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When to Stop Eating: Determining Times of Fajr and Imsak

Time of Fajr According to Qur’anic Commentators

Now it is pertinent to ask the question, which of the three definitions of dawn should be the criterion to determine the beginning of imsak (beginning of fasting)  and the Fajr Prayer. This can be answered by a perusal of the Islamic sources.

In examining the various authentic commentaries of the Qur’an on the definition of the verse we have referred to above, we find that all of them indicate that fajr starts when we can be assured by means of our naked eyes of its arrival in no uncertain terms (the word used in the verse is yatabayyana).

The commentaries refer to various traditions and precedents of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the companions in order to clearly distinguish the false dawn from the true dawn. Whereas the false dawn is described as being deceptive in that it appears like dawn but does not dissipate the darkness, the true dawn is what is described as dispelling darkness gradually. Therefore, explaining the words, yatabayyana, Ibn Jarir cites the following statement,

“The proper way to describe this state is to say that the glow of dawn should be so wide-spread in the sky in such a way that the whiteness and light emanating from it should fill the streets.”

Therefore, it is said,

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“Whoever has any doubt whether the dawn has arrived or not, he or she may eat until they are certain that Fajr has indeed arrived.”

The criterion for determining true dawn is the certainty of its arrival beyond a shadow of doubt.

Time of Fajr According to the Sunnah of the Prophet and His Companions

It is no wonder then that we find the companions demonstrated remarkable latitude when it came to imsak, by postponing suhur and eating it until such time that it was plainly clear to them that the true dawn had arrived. In short, rather than erring on the side of abstention from foods, they chose to err on the side of consumption. The traditions, in support of this, are numerous:

– Hudhayfah states that Abu Bakr As-Siddiq and I were on a roof during Ramadhan and I came to him, asking,

“Won’t you eat (suhur), O the Caliph of the Messenger of Allah?”

He said, “Not yet”; I came again, and he repeated the same answer; when I came a third time, he looked at dawn, and told me, again, not yet. Then, after a while, I came, again, asking the same question, and he said, “Yes, now let us have our meal (i.e. suhur). Soon after, he prayed two rak’ahs, and stood up to pray fardh (in congregation).

– Hammad b. Salamah reports from Asim from Zirr b. Hubaysh,

“I had my suhur. Then I went to the mosque (to pray Fajr). On my way, I stopped by Hudhayfah (the Prophet’s companion). He brought a camel to be milked; then the milk was warmed up… and he told me to partake of suhur with him.

I told him, But, I intend to fast!’,

he said, ‘I also intend to fast’;

so we both ate and drank. Soon after, we went to the mosque and the iqamah was given. Hudhayfah told me, ‘The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had done the same thing with me.’

I asked him. ‘Did he have suhur after the daybreak?

He said, yes, it was the daybreak, but the sun had not appeared yet.'”

More hadiths next

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