you then this is the time when the call for prayer for fajr should be given.
I hope this helps.
w/salam