Please clarify when to stop eating suhoor...

DanyalSAC

Junior Member
Asalaamu alaikum -

As Ramadan rapidly approaches us (my 2nd, inshallah) I find myself once again confused on when we're suppose to stop eating.

I've been told we stop when the sky starts to turn light, something about a 'white line' that is apart from the dark. Some say you can eat/drink until the sky is light enough to read by.

Others say to stop eating when we hear the adhan for Fajr. But here in my area the adhan depends on what masjid one goes to... the masjid I attend, the adhan is at 0444 with fajr prayed at 0515, but then sunrise isn't until almost an hour later at 0614. And also here in the US its illegal to have the adhan loud enough to be heard beyond the parking lot, so where I live I will never hear an adhan unless its the one on my iPod...which is 3 minutes later than the time my masjid has.

So just to make sure I'm doing it right...when should I put down my fork? Thanks bunches!

JazakAllah Khairn
D.
 

ximkoyra

Junior Member
Asalaamu alaikum -

I've been told we stop when the sky starts to turn light, something about a 'white line' that is apart from the dark. Some say you can eat/drink until the sky is light enough to read by.

Others say to stop eating when we hear the adhan for Fajr.

It's the same thing


The verse you're talking about is:

...eat and drink until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread;... - 2.187

The reason that different places have different times is because of when they believe dawn starts. For example, ISNA times for fajr will usually be later than a lot of other calenders because of how they calculate the start of dawn. I think that the best thing to do is to stick the timing that your mosque goes by and stop eating about 5-10 minutes before fajr adhan just to be safe.

Happy Ramadan!
 

BrotherInIslam7

La Illaha Illa Allah
Staff member
Salaamalaykum akhi,

It should be the Fajr Adhaan time of the Islamic centre/mosque which is closest to your place. If there isn't one in your city, then you can find the adhaan time for your city here :

http://www.islamicfinder.org/cityPrayerNew.php?lang=english&country=usa

And don't listen to the people who say it is forbidden to eat 10-15 minutes before fajr. They have no basis and are being extreme in religion. Unfortunately, there are many who follow it and try to preach it to everyone.

Wasalaamalaykum waa rahmatullahi
 

kayleigh

Junior Member
I always thought the reason why people said to stop ~10 minutes before was to account for clocks being a few minutes off.
 

a_muslimah86

Hubbi Li Rabbi
Staff member
I always thought the reason why people said to stop ~10 minutes before was to account for clocks being a few minutes off.

:salam2:

Yes..that's *supposedly* the reason..but the whole thing is wrong..it defies the outlines set by Rasulullah (salla Allaho 'alayhi wassalam) through revelation..it is also an innovation..which is to be rejected and warned against..you're supposed to eat until you *hear* the athan..

In the case of Muslims in the West..think "athan alarm goes off" (according to the most correct prayer time)..here's more on the topic from a scholarly source...

http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/12602/الامساك

Inshallah it will help

:wasalam:
 

DanyalSAC

Junior Member
I got this as a reply when I mentioned this to a brother:

Q: Most books of fiqh seem to state that the wajib time to begin fasting is at the true dawn (when the second adhan in pronounced). I have noticed that many Hanafi fasting calendars (and the calendars in Shafi'i Malaysia) require people to ...stop fasting 10 minutes before the true dawn. What is the reason for this? Is it simply a way of protecting the fasters from falling into the true dawn?

A: Walaikum assalam,

This is not a ‘requirement’ but, rather, a recommendation, for the reason you mentioned.

It is recommended to delay the pre-dawn meal to the last part of the night, before fajr, but to stop before about 10 minutes (the extent of reciting 50 verses), because of the hadith of Zayd ibn Thabit regarding this in Bukhari and Muslim.

It is mentioned in Bukhari and Muslim, from Zaid ibn Thabit, “We had the pre-dawn meal with the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), and then we got up to pray." The sub-narrator said, 'I asked, "How much time was there between the two?" He [Zaid] said, "50 verses."

There are other hadiths about this. But they do not indicate obligation. Rather, recommendation, by agreement, with the reasoning being not to enter a time in which there is doubt whether fajr has come in or not. [Nawawi, Majmu` 6.406; Ibn Qudama, Mughni 3.2127; Ibn al-Humam, Fath al-Qadir 2.374-375; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; Buhuti, Kashshaf al-Qina` 2.331]

And Allah knows best.

Walaikum assalam,

Faraz Rabbani

http://qa.*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=301&CATE=6

(I am not sure why the website got censored - is it a Bad Thing?)
 

a_muslimah86

Hubbi Li Rabbi
Staff member
I got this as a reply when I mentioned this to a brother:

Q: Most books of fiqh seem to state that the wajib time to begin fasting is at the true dawn (when the second adhan in pronounced). I have noticed that many Hanafi fasting calendars (and the calendars in Shafi'i Malaysia) require people to ...stop fasting 10 minutes before the true dawn. What is the reason for this? Is it simply a way of protecting the fasters from falling into the true dawn?

A: Walaikum assalam,

This is not a ‘requirement’ but, rather, a recommendation, for the reason you mentioned.

It is recommended to delay the pre-dawn meal to the last part of the night, before fajr, but to stop before about 10 minutes (the extent of reciting 50 verses), because of the hadith of Zayd ibn Thabit regarding this in Bukhari and Muslim.

It is mentioned in Bukhari and Muslim, from Zaid ibn Thabit, “We had the pre-dawn meal with the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), and then we got up to pray." The sub-narrator said, 'I asked, "How much time was there between the two?" He [Zaid] said, "50 verses."

There are other hadiths about this. But they do not indicate obligation. Rather, recommendation, by agreement, with the reasoning being not to enter a time in which there is doubt whether fajr has come in or not. [Nawawi, Majmu` 6.406; Ibn Qudama, Mughni 3.2127; Ibn al-Humam, Fath al-Qadir 2.374-375; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; Buhuti, Kashshaf al-Qina` 2.331]

And Allah knows best.

Walaikum assalam,

Faraz Rabbani

http://qa.*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=301&CATE=6

(I am not sure why the website got censored - is it a Bad Thing?)

:salam2:

Akhi if the site got censored it's likely that it is one of the domains with a questionable Islamic methodology..and TTI has banned referral to it as to not promote its methodology..if it is not too much of a hassle for you..and you don't mind..please PM me the domain name and I will double check with the other mods about it..

I posted a link containing information about the "10-15 minutes" issue earlier..which I would like to read baraka Allaho feek..

Also..since the person who answered you mentioned a hadith from Sahih Bukhari to explain the stance questioned..I would like you to please read the *rebuttal* for using this hadith as a justification for doing *Imsaak* (the term for ceasing eating & drinking and beginning the fast)..it's a lengthy read..but it will benefit you a lot Inshallah..here's the link rahimaka Allah:

http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/38068/الامساك

:wasalam:
 

DanyalSAC

Junior Member
Thank you very much. You see I quoted the above link on my Facebook & a bro basically said I was wrong and used the quote from the censored link to prove it.
 

BrotherInIslam7

La Illaha Illa Allah
Staff member
Thank you very much. You see I quoted the above link on my Facebook & a bro basically said I was wrong and used the quote from the censored link to prove it.

:salam2:

It is sad, brother. But I have experienced the same. They try pushing down this so called recommendation (or outright bidah) down your throat. We are supposed to follow our beloved Prophet SallAllahu Alleihi wa Sallam in all forms of worship. We don't put someone's logical explanation before the evidence from the traditions of the Prophet SallAllahu Alleihi Wa Sallam.

If you have the opportunity to pray fajr at your mosque during ramadan, you will notice that the brothers would eat and drink right till someone goes and calls the adhaan. And that's how it is supposed to be.

You can ask your mosque's esteemed Imam about this issue as well and I am quite sure he would inform you the same.

Wasalaamalaykum waa rahmatullahi
 

a_muslimah86

Hubbi Li Rabbi
Staff member
Thank you very much. You see I quoted the above link on my Facebook & a bro basically said I was wrong and used the quote from the censored link to prove it.

:salam2:

sobhanallah..I guess it was good that I kept the rebuttal link nearby..Inshallah the issue will be resolved soon akhi..and if you need more help..then I am willing to help you in the manner I suggested to you in the PM

Oh and one more thing akhi..


You know I normally don't like to make references of the sort I am about to make..

But even when I was young back in my country..I remember..people would eat and drink (they would in-fact wake up about an hour before fajr to prepare food)..and continue to do eat and drink until they hear the athan..when they hear it..spoons are dropped and glasses are put down..that was *the sign* that Imsaak has begun and everyone from that point on is *fasting*..

And I come from a country where *bida'aas* and incorrect practices are committed quite often..but sobhanallah..in that matter..even in that bida'aa-filled country..*everyone* did the same thing..and everyone (even the children) knew that when you *hear the athan* you stop eating and drinking..

I in-fact..did not find out about the 10-15 minutes *halt* until a few months ago..I never knew it even existed..because all of my life..I was taught that *hearing the athan* is the signal to stop eating and drinking..you don't put a halt period or anything of that sort *whatsoever!*

I know this is not an evidence to go by..and the evidence from the scholars based upon the Qura'an and the Sunnah suffice and then some alhamdulillah..but I thought sharing this with you might make you see the *strangeness* of this act..


:wasalam:
 
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