Questions about Suhoor (pre-dawn meal)

Question: Is it obligatory to have suhoor? Answer: Suhoor refers to eating or at least drinking water before dawn for someone intending to fast. Its ruling is that it is mustahabb (recommended: rewarded if done, but not sinful if omitted) [1]. There is no disagreement about this. In a hadith narrated by Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

تَسَحَّرُوا فَإِنَّ فِي السَّحُورِ بَرَكَةً

“Have suhoor, for there is blessing in suhoor.” [2]

In another hadith:

فَصْلُ ما بيْنَ صِيَامِنَا وَصِيَامِ أَهْلِ الكِتَابِ، أَكْلَةُ السَّحَرِ

“The difference between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is the pre-dawn meal (suhoor).” [3]

Another hadith states:

لسُّحُورُ أَكْلَةٌ بَرَكَةٌ فَلا تَدَعُوهُ وَلَوْ أَنْ يَجْرَعَ أَحَدُكُمْ جَرْعَةً مِنْ مَاءٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى الْمُتَسَحِّرِينَ

“Suhoor is a meal of blessing. Do not neglect it, even if one of you only takes a sip of water. For Allah and His angels send blessings upon those who have suhoor.” [4]

Imam Nawawi commented: “The mention of blessing in the hadith means that by eating suhoor, a person gains strength and enthusiasm for fasting. It is also a time for making du‘a and dhikr. It is a time when Allah’s mercy descends and supplications and seeking forgiveness are accepted. One who wakes up at this time can make wudu, pray, and wait for dawn, gaining extra reward.” [5]

The time for suhoor lasts from the last sixth of the night until the time for Fajr prayer begins [6]. When Fajr time enters, suhoor must stop.

Question: What are the benefits of having suhoor? Answer: Suhoor has its own blessings and virtues:

1) Allah and His angels send blessings upon those who have suhoor. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

إِنَّ اللهَ و مَلائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ على المُتَسَحِّرِينَ

“Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon those who have suhoor.” [7]

2) It is following the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him);

3) It gives strength for worship. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

استعينوا بطعامِ السَّحرِ على صيامِ النَّهارِ

“Take help for your daytime fast by eating the pre-dawn meal.” [8]

4) It increases alertness and energy;

5) It helps prevent bad temper that can result from hunger;

6) Suhoor coincides with the time when du‘a is most likely to be accepted;

7) It is an opportunity to renew intention and sincerity;

8) Waking up for suhoor helps ensure one does not miss Fajr prayer.

Therefore, it is good to get up for suhoor to benefit from these virtues. However, if someone misses suhoor and still intends to fast, their fast is valid.

Question: Is it permissible to have suhoor early? Answer: It is Sunnah for the fasting person to delay suhoor until close to Fajr and to hasten to break the fast after sunset [9]. In a hadith narrated from Zayd ibn Thabit: “After having suhoor with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), we would get up for prayer.” [10]

Another hadith says: “People will continue to be in a good state as long as they hasten to break the fast.” [11]

Therefore, it is best to delay suhoor until close to Fajr and to break the fast promptly after sunset.

Question: Should suhoor be eaten until sunrise? Answer: The person intending to fast should have suhoor until the time for Fajr prayer begins [12]. Allah says in the Qur’an:

وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ

“Eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night], then complete the fast until nightfall.” [13]

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktum gives the adhan, for he does not give the adhan until dawn breaks.”

Therefore, suhoor should not be continued until sunrise, but only until the time for Fajr prayer begins.

Question: What is the ruling on eating and drinking when the adhan for Fajr begins? Answer: The fast begins at dawn and ends at sunset. During this time, one must abstain from eating, drinking, and anything that breaks the fast. Allah says in the Qur’an:

وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ

“...Eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]...” [14]

In a hadith narrated by Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):

إِذَا أَقْبَلَ اللَّيْلُ مِنْ هَا هُنَا ، وَأَدْبَرَ النَّهَارُ مِنْ هَا هُنَا ، وَغَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَقَدْ أَفْطَرَ الصَّائِمُ

“When night comes from this side, and the day departs from that side, and the sun sets, then the fasting person may break his fast.” [15]

The adhan for Fajr indicates the entry of its time, so eating and drinking must stop when the time begins.

Question: What du‘a should be made after suhoor?

Answer: When intending to fast, one should make the following du‘a:

نَوَيْتُ أنْ أصُومَ صَوْمَ شَهْرٍ رَمَضَانَ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ إِلَى الْمَغْرِبِ خَالِصًا لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى

Pronunciation: “Nawaytu an asuma sawma shahri Ramadan min al-fajri ila al-maghribi khalisan lillahi ta‘ala.”

Meaning: “I intend to fast the month of Ramadan from dawn to sunset, sincerely for the sake of Allah.”

From the book “Fatwas on Ramadan Fasting”

[1] Ibn Abidin, “Radd al-Muhtar”, 6/341.

[2] Muslim, No. 1095.

[3] Muslim, No. 1096.

[4] Ahmad, No. 11396.

[5] “Sharh al-Nawawi ‘ala Muslim”, 7/206.

[6] Ibn Abidin, “Radd al-Muhtar”, 6/341.

[7] Ahmad, No. 11086.

[8] Ibn Majah, No. 333.

[9] As‘ad Muhammad Sa‘id al-Sagurji, “al-Sawm”, 23.

[10] Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 2/104.

[11] Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 2/103.

[12] As‘ad Muhammad Sa‘id al-Sagurji, “al-Sawm”, 25.

[13] Surah al-Baqarah, 187.

[14] Surah al-Baqarah, 187.

[15] Bukhari, No. 1954.