Sunnats and Aadaab of Ramadhaan – Part 4

1. There is abundant barakah (blessings) in waking up for sehri. Hence, one should fulfil the sunnah of sehri before commencing the fast.

عن أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم السحور اكله بركة فلا تدعوه ولو أن يجرع أحدكم جرعة من ماء فإن الله عز وجل وملائكته يصلون على المتسحرين (مسند أحمد، الرقم: 11086)

Hazrat Abu Sa’eed Khudri (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Sehri contains abundant blessings. Hence, do not omit the sunnah of sehri, even if one is only able to have a sip of water at the time of sehri (one should do so in order to fulfil the sunnah of sehri). Certainly, Allah Ta’ala showers His special grace upon those who wake up for sehri and the angels make special dua for them.”

وعن عمرو بن العاص رضي الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فصل ما بين صيامنا وصيام أهل الكتاب أكلة السحر (صحيح مسلم، الرقم: 1096)

Hazrat Amr bin Aas (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “The difference between our fasts and the fasts of the Ahl-e-Kitaab is the eating of sehri.”

2. The time of sehri commences from the last sixth of the night. However, it is preferable to delay the sehri to the end of the sehri time, before the fast commences (i.e. a little before subah saadiq). Nevertheless, one should not delay so much that there is fear of one exceeding the time.

عن أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه أن نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وزيد بن ثابت تسحرا فلما فرغا من سحورهما قام نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى الصلاة فصلى قلنا لأنس كم كان بين فراغهما من سحورهما ودخولهما في الصلاة قال قدر ما يقرأ الرجل خمسين آية (صحيح البخاري، الرقم: 576)

Hazrat Anas (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that on one occasion, Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and Hazrat Zaid bin Thaabit (radhiyallahu anhu) sat to partake of sehri. When they completed with the sehri, Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) stood up to perform the Fajr Salaah. The companions of Hazrat Anas (radhiyallahu anhu) asked him, “What was the duration of time after they completed sehri till the time the Fajr Salaah was performed?” Hazrat Anas (radhiyallahu anhu) replied, “The duration was equal to the time it would take a person to recite fifty verses of the Quraan.”

3. When one wakes up for sehri, one should also perform Tahajjud Salaah. Ramadhaan grants one a good opportunity to commence performing Tahajjud Salaah as one is awake at the time of sehri.

4. One should have iftaar (break one’s fast) immediately after sunset.

عن سهل رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يزال الناس بخير ما عجلوا الفطر (سنن الترمذي، الرقم: 699)

Hazrat Sahl (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “People will continue to remain upon goodness as long as they hasten in breaking their fast.”

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم  قال الله تعالى أحب عبادي إلي أعجلهم فطرا (سنن الترمذي، الرقم: 700)

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said that Allah Ta’ala says, “The servants who are most beloved in My sight are those who hasten to break their fasts at the time of iftaar.”

5. It is best to break one’s fast with dates and water.

عن سلمان بن عامر قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا أفطر أحدكم فليفطر على تمر فإنه بركة فإن لم يجد تمرا فالماء فإنه طهور (سنن الترمذي، الرقم: 658)

Hazrat Salmaan bin Aamir (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “At the time of iftaar, one should break his fast with dates as they are full of blessings, and if one does not have dates, then he should drink water as this is a means of purification.”

عن أنس قال كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يفطر قبل أن يصلي على رطبات فإن لم تكن فتميرات فإن لم تكن تميرات حسى حسوات من ماء (سنن الترمذي، الرقم: 696)

Hazrat Anas (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) would break his fast with fresh dates before performing the Maghrib Salaah. If fresh dates were not found, then Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) would break his fast with dry dates. If dry dates were not found, Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) would break his fast with a few sips of water.

6. One should recite the following dua after breaking one’s fast:

اَللّٰهُمَّ لَكَ صُمْتُ وَعَلٰى رِزْقِكَ أَفْطَرْتُ فَتَقَبَّلْ مِنِّيْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ السَّمِيْعُ العَلِيْم

O Allah, I have kept this fast solely for You, and with Your sustenance I have broken my fast, so accept this fast from me. Indeed You are All-hearing and All-knowing.

ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ وَابْتَلَّتِ الْعُرُوْقُ وَثَبَتَ الْأَجْرُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللّٰهُ

(My) thirst has been quenched, and the veins have been moistened and the reward has been obtained (from Allah Ta’ala) Insha-Allah.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ الَّتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي

O Allah, I ask you by Your mercy which envelopes everything that You forgive me.

يَا وَاسِعَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ اغْفِرْ لِي

O (Allah), the Being with immense forgiveness, forgive me.