Ghusl before Fasting (Hadith No. 1643)

Bismillah.

Volume 3, Book 31, Number 148:

Narrated ‘Aisha and Um Salama (radiallaahu `anhumaa):

At times Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) used to get up in the morning in the state of Janaba after having sexual relations with his wives. He would then take a bath and fast.

The fast of one who has intercourse with his wife at night and wakes up in the morning in a state of junub is still valid, as is the fast of one who becomes junub in his sleep, whether at night or during the day. There is nothing wrong with delaying ghusl until just before dawn. Rather fasting is invalidated by having intercourse during the day in Ramadaan, from just before dawn until after sunset.

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 10/327

Usually what happens is, being in the state of janaabah, people tend to delay ghusl (due to embarrassment or other reasons) and miss Fajr. This is not acceptable. One must make sure to pray on time as well.

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Fasting & Intention (Hadith No. 1642)

Bismillah.

Is it necessary to make an intention before fasting? If yes, when to make that intention?

Volume 3, Book 31, Number 147:

Narrated Salama bin Al-Akwa (radiallaahu `anhu):

Once the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) ordered a person on ‘Ashura’ (the tenth of Muharram) to announce, “Whoever has eaten, should not eat any more, but fast, and who has not eaten should not eat, but complete his fast (till the end of the day).

The Ruling

It was narrated by Ibn ‘Umar from Hafsah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

Whoever does not have the intention of fasting before Fajr, there is no fast for him.

Narrated by Imam Ahmad, the authors of al-Sunan, Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Hibbaan; they classed it as saheeh and marfoo’.

Obligatory or Voluntary?

Summary: For obligatory fasts, intention has to be made before Fajr that day. But for voluntary fasts, intention can be made later on during the day if one hasn’t eaten/drunk/had intercourse after Fajr that day. Read below for details.

It is essential to make the intention to fast the month of Ramadan at night, before Fajr. It is not sufficient to start fasting it that day without the intention. Whoever finds out at the time of Duha that today it is Ramadan and makes the intention of fasting has to refrain from eating until sunset, and he also has to make up that day. This is with regard to obligatory fasts. With regard to naafil (voluntary) fasts it is permissible to make the intention to fast on the day, if you have not eaten or drunk or had intercourse after Fajr, because it was proven in the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered upon her one day at duha time and said, “Do you have anything (any food)?” She said, “No.” He said, “Then I am fasting.” Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh.

Suhoor: The Blessed Meal (Ahadith 1640 – 1641)

Bismillah.

Volume 3, Book 31, Number 145:

Narrated ‘Abdullah (radiallaahu `anhu):

The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) fasted for days continuously; the people also did the same but it was difficult for them. So, the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) forbade them (to fast continuously for more than one day). They slid, “But you fast without break (no food was taken in the evening or in the morning).” The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) replied, “I am not like you, for I am provided with food and drink (by Allah).”

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast continually, and Allaah gave him the strength to do that, but he forbade his ummah to do that out of compassion and mercy towards them.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 6/443:

It appears that the ruling with regard to continual fasting is that it is haraam.

And Allaah knows best.

Volume 3, Book 31, Number 146:

Narrated Anas bin Malik (radiallaahu `anhu):

The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Take Suhur as there is a blessing in it.”

Having the pre-dawn meal or suhoor is highly recommended. There’s blessing in FOOD. How can you not appreciate that? :P
Having said that, you must know that having suhoor is not a ‘condition’ for the fast to be valid. If you missed it due to sleep or some other reason, you may continue your fast without hesitation.

Suhoor and Adhaan (Ahadith 1637 – 1639)

Bismillah.

When should you take your suhoor meal? Till dawn or the adhaan?

Volume 3, Book 31, Number 142:

Narrated ‘Aisha (radiallaahu `anhaa):

Bilal (radiallaahu `anhu) used to pronounce the Adhan at night, so Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam)? said, “Carry on taking your meals (eat and drink) till Ibn Um Maktum [Bilal] pronounces the Adhan, for he does not pronounce it till it is dawn.

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Volume 3, Book 31, Number 143:

Narrated Sahl bin Sad (radiallaahu `anhu):

I used to take my Suhur meals with my family and then hurry up for presenting myself for the (Fajr) prayer with Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam).

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Volume 3, Book 31, Number 144:

Narrated Anas (radiallaahu `anhu):

Zaid bin Thabit (radiallaahu `anhu) said, “We took the Suhur with the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam). Then he stood for the prayer.” I asked, “What was the interval between the Suhur and the Adhan?” He replied, “The interval was sufficient to recite fifty verses of the Quran.”

The ruling is that you “eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night).” [al-Baqarah 2:187]
Translation: eat and drink till dawn starts. Whether the adhaan starts before it or after is irrelevant; you just have to look for the dawn.

Also, it’s better to delay the suhoor meal till dawn. Imam Ahmad recorded Abu Dharr saying that Allah’s Messenger said:

«لَا تَزَالُ أُمَّتِي بِخَيْرٍ مَا عَجَّلُوا الْإِفْطَارَ وَأَخَّرُوا السُّحُور»
My Ummah will always retain goodness as long as they hasten in breaking the fast and delay the Suhur.

The Black and White Threads (Ahadith 1634 – 1636)

Bismillah.

أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ الصِّيَامِ الرَّفَثُ إِلَىٰ نِسَائِكُمْ ۚ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ ۗ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنكُمْ ۖ فَالْآنَ بَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَابْتَغُوا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۚ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ۖ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ ۚ وَلَا تُبَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمْ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ ۗ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ آيَاتِهِ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ

“It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them. Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset. And do not have relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the mosques. These are the limits [set by] Allah , so do not approach them. Thus does Allah make clear His ordinances to the people that they may become righteous.” [2: 187]

Ibn Kathir says in his tafsir:

These Ayat contain a relief from Allah for the Muslims by ending the practice that was observed in the early years of Islam. At that time, Muslims were allowed to eat, drink and have sexual intercourse only until the `Isha’ (Night) prayer, unless one sleeps before the `Isha’ prayer. Those who slept before `Isha’ or offered the `Isha’ prayer, were not allowed to drink, eat or sexual intercourse sex until the next night. The Muslims found that to be difficult for them.

Volume 3, Book 31, Number 139:

Narrated Al-Bara:

It was the custom among the companions of Muhammad (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) that if any of them was fasting and the food was presented (for breaking his fast), but he slept before eating, he would not eat that night and the following day till sunset.

Qais bin Sirma-al-Ansari (radiallaahu `anhu) was fasting and came to his wife at the time of Iftar (breaking one’s fast) and asked her whether she had anything to eat. She replied, “No, but I would go and bring some for you.” He used to do hard work during the day, so he was overwhelmed by sleep and slept. When his wife came and saw him, she said, “Disappointment for you.” When it was midday on the following day, he fainted and the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) was informed about the whole matter and the following verses were revealed: “You are permitted To go to your wives (for sexual relation) At the night of fasting.” So, they were overjoyed by it. And then Allah also revealed: “And eat and drink Until the white thread Of dawn appears to you Distinct from the black thread (of the night).” (2.187)

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Volume 3, Book 31, Number 140:

Narrated ‘Adi bin Hatim (radiallaahu `anhu):

When the above verses were revealed: ‘Until the white thread appears to you, distinct from the black thread,’ I took two (hair) strings, one black and the other white, and kept them under my pillow and went on looking at them throughout the night but could not make anything out of it. So, the next morning I went to Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) and told him the whole story. He explained to me, “That verse means the darkness of the night and the whiteness of the dawn.”

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Volume 3, Book 31, Number 141:

Narrated Sahl bin Saud (radiallaahu `anhu):

When the following verses were revealed: ‘Eat and drink until the white thread appears to you, distinct from the black thread’ and of dawn was not revealed, some people who intended to fast, tied black and white threads to their legs and went on eating till they differentiated between the two. Allah then revealed the words, ‘of dawn’, and it became clear that meant night and day.

I’ve always found this incident regarding `Adi bin Hatim (radiallaahu `anhu) very cute! It goes to say how some of us are quite literal in understanding things. Not that we’re to be blamed. :P
On the other hand, there’s an important lesson in it for us: the companions weren’t always correct in their interpretation of Quranic ayaat or Ahadith. We’ll always find differences of opinions among companions, and when we do, we should go for the most correct and favored opinion. And just because a companion reached an incorrect conclusion doesn’t mean he was less intelligent or had weak imaan, na`oodhu billah! It only proves that they were human beings like us, but far better than us. If we were there, we would’ve made fun of `Adi (radiallaahu `anhu). But we don’t find any reports of companions or the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) laughing at him or making him feel bad about what he did. Such were the chosen people. <3