Towards a rewarding Ramadan fast
Gratitude is due to Allah (SWT) who has made it possible for us, in spite of the several socio-economic odds confronting many of us, to find the Ramadan season spiritually enriching and elevating. Allah’s infinite mercy has gradually brought us, today, to the count of 8 in this year’s Ramadan.
Based on the glad tidings contained in the hadith of the Prophet (SAW) narrated by Imam Bukhari on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (RA) that, “when the month of Ramadan begins, the gates of the heaven are opened while the gates of Hell remain closed and the devils are chained”; it is on us as Muslim to take good advantage of this opportunity by making god use of our time during this holy season. In order to make this blessed month rewarding, our acts of worship must conform to laid down principles in the Qur’an and hadith of the Prophet (SAW).
In the case of the early morning meal called Sahur, for instance, it was the practice of the prophet (SAW) to take at least water. He never fasted without taking something for Sahur at dawn, before daybreak (fajr). It would thus be un-prophetic, for whatever reason, to abandon Sahur. While some Muslims forgo Sahur in order not to “disturb” their sound sleep. Others forsake it because they feel they are strong enough to withstand the exhaustions that may be occasioned during the day when they are required to abstain from eating and drinking.
Although the fast of a Muslim remains valid even without taking Sahur, it would contradict the Sunnah of the prophet (SAW) to vacate it. Imam Muslim relates from Amr bn al-As (RA) who reports that the Prophet (SAW) said, “The difference between our fast and that of the People of Book is the eating of Sahur”. All the six compilers of hadith relate from Anas (RA) that the prophet (SAW) said, “Take Sahur for there’s blessing in it”.
Similarly, it is Sunnah to delay Sahur until the last part of the night. The wisdom in this timing is to forestall fasting Muslims from missing their early morning (Subhi) prayer if they were to take Sahur at midnight or hours before fajr because they could fall back to deep sleep and consequently wakeup late for the Subhi prayer. Imam Bukhari relates that when Zaid bn Thabit was asked about the length of time between the prophet’s time for Sahur and Subhi prayer, Zaid replied, ‘it’s equivalent to the time it would take to recite fifty verses of the Qur’an’, at a moderate speed of recitation.
If a Muslim ignorantly eats or drinks at dawn without knowing that it was already fajr when eating and drinking should have stopped, scholars opine that his fast for the day yet remains valid as long as the eating or the drinking was not deliberate. Imam Bukhari relates that Asma’u, daughter of Abubakar (RA) said, “We ate Sahur during the time of the prophet (SAW) on a cloudy day and the sun suddenly appeared. The Prophet (SAW) however never asked us to pay back the fast for that particular day.
Breaking of the fast (called iftar in Islamic literature) at sunset marks the end of a day’s fast. It is the tradition of the Prophet (SAW) to hasten to break the fast. Abu Hurayrah (RA) reports that the Prophet (SAW) said, “Allah the most High said, “The closest to me from among my servants is the quickest to break his fast”. Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi