16. Up Till What Time Can I Eat Suhoor?

By Asma bint Shameem

QUESTION
*Up till what time can I eat suhoor
*Do I have to stop eating at “Imsaak”, about 15 minutes or so before Fajr adhaan

ANSWER

There’s NO PROOF to stop eating 15 minutes or so before the adhaan of Fajr.

We can eat and drink UP UNTIL DAWN, meaning up until the time of Fajr begins with the ADHAAN of FAJR.

Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala ALLOWS us to do that.

Allaah says:

“and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete your Sawm (fast) till the nightfall”
(Surah al-Baqarah:187)

And the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“Eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktoom gives the adhaan, for he does not give the adhaan until the dawn comes.” (al-Bukhaari, Muslim)

OBJECTION

BUT isn’t there a hadeeth that says that the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam ate suhoor before Fajr adhaan, the time it takes to recite 50 Aayaat?

ANSWER

Yes that is an authentic hadeeth. But what you’re saying is NOT the correct understanding of the hadeeth.

Zaid ibn Thaabit radhi Allaahu anhu said:

“We ate suhoor with the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam then he stood up to pray.”
I [Anas] said: “How long was there between the adhaan and suhoor?”
He said: “As long as it takes to recite fifty verses.” (al-Bukhaari)

What this hadeeth means is that the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam DELAYED his suhoor.

And he ATE when there was about that much time LEFT before adhaan.

That does NOT mean that the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam stopped eating a certain time before the adhaan and started fasting BEFORE the adhaan of Fajr. Or thought that he cannot eat beyond that time.

No.

Rather, he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam ATE TILL the break of DAWN.

He did NOT STOP at what people call ‘IMSAAK’.

 The ulama explain this further.

“This hadeeth indicates that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam used to eat suhoor this amount of time before the adhaan; NOT that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam started to fast and stopped eating and drinking this amount of time BEFORE Fajr.

There is a DIFFERENCE between the TIME of SUHOOR and the TIME of STOPPING eating and drinking.

This is clear, praise be to Allaah.

It is like saying, “I ate suhoor two hours before Fajr.”
This does not mean that you started fasting from that time, rather you are simply stating what time you ate suhoor.

What may be understood from the hadeeth of Zayd ibn Thaabit radhi Allaahu anhu is that it is MUSTAHABB to DELAY suhoor and it is NOT MUSTAHABB to STOP EATING and drinking a WHILE BEFORE FAJR.” (Islamqa Fatwa # 38068)

Someone asked Shaikh Ibn Baaz about *Imsaak* and stopping eating and drinking a certain time before fajr comes in.

He said:

“I do not know of any basis for this, rather what is indicated by the Qur’aan and Sunnah is that we should stop eating and drinking when dawn comes.” (Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 15/281)

In fact, if a person woke up late and does not have enough time to eat or drink before the break of dawn, he can even eat WHILE the adhaan is STILL GOING ON!

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“If one of you hears the call (to prayer) and the vessel is still in his hand, let him not put it down until he finished with it.” (Ahmad, others - saheeh by al-Albaani)

This is for the person who did not have a chance to eat his fill and the adhaan of Fajr is called.

If we were supposed to STOP all eating and drinking 15 minutes or so before the adhaan of Fajr, would the person who hasn’t eaten his fill be allowed to eat and drink when the adhaan was being called?!

THINK ABOUT IT.

Conclusion

There’s NO BASIS for stopping to eat BEFORE the actual time of dawn and Fajr adhaan.

What we see in certain Ramadhaan time tables, calendars, etc about ‘Imsaak’ and stopping any kind of food or drink a certain time before dawn and the adhaan of Fajr, is NOT from the authentic practice or teachings of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam.

It’s ADDING to this beautiful Deen

And talking about Allaah’s rules WITHOUT ANY PROOFS.

And Allaah knows best.