1
11. FASTING IN RAMADAN (4) E. The time of the prescription of fasting in Islam. There are several views: (1) Fasting in ‘Āshūrā’ which is the view of Ḥanafī school (2) three days at every month, as the Prophet ( )ﷺwhen he came to Madinah he fasts three days for every month (3) fasting in Ramadan abrogating previous fasting. It was the first prescribed fasting according the Shāfi‘ī school. It was prescribed in Sha‘bān in the 2 AH, and the Prophet ( )ﷺfasted nine months of Ramadan until he passed away. F. Things recommended in fasting and its rules of conduct. It is recommended for the person who fasts to do among the following things: 1. Pre-dawn meals (saḥūr), even a mouthful of water, and do it at the end of the night. It is highly recommended to delay the pre-dawn meal unless one is doubtful of the occurrence of dawn (fajr), as the Prophet ( )ﷺsaid: )ُور َب َر َكة (وراه البخاري و مسلم ِ َت َسحَّ رُوا َفإِنَّ فِي ال َّسح Take sahur, as there is a blessing in it (Reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim) ار َو ِب ْال َق ْيلُولَ ِة َعلَى ِق َي ِام اللَّي ِْل ِ اسْ َتعِي ُنوا ِب َط َع ِام الس ََّح ِر َعلَى صِ َي ِام ال َّن َه )(رواه ابن ماجة و الحاكم Help yourself with having saḥūr for fasting in the day time, and with midday-nap for having night prayer (Reported by Ibn Mājah and al-Ḥākim) ب ِ إنَّ َفصْ َل َما َب ْي َن صِ َيا ِم َنا َوصِ َي ِام أَهْ ِل ْال ِك ِتا )َّحر (رواه مسلم َ أَكلة الس Verily, the distinction between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is having pre-dawn meal (Reported by Muslim) When does the time of saḥūr (pre-dawn meal) start? There are two views: (a) it starts at midnight, and whoever takes his pre-dawn meal after midnight, he will get the reward of it; (b) it starts at the last sixth part of the night.