By Asma bint Shameem
Etiquette of Suhoor
1. Make the intention to fast.
Remember, the intention is an action of the HEART.
We should resolve in our HEART that we are going to fast today.
That is ALL we need.
It is NOT from the Sharee’ah to say out loud, "I intend to fast", "I will fast tomorrow" etc as some people do.
Also, there is NO SPECIFIC DUAA to be recited at the time of starting the fast that’s proven from the Sunnah.
Some people say the following:
نـَوَيْتُ صَوْمَ غـَدٍ
وَبِصَوْمِ غَدٍ نَّوَيْتُ
BUT, there’s NO PROOF of this from the authentic Sunnah.
Rather it is BID’AH.
And bid’ah is a HUGE SIN.
2. Delay your suhoor.
It is Sunnah to DELAY the suhoor as close to dawn as possible.
In fact we can eat ALL the way UP UNTIL the adhaan.
The Sahaabah said:
“We ate suhoor with the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam, then he got up to pray.” I said: “How much time was there between the adhaan and suhoor?” He said: “The time it takes to recite fifty verses.” (al-Bukhaari).
The hadeeth does NOT mean that we should STOP EATING at that time.
Rather it is merely telling us the time the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam started eating suhoor and the time he finished.
It just shows how much he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam would delay his suhoor so close to the adhaan.
3. You can eat ANY thing but it’s good to eat dates.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“What a good sahoor for the believer dates are.” (Abu Dawood- saheeh by al-Albaani)
4. Eat in moderation
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
"The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach; for the son of Adam a few mouthfuls are sufficient to keep his back straight.
If you must fill it, then, keep one-third for food, one-third for drink and one-third for air." (Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah. Saheeh by al-Albaani).
5. If you got up late and haven’t had your fill, you may continue to eat until the adhaan is going on.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“When one if you hears the call and the vessel is in his hand, let him not put it down until he has fulfilled his need of it.” (Abu Dawood- Hasan 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.
6. Can I fast even if I didn’t eat Suhoor?
Just because you miss Suhoor, does not mean that you don’t fast.
The fast is not dependent on you eating Suhoor.
It’s just as valid if you fast, without eating or drinking anything.
Etiquette of Iftaar
1. Just before iftaar time, make duaa:
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
"Three prayers are NOT REJECTED: the prayer of a parent, the prayer of a fasting person, and the prayer of a traveler." (al-Bayhaqi, saheeh by al-Albaani).
Shaikh ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:
“Duaa should be made BEFORE iftaar (breaking the fast), at Maghrib, because this combines weakness and humility, and because he is still fasting. All of these are means of having one’s duaa’ answered.
After breaking the fast, one is relaxed and happy, and may become negligent.
But there is a hadeeth from the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam which, if it is saheeh, shows that the du’aa’ may be made after breaking the fast.
It says:
" ذهب الظمأ وابتلت العروق وثبت الأجر إن شاء الله "
‘Thirst has gone, the veins are moist, and the reward is assured, if Allaah wills.” (Abu Dawood; hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, 2066). This can only mean AFTER breaking the fast.”
So as the Shaikh said, first we can make our own duaa THEN break our fast THEN say this above duaa.
2. Hasten to break your fast once you’re sure that the sun has set.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
"The people will not cease to be upon good as long as they hasten in breaking the fast." (al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
Amrun Ibn Maimoon Al-Awdee said:
"The companions of the Messenger Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam were the fastest people to break the f S ast (at Maghrib) and the last to eat the Suhoor (i.e. they used to try to take it at the last possible moment)." (Mussanaf-Abdur Razaak)
3. Break your fast with dates. If dates are not available then drink water.
That’s the Sunnah.
Anas radhi Allaahu anhu said:
“The Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam used to break his fast with fresh dates *before praying*; if there were no (fresh dates) then with dry dates, and if there were no (dried dates) then he would take a few sips of water.” (Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi- hasan by al-Albaani)
There’s *no proof* of breaking the fast with “salt” as some people believe.
4. Pray Maghrib
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam would first break the fast and THEN he would pray Maghrib.
Anas radhi Allaahu anhu said:
“He (meaning the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) used not to pray Maghrib unless he breaks his fast, even if it be a sip of water.” (Ahmad and other- hasan by al-Albaani)
If you’re still hungry after the prayer, you may come back to eat.
But if dinner is ready and served, one may continue with that.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
"If the food is already presented, eat before the sunset prayer and do not eat your meals in haste." (al-Bukhaari, Muslim)
5. You may eat more if you’re still hungry but do careful not to overeat.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
"The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few morsels to keep him alive. If he must fill it, then one-third for his food, one-third for his drink, and one-third for air." (al-Tirmidhi --saheeh by al-Albaani)
Not only is it bad for the “bodily” health of a person, but overeating is equally bad, rather worse, for his “spiritual” health and wellbeing, as well as for his *Aakhirah*.
Abu Juhayfah said:
"A man burped in the presence of the Messenger of Allaah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam and he said:
"Keep your burps away from us, for the one who eats his fill the most in this world will be hungry for the longest time on the Day of Resurrection."
(al-Tirmidhi --saheeh by al-Albaani)
And Allaah knows best
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