Revive a Sunnah

In the name of Allah

Revive a Sunnah: Delaying the Suhoor

The Prophet (sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: “If one of you hears the call to prayer (Adhan) and the vessel is in the hand of one of you, then let him not put it down until he fulfills his need from it.” 

Reported by Abu Daw'ud.

1. Al-Albani (may Allah grant him Al-Firdaus) said: "And what is meant here by the call is the second call, the second Adhaan. It is not the first Adhaan, which they wrongly call the Adhaan for withholding (al-Imsaak). We must know that there is no basis for calling the first Adhaan the Adhaan for withholding (imsaak)."

2. The second Adhaan is when we are to withhold, and this is clearly stated in the Qur'an, since Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: "And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes clear to you from the black thread of the night."

3. There occurs in the hadeeth agreed upon by al-Bukharee and Muslim, from the hadeeth of Abdullaah ibn Umar (radi Allahu anhu) that the Prophet (sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "Let not the Adhaan of Bilaal deceive you," meaning, the first Adhaan, "because he gives the Adhaan in order to awaken the person who is sleeping, and so that the person who wishes to eat the pre-dawn meal can do so. So eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktoon gives the Adhaan."

4. It is opposition to Allah and to the Messenger that a person says that one who hears the adhaan whilst he has food in his mouth must spit it out upon the ground. This is not from the Sunnah. Rather this is contrary to the Sunnah, and is contrary to the clear command of the Messenger (sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam).

[Taken from "Silsilah al-Hudaa wan-Noor, Tape No. 590 "]

The Neglect: What happens today is totally contrary to this. Many people eat their Suhoor an hour before Fajr or withhold from food and drink 15 minutes or so before dawn. This is not befitting. This is contrary to the Sunnah – the saying of the Prophet (sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and his practice.

The Sunnah: The companions of the Prophet (sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) used to eat the Suhoor so late that one of them would almost hear the Adhan and he would still be eating because he had delayed the Suhoor.

Neglected Sunnah in Ramadan