baba
09-11-02, 01:30 PM
Question:
In some calendars there is a time approximately ten minutes before Fajr which they say is the time of Imsaak (stopping eating and drinking), when the people usually start fasting and stop eating and drinking. Is what they do correct?
Answer:
Allaah, exalted be His Glory and Majesty says: {It is made lawful for you to have sexual relations with your wives on the night of As-Saum (the fasts). They are Lîbas [i.e. body cover, or screen, or Sakan, (i.e. you enjoy the pleasure of living with her - as in Verse 7:189) Tafsir At-Tabarî], for you and you are the Lîbas for them. Allâh knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He turned to you (accepted your repentance) and forgave you. So now have sexual relations with them and seek that which Allâh has ordained for you, and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete your Saum (fast) till the night-fall}, [al-Baqarah 2:187].
Firstly: Allaah has permitted the person intending to fast to eat and drink until dawn comes. Actually Allaah, blessed be His Names, used the command formulation: (eat, drink, ..etc) in the Qur'aan. Such a form implies normally an obligation, but further associated evidences (Qaraa'in) show that it is not an obligation to eat and drink until Fajr (dawn break), rather it is only desirable, not just permitted as totality of the following evidences indicate.
Secondly: Allaah, blessed be His Names, specified: {... appears to you distinct ...}. He did NOT say: (... until the day breaks), nor did He say: (... until you guess it is Fajr) or (... until you fear Fajr is close)!
The meaning of the Qur'aanic terms: (white thread , black thread ), has been explained by the Messenger of Allaah (upon him be peace and blessings of Allaah) as in Saheeh Muslim (Book 006, Number 2396): ['Adi b. Hatim (Allaah be pleased with him) reported that when (this verse) was revealed: {until the white thread of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread}, (ii. 187) Adi b. Hatim said: Messenger of Allaah (upon him be peace and blessings of Allaah), verily I keep underneath my pillow two strings, one white and the other black, by which I distinguish night from dawn. Upon this the Messenger of Allaah (upon him be peace and blessings of Allaah) educated him: "Your pillow seems to be very wide! For the word khait (string, thread) implies the blackness of the night and the whiteness of the dawn!"
Al-Bukhaari (1919) and Muslim (1092) narrated from Ibn ‘Umar and ‘Aa’ishah that the Messenger of Allaah (upon him be peace and blessings of Allaah) said: “Bilaal gives the adhaan at night. So eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktoom gives the adhaan (for he does not give the adhaan until true dawn comes)” This Hadeeth means that Bilaal being sharp-sighted and over-cautious gives his Fajr Adhaan at the first sight of any light, and as such a bit early (the Messenger of Allaah used the term: at night), but the blind Ibn Umm Maktoom does NOT give Adhaan until many people scream at him: (it is Morning, it is Morning!). A similar narration from Unaisah bint Khubaib Al-Ansariyyah is to be found in Al-Musannaf by Ibn Abi Shaybah.
Muslim narrated from Samurah bin Jundub: The Messenger of Allaah (upon him be peace and blessings of Allaah) said: “Don't be misled by Bilaal's Adhaan, nor by this whiteness (of dawn) until it spreads".
Imaam Abu Dawoud narrates from Abu Hurairah that he heard the Messenger of Allaah (upon him be peace and blessings of Allaah) saying: "If you hear the Adhaan while holding a pot (or cup) in your hand: Don't put it down until you finish you need". This is narrated with a correct reference (Saheeh Isnad). It is also in Musnad Ahmad and in Al-Mustadrak. A similar corroborating narration from Jaabir is also in Musnad Ahmad with a good Isnad. The phrase: (finish you need) means evidently: finish eating and drinking! This Hadeeth is an outright refutation of those who claim that if you have a sip or a bite in your mouth and you hear the Adhaan, then you have to spit it, or if you are intimate with your spouse, then you have to 'disengage'. Nothing could be further from truth: finish eating, drinking and complete your intimacy to your full satisfaction even after hearing the Adhaan!
Al-Bukhaari narrated from Anas: [he saw the Messenger of Allaah (upon him be peace and blessings of Allaah) eating Sahour with Zayd bin Thabit, then he performed the two Fajr Rak'as and went out to perform the Fajr prayers in the Masjid]. This implies that both were eating up close to Iqamah time. This is enforced by the narration from 'Aamir bin Matar, he said; [I came to Abdullah bin Mas'oud in his house, he offered us a Sahour, so we ate together until Iqamah, then we went out for the Salat], (Al-Musannaf by Ibn Abi Shaybah). Similar action has been narrated from Sa'd bin Abi Waqqaas and Huthaifah bin Al-Yamaan and other noble companions (Abu Bakr, Omar, Ali, Ibn Mas'oud, Ibn Omar, Ibn Abbaas, Abu Hurairah, Huthaifah, Unaisah bint Khubaib Al-Ansariyyah, Zayd bin Thabit and Sa'd bin Abi Waqqaas) and no evidence of any companion dissenting. All were eating up to Iqamah time, that is a few minutes after the dawn break, NOT BEFORE!
Actually the action of Huthaifah bin Al-Yamaan, may Allaah be pleased with him, is even more significant, as narrated by Imaam Nasa'i from Zirr bin Hubaish, he said: [I ate my Sahour, went out to the Masjid, passing by at Huthaifah who ordered (now and then) a she-camel to be milked, a pot to be heated and ordered me: eat! I (Zirr speaking) said: I intend to fast! Huthaifah said: I also intend to fast!. We ate and drank and went to the Masjid in which Iqamah was (already) called. Huthaifah said: exactly like this the Messenger of Allaah (upon him be peace and blessings of Allaah) did with me. I (Zirr speaking) said: After morning?! He (Huthaifah) said: After morning, but the sun did not rise yet!]. This Isnad is not that strong, but not bad either. Some may classify it higher or lower depending on how strong you judge Aasim bin Abin-Nujoud especially when narrating from his sheikh Zirr bin Hubaish. I personally regard Aasim from Zirr as a trustworthy authority.
The first Khaleefah, Abu Bakr , may Allaah be pleased with him, even ordered the door shut, so intentionally avoiding seeing the Fajr until he finishes his Sahour. This is narrated by various Imaams in their books. Imaam Ibn Abi Shaibah narrates in his Musannaf the following version: from Jareer (bin Abdul-Hameed) from Mansour (bin Al-Mu'tamir) from Hilaal (bin Yasaaf) from Salim bin 'Ubaid (Al-Ashja'i): [Abu Bakr used to tell me: (Get up and shield me from Fajr), then he ate!]. Salim bin 'Ubaid Al-Ashja'i, may Allaah be pleased with him, is also a companion, and this Isnad is as strong and bright as the mid-day sun in a cloudless summer day!
Imaam Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: (his shows that it is permissible to eat, drink, have intercourse etc until dawn comes).
Imaam Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Fath-ul-Baari (4/199): (One of the reprehensible innovations that have appeared in our times is giving the second adhaan approximately twenty minutes before Fajr in Ramadaan, and extinguishing the lamps which indicate that it is haraam to eat and drink for those who want to fast. Those who introduced this innovation claim that they are erring on the side of caution with regard to an act of worship)
This Imsaak which some of the people do is an addition to that which Allaah has enjoined, so it is false. It is an example of extremism in religion, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Those who go to extremes are doomed, those who go to extremes are doomed, those who go to extremes are doomed.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2670)
Actually the Fajr listed in the calendars (as far as I know) is the astronomical Fajr defined by the sun being 18 degrees below the horizon. A casual observation in clear nights far away from city lights proves that this Fajr itself is way ahead of the Shari'a Fajr, which is reddish white and spreading horizontally: It is still night, like the Adhaan of Bilaal!
Imaam Ibn Abi Shaibah narrates in his Musannaf: Abu Mu'awiyyah told me from A'mash from Muslim, he said: [They (the companions and their followers) did not regard as dawn what what you regard. For them dawn was what fills the streets and homes (with light)!].
So taking these 10 -15 minutes, or so, before Fajr as a precaution is not only wrong, but rather the direct opposite of the correct behaviour exposing a formal-ritualistic Jewish-style misunderstanding of Islam and a hysteric mindset: May Allaah protect us!!
And Allaah knows best.
You very loving brother in Islaam,
Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Massari (Abu Maajid)
In some calendars there is a time approximately ten minutes before Fajr which they say is the time of Imsaak (stopping eating and drinking), when the people usually start fasting and stop eating and drinking. Is what they do correct?
Answer:
Allaah, exalted be His Glory and Majesty says: {It is made lawful for you to have sexual relations with your wives on the night of As-Saum (the fasts). They are Lîbas [i.e. body cover, or screen, or Sakan, (i.e. you enjoy the pleasure of living with her - as in Verse 7:189) Tafsir At-Tabarî], for you and you are the Lîbas for them. Allâh knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He turned to you (accepted your repentance) and forgave you. So now have sexual relations with them and seek that which Allâh has ordained for you, and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete your Saum (fast) till the night-fall}, [al-Baqarah 2:187].
Firstly: Allaah has permitted the person intending to fast to eat and drink until dawn comes. Actually Allaah, blessed be His Names, used the command formulation: (eat, drink, ..etc) in the Qur'aan. Such a form implies normally an obligation, but further associated evidences (Qaraa'in) show that it is not an obligation to eat and drink until Fajr (dawn break), rather it is only desirable, not just permitted as totality of the following evidences indicate.
Secondly: Allaah, blessed be His Names, specified: {... appears to you distinct ...}. He did NOT say: (... until the day breaks), nor did He say: (... until you guess it is Fajr) or (... until you fear Fajr is close)!
The meaning of the Qur'aanic terms: (white thread , black thread ), has been explained by the Messenger of Allaah (upon him be peace and blessings of Allaah) as in Saheeh Muslim (Book 006, Number 2396): ['Adi b. Hatim (Allaah be pleased with him) reported that when (this verse) was revealed: {until the white thread of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread}, (ii. 187) Adi b. Hatim said: Messenger of Allaah (upon him be peace and blessings of Allaah), verily I keep underneath my pillow two strings, one white and the other black, by which I distinguish night from dawn. Upon this the Messenger of Allaah (upon him be peace and blessings of Allaah) educated him: "Your pillow seems to be very wide! For the word khait (string, thread) implies the blackness of the night and the whiteness of the dawn!"
Al-Bukhaari (1919) and Muslim (1092) narrated from Ibn ‘Umar and ‘Aa’ishah that the Messenger of Allaah (upon him be peace and blessings of Allaah) said: “Bilaal gives the adhaan at night. So eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktoom gives the adhaan (for he does not give the adhaan until true dawn comes)” This Hadeeth means that Bilaal being sharp-sighted and over-cautious gives his Fajr Adhaan at the first sight of any light, and as such a bit early (the Messenger of Allaah used the term: at night), but the blind Ibn Umm Maktoom does NOT give Adhaan until many people scream at him: (it is Morning, it is Morning!). A similar narration from Unaisah bint Khubaib Al-Ansariyyah is to be found in Al-Musannaf by Ibn Abi Shaybah.
Muslim narrated from Samurah bin Jundub: The Messenger of Allaah (upon him be peace and blessings of Allaah) said: “Don't be misled by Bilaal's Adhaan, nor by this whiteness (of dawn) until it spreads".
Imaam Abu Dawoud narrates from Abu Hurairah that he heard the Messenger of Allaah (upon him be peace and blessings of Allaah) saying: "If you hear the Adhaan while holding a pot (or cup) in your hand: Don't put it down until you finish you need". This is narrated with a correct reference (Saheeh Isnad). It is also in Musnad Ahmad and in Al-Mustadrak. A similar corroborating narration from Jaabir is also in Musnad Ahmad with a good Isnad. The phrase: (finish you need) means evidently: finish eating and drinking! This Hadeeth is an outright refutation of those who claim that if you have a sip or a bite in your mouth and you hear the Adhaan, then you have to spit it, or if you are intimate with your spouse, then you have to 'disengage'. Nothing could be further from truth: finish eating, drinking and complete your intimacy to your full satisfaction even after hearing the Adhaan!
Al-Bukhaari narrated from Anas: [he saw the Messenger of Allaah (upon him be peace and blessings of Allaah) eating Sahour with Zayd bin Thabit, then he performed the two Fajr Rak'as and went out to perform the Fajr prayers in the Masjid]. This implies that both were eating up close to Iqamah time. This is enforced by the narration from 'Aamir bin Matar, he said; [I came to Abdullah bin Mas'oud in his house, he offered us a Sahour, so we ate together until Iqamah, then we went out for the Salat], (Al-Musannaf by Ibn Abi Shaybah). Similar action has been narrated from Sa'd bin Abi Waqqaas and Huthaifah bin Al-Yamaan and other noble companions (Abu Bakr, Omar, Ali, Ibn Mas'oud, Ibn Omar, Ibn Abbaas, Abu Hurairah, Huthaifah, Unaisah bint Khubaib Al-Ansariyyah, Zayd bin Thabit and Sa'd bin Abi Waqqaas) and no evidence of any companion dissenting. All were eating up to Iqamah time, that is a few minutes after the dawn break, NOT BEFORE!
Actually the action of Huthaifah bin Al-Yamaan, may Allaah be pleased with him, is even more significant, as narrated by Imaam Nasa'i from Zirr bin Hubaish, he said: [I ate my Sahour, went out to the Masjid, passing by at Huthaifah who ordered (now and then) a she-camel to be milked, a pot to be heated and ordered me: eat! I (Zirr speaking) said: I intend to fast! Huthaifah said: I also intend to fast!. We ate and drank and went to the Masjid in which Iqamah was (already) called. Huthaifah said: exactly like this the Messenger of Allaah (upon him be peace and blessings of Allaah) did with me. I (Zirr speaking) said: After morning?! He (Huthaifah) said: After morning, but the sun did not rise yet!]. This Isnad is not that strong, but not bad either. Some may classify it higher or lower depending on how strong you judge Aasim bin Abin-Nujoud especially when narrating from his sheikh Zirr bin Hubaish. I personally regard Aasim from Zirr as a trustworthy authority.
The first Khaleefah, Abu Bakr , may Allaah be pleased with him, even ordered the door shut, so intentionally avoiding seeing the Fajr until he finishes his Sahour. This is narrated by various Imaams in their books. Imaam Ibn Abi Shaibah narrates in his Musannaf the following version: from Jareer (bin Abdul-Hameed) from Mansour (bin Al-Mu'tamir) from Hilaal (bin Yasaaf) from Salim bin 'Ubaid (Al-Ashja'i): [Abu Bakr used to tell me: (Get up and shield me from Fajr), then he ate!]. Salim bin 'Ubaid Al-Ashja'i, may Allaah be pleased with him, is also a companion, and this Isnad is as strong and bright as the mid-day sun in a cloudless summer day!
Imaam Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: (his shows that it is permissible to eat, drink, have intercourse etc until dawn comes).
Imaam Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Fath-ul-Baari (4/199): (One of the reprehensible innovations that have appeared in our times is giving the second adhaan approximately twenty minutes before Fajr in Ramadaan, and extinguishing the lamps which indicate that it is haraam to eat and drink for those who want to fast. Those who introduced this innovation claim that they are erring on the side of caution with regard to an act of worship)
This Imsaak which some of the people do is an addition to that which Allaah has enjoined, so it is false. It is an example of extremism in religion, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Those who go to extremes are doomed, those who go to extremes are doomed, those who go to extremes are doomed.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2670)
Actually the Fajr listed in the calendars (as far as I know) is the astronomical Fajr defined by the sun being 18 degrees below the horizon. A casual observation in clear nights far away from city lights proves that this Fajr itself is way ahead of the Shari'a Fajr, which is reddish white and spreading horizontally: It is still night, like the Adhaan of Bilaal!
Imaam Ibn Abi Shaibah narrates in his Musannaf: Abu Mu'awiyyah told me from A'mash from Muslim, he said: [They (the companions and their followers) did not regard as dawn what what you regard. For them dawn was what fills the streets and homes (with light)!].
So taking these 10 -15 minutes, or so, before Fajr as a precaution is not only wrong, but rather the direct opposite of the correct behaviour exposing a formal-ritualistic Jewish-style misunderstanding of Islam and a hysteric mindset: May Allaah protect us!!
And Allaah knows best.
You very loving brother in Islaam,
Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Massari (Abu Maajid)