As-Suhoor - It's Virtue, It's Ruling and Issues Pertaining To It

 

Compiled & translated by: Younus bin Muhammad As-Somaalee

As-Suhoor is:

"Preparing to fast by eating & drinking before daybreak"

Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar says:

”As-Suhoor can be as less as what a person has from food or drink.”

- (Al-Fath V.4, Pg.169)

The Blessing of As-Suhoor:
Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar said:
“The Blessing of As-Suhoor is achieved from a lot of different things:
That it is following the sunnah, contradicting the people of the book, it strengthens a person in worship, increases him in energy, it defends that bad etiquette that hunger brings, it causes a person to give charity by feeding somebody if he asks him or gets together with him to eat As-Suhoor, it causes a person to remember Allaah & to invoke him in a time where it is expected to be answered , it gives the person a chance to make his intention to fast if he was heedless of it before he slept.”

It’s Virtues:

1.     Anas bin Maalik (رضي اللّه عنـه) said, that the Messenger of Allaah صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said:

“Have As-Suhoor, for verily there is blessing in having As-Suhoor.”
{Reported by Al-Bukhaari (1933) & Muslim (1095)}

2.     One of the Companions of the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said: I entered upon the Messenger of Allaah صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم whilst he was having his Suhoor, so he said:

“Verily it is a blessing that Allaah has given you so do not leave it off!”
{Reported by An-Nisaa’ee (V.4/Pg.145) & Al-Imaam Muqbil Al-Waadi’ee declared it 'Authentic' in his book 'Al-Jaami As-Saheeh' V.2, Pg. 474, Hadeeth No.1465}

3.     ’Amr bin Al-‘Aaas (رضي اللّه عنـه) said that the Messenger of Allaah صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said:

“The difference between our fast & the fast of the people of the book is having As-Suhoor.”
- Reported by Muslim (1096)

 Its Ruling:
Al-Imaam An-Nawawee said that Ibnul-Mundhir said in Al-Ishraaf:

“The Ummah (Islamic Nation) has a consensus that As-Suhoor is preferable & recommended & that there is no sin upon the one who leaves it off.”

 - {Al-Maj’moo V.6, Pg.54}

Al-Imaam Ibn Quddaamah said:

“We do not know between the scholars any disagreement in its recommendation.”

- {Al-Mughnee V.3, Pg.54}

Al-Imaam Al-Bukhaari said in his ‘Saheeh’:

“Chapter 20: As-Suhoor is a blessing but it is not compulsory. This is because the Prophet & his companions continued fasting for more than a day & it was not mentioned that they had As-Suhoor.” 

It is Recommended to Delay As-Suhoor:
Anas bin Maalik narrated on Zayd bin Thaabit (رضي اللّه عنـه) that he said:

“We had As-Suhoor with the Messenger of Allaah, and then we stood for prayer”
I (Anas) said to him: "How much was it in between the call to prayer and the prayer?”
He said: “About fifty verses”
{Reported by Al-Bukhaari (1921) and Muslim (1097)}

Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar said:

"50 Average verses, not too long nor too short, nor read too quick nor too slow."

- {Al-Fath V.4, Pg.177}

 Sahl bin Sa’ad (رضي اللّه عنـه) said:

“I was having As-Suhoor with my family, then I would have to hurry & rush to reach the morning prayer with the Prophet.”
- {Reported by Al-Bukhari (77)}

Sources:
Fathul-Baari', (Vol.4, Pg.169,177)

Ithaaful-Anaam (Pg.49-50)

Tayseerul-Allaam (Vol.2, Pg.250-252)