It was narrated on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “Take Suhur (1) as there is a blessing in it.” (2).

It was also narrated on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik, may Allaah be pleased with him, that Zaid ibn Thaabit, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: “We took the Suhur with the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him. Then he stood for the prayer.” I asked, “What was the interval between the Suhur and the Athaan (call for prayer)?” He replied, “The interval was sufficient to recite fifty verses of the Quran.” (3).

Moreover, it was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah and Um Salamah, may Allaah be pleased with them, said: “At times the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, used to get up in the morning in the state of Janaabah (4) after having sexual relations with his wives. He would then take a bath and fast.” (5).

Such three Hadeeths are related to some of the rulings of fasting. We will review them in the following beneficial notes:

Firstly, the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said in the Hadeeth narrated by Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him:  Take Suhur as there is a blessing in it.” Suhur here may refer to what may be eaten in Suhur or eating Suhur itself.

Secondly, the Hadeeth narrated by Anas ibn Maalik, may Allaah be pleased with him, refers to the recommendation of eating Suhur. Eating in this specific time is called Suhur after the time in which it is eaten because it is eaten at the time of Sahar. Also, there are other Hadeeths recommended this such as what Imam Muslim and others reported on the authority of ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “The difference between our fasting and the fasting of the people of the Book is eating Suhur.” (6).

Furthermore, Imam Ahmad and others reported on that authority of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allaah be pleased with them, that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “The Suhur is a meal of blessings, so do not leave it, even if one of you just takes a gulp of water, since Allaah The Almighty sends mercy and His angels seek forgiveness for those who take Suhur.” (7).

Thirdly, Muslim scholars stated that amongst the great blessings of having Suhur is being able to fast and obey Allaah The Almighty during the daytime. That is because hunger and thirst weaken the body and thus making one unable and lazy to fulfill the acts of worship. Amongst its other blessings are its great reward and it is also a kind of acting upon the command of the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him. Its blessings also include that the one who takes Suhur gets up in this great time and thus this Suhur is accompanied with praising, thanking and remembering Allaah The Almighty, supplicating Him, and seeking His forgiveness. It is a virtuous time in which our Lord, the Superior, the Blessed, descends to the nearest heaven in a way that befits His Majesty and Greatness and to call upon his worshiper: “Is there anyone to invoke Me that I may respond to his invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone asking My forgiveness so that I may forgive him?”

So the one who gets up to take Suhur in this time attain such blessed blessings for he may get his sins forgiven, his misdeeds expiated, his degrees elevated and his acts of worship accepted.

Fourthly, the Hadeeth narrated by Zayd ibn Thaabit, may Allaah be pleased with him, refers to the recommendation of delaying Suhur to the time right before the Fajr. That is because Anas ibn Maalik, may Allaah be pleased with him, asked Zaid ibn Thaabit, may Allaah be pleased with him, saying: “What was the interval between the Suhur and the Athaan (i.e. call for prayer)?" He replied, “The interval was sufficient to recite fifty verses of the Quran.”

Amongst the other narrations that indicate the virtue of delaying Suhur it was narrated on the authority of Sahl ibn Sa‘d, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “The people will remain on the right path as long as they hasten the breaking of the fast and delay (eating) Suhur.” (8) The wisdom behind this, Allaah Knows best, is that one will be able to fast and obey Allaah The Almighty i.e. the more one delays taking his Suhur, the more this will help him to fast.

From this we come to know that what some people do of eating at the middle of the night and when the Fajr becomes very close, they go to sleep is really a fatal mistake. That is because they have lost great rewards; rather, they may expose themselves to punishment for they will sleep and may not be able to get up for offering Fajr prayer. In this way, they do two great sins: Firstly, going against the way of the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, regarding not delaying eating Suhur and the other great sin is missing offering Fajr prayer in its due time.

Fifthly, the Hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah and Um Salamah, may Allaah be pleased with them, refers to one of the ruling that people may need to know which is that Muslim individual can sleep while he is Junub or has a wet dream and gets up in a state of Janaabah and hasten to eat Suhur and then Fajr become due while he is still in the state of Janaabah. 

‘Aa’ishah and Um Salamah, may Allaah be pleased with them, tell us that the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, used to get up in the morning in the state of Janaabah after having sexual relations with his wives. This proves that the fasting of the one who gets up in the state of Janaabah, whether from sexual intercourse or wet dream and did not take his ritual bath except after Fajr is due, is valid.

Sixthly, This Hadeeth indicates also that there is no difference between the obligatory and supererogatory fasting and fasting during Ramadhaan and other forms of fasting for the same ruling applies to all forms of fasting.

Seventhly, Muslim scholars have deduced from this Hadeeth that having sexual intercourse (with one’s wife) is something permissible during the nights of Ramadhaan, even if it is done before Fajr. This is actually supported by the saying of Allaah The Almighty: {It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them…} [Quran 2: 178] (9).

____________________________

1) A meal which is taken shortly before dawn during Ramadhaan. (Translator).

2) Reported by Imam Al-Bukhaari 4/139, no. 1923, in the Book of Sawm (fasting), the chapter of Suhur is a blessing but it is not compulsory and Imam Muslim 2/770, no. 1095, in the Book of Sawm (fasting), the chapter of the virtue of Suhur, which is recommended. It is recommended to delay it and to hasten the breaking of the fast, and At-Tirmithi 3/88, no. 708, in the Book of Sawm (fasting), the chapter of what is reported regarding the virtue of Suhur.

3) Reported by Imam Al-Bukhaari 4/138, no. 1921, in the Book of Sawm, the chapter of the Interval between the Suhur and Salat-ul-Fajr and Imam Muslim no. 2/771, no. (1097), in the Book of Sawm, the chapter of the virtue of Suhur, which is recommended. It is recommended to delay it and to hasten the breaking of the fast.

4) The state of a person after having intercourse or ejaculating semen (regardless of the means) which requires complete ritual bodily washing. (Translator)

5) Reported by Imam Al-Bukhaari 4/143, no. (1925 - 1926) in the Book of Sawm, the chapter If a person observing Saum gets up in the morning in the state of Janaabah and Muslim 2/780, no. (1109) in the Book of Sawm, the chapter of the fasting is valid for the one who is Junub when dawn comes.

6) Reported by Imam Muslim no. 2/770, no. (1096), in the Book of Sawm, the chapter of the virtue of Suhur, which is recommended. It is recommended to delay it and to hasten the breaking of the fast, Imam An-Nasaa’i 4/146, no. (2166), in the Book of Sawm, the chapter of the difference between our fasting and that of the people of the scripture and Imam Ahmad in his Musnad 4/197.

7) Reported by Imam Ahmad 3/44.

8) Reported by Imam Al-Bukhaari 4/198, no. 1957, in the Book of Sawm (fasting), the chapter of hastening to eat the Iftaar and delaying eating Suhur and Imam Muslim 2/771, no. 1098, in the Book of Sawm (fasting), the chapter of the virtue of Suhur, which is recommended. It is recommended to delay it and to hasten the breaking of the fast.

9) Soorat Al-Baqarah, Ayah (verse) no. 187.

Add comment