Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Time Between Suhoor and Fajr (Fajr Sadiq/True Dawn)


Anas reported that Zayd bin Thabit said: “We had suhur with the Prophet (saws), and he then got up to pray.” Anas then asked: “How much time was there between the adhan and the suhur?” He answered: “Fifty verses.” [Sahih Bukhari and Muslim]

In ‘Fath al-Bari’ (4/164), Ibn Hajar made the following points on this hadith:

* al-Muhallab and others said: “Shown in this narration is the fact that they would measure time with physical actions, and the Arabs would measure time with actions, such as their saying that such-and-such took the same amount of time that it would take to milk a sheep, or the amount of time it would take to slaughter a camel. So, Zayd bin Thabit similarly estimated the time using the recitation of the Qur’an, indicating that this time was used for the worship of reciting the Qur’an.”

* Ibn Abi Jamrah said: “This is in indication that they would spend their time engrossed in worship.”

* In it is also an indication that the suhur is to be delayed, as this serves the purpose of the suhur. Ibn Abi Jamrah said: “The Prophet (saws) would look to that which was easiest for his people, and would do that. This is because if he did not have suhur, they would have imitated him in this, and that would be too hard upon them. And if he were to have taken suhur in the middle of the night, this would also have been hard upon those who are heavy sleepers…”

* He also said: “And in it is the virtuous one honoring others by having them eat with him, as well as the permissibility of walking at night if there is a need to do so, as Zayd bin Thabit did not live with the Prophet (saws)."

* In it they would gather to eat suhur together.

* In it is the best manner of addressing another when making a point, due to Zayd’s saying: “We had suhur with the Prophet (pbuh)…,” and he did not say: “We and the Prophet (pbuh) had suhur…,” and this is due to his realization that his use of the word ‘with’ would show that they were his followers.

[By: Ibn Hajar al-’Asqalani]

The true time of Fajr (Fajr Sadiq/True Dawn):

It should be noted that there are two dawns, the false dawn (al-fajr al-kadhib), which does not signal the beginning of the time for Fajr prayer or the time when the one who wants to fast should refrain from food, drink and intercourse; and the true dawn (al-fajr al-sadiq), which is when the time for Fajr prayer begins and the time when the one who wants to fast should refrain from food, drink and intercourse. This is what is referred to in the verse in which Allah says: “and 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] - Insha'Allah please do read the complete explanation of this Ayah in Tafseer Ibn Katheer.

The Prophet (saws) in various Ahadith have explained the difference between the two dawns and as well it appears clearly in the words of the Sahabah and Tabi‘een and the Imaams who came after them. 

Ibn Katheer said: ‘Abd al-Razzaaq said: Ibn Jurayj told us that ‘Ata’ said: I heard Ibn ‘Abbaas say: There are two dawns: as for that which appears vertically in the sky, it does not make anything halaal or haraam; rather the dawn that appears along the mountaintops is that which makes it haraam to drink. 

‘Ata’ said: If it appears vertically in the sky, that does not make it haraam to drink for fasting or praying and it does not affect Hajj. But if it spreads along the mountaintops, it becomes haraam to drink for one who is fasting and it means that Hajj has been missed. [This is a saheeh isnaad going back to Ibn ‘Abbaas and ‘Ata’]

[Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 1/516]

Ibn Qudaamah said: To sum up, the time of dawn refers to the appearance of the second dawn according to consensus. That is indicated by the reports of the times of prayer. It is the white line that appears along the horizon; it is called the true dawn (al-fajr al-saadiq). 
As for the first dawn, it is the white line that appears vertically and not horizontally. It is not connected to any ruling and it is called the false dawn (al-fajr al-kaadhib).
[Al-Mughni, 1/232]

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: The scholars stated that there are three differences between it (the false dawn) and the second (dawn): 

1.The first dawn is vertical and not horizontal, i.e., it extends from east to west (across the arc of the sky) whereas the second dawn extends from north to south (across the horizon).

2.The first dawn turns dark, i.e., this light appears for a short while, then it goes dark, whereas the second dawn does not turn dark, rather it increases in light and grows brighter.

3.The second dawn extends along the horizon with no darkness between it and the horizon, whereas the first dawn is separate from the horizon and there is darkness between it and the horizon.

Are any rulings connected to the first dawn? No shar‘i rulings whatsoever are connected to it, such as stopping eating when you want to fast, or the time for Fajr prayer beginning. The rulings are connected to the second dawn.

[Al-Sharh al-Mumti‘, 2/107, 108]

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