Sahur and iftar: the sunnahs of beginning and ending the fast

The sahur

Take the sahur, for there is a blessing in the sahur.al-Bukhari 1923 ; Muslim 1095

Anas ibn Malik reports this recommendation of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The blessing of the sahur: it strengthens the fasting person, distinguishes him from the People of the Book who fast without a night meal, and matches the supplication of the late night, the hour of answered prayer. The classical corpus adds that Bilal's night adhan does not interrupt the sahur: "if you hear Bilal's adhan, eat and drink until you hear the adhan of Ibn Umm Maktum", which is the fajr adhan (al-Bukhari 1921 ; Muslim 1095). Delaying the sahur is therefore sunna: "My community remains upon good as long as it hastens the iftar and delays the sahur" (Abu Dawud 2357).

The iftar

Hastening the break of the fast as soon as sunset is certain:

People remain in goodness as long as they hasten the iftar.al-Bukhari 1957 ; Muslim 1838

The sunna is to break with fresh dates, else dry dates, else water:

When one of you breaks his fast, let him break it with a date, for it is blessed; if he finds none, with water, for it is purifying.Abu Dawud 2356 ; at-Tirmidhi 645

The classical kitab as-siyam then teaches the invocation of the moment: at breaking, the Prophet said: "Thirst is gone, the veins are moistened, and the reward is confirmed, if Allah wills" (Abu Dawud 2357). And: "three invocations are answered without doubt: the invocation of the fasting person when he breaks his fast, that of the oppressed, and that of the traveller" (at-Tirmidhi 3598).

Other sunnas of the month

• Generosity: the Prophet was the most generous of men, and he was most generous in Ramadan, when Gabriel met him every night to review the Quran with him (al-Bukhari 6).
• I'tikaf and the Night of Decree: "whoever prays the Night of Decree out of faith and hoping for reward, his past sins are forgiven" (al-Bukhari 1901 ; Muslim 760).
• Offering the iftar to a faster: "whoever gives a fasting person food to break his fast receives the same reward as him, without the faster's reward being diminished" (at-Tirmidhi 807).

Practical note

Follow a reliable calendar: break as soon as maghrib enters, with a date and water, invoke before the prayer, and stop eating at fajr. Two marks of the sunna, the delayed sahur and the hastened iftar, bracket every day of fasting.