Fatwa Number: 79

Category: Fatwas about the hadith and its sciences.

Concerning the explanation of his saying صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم: “Those who break their fast before the due time of fast breaking”

Question:

On the authority of Abî Umâmah Al-Bâhilî said: I heard Allah’s Messenger  صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم saying: “While I was sleeping, two men came to me. They took hold of my arms and took me to a steep mountain and said to me: “Climb!” I replied: “I can’t”. Upon this they said: “We shall ease it for you”. I climbed until the peak of the mountain where I heard strong voices and accordingly I said: “What are these voices?” They replied: “This is the howling (crying) of the people of the Hell-fire”. Next, they took me further until I saw people hanged from their Achilles with fissured and bleeding mouths, he said: I said: “Who are those?” They said: “Those are people who break their fast before the due time of fast breaking”. Could you please explain the hadith? May Allah reward you.

Answer:

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon whom Allah sent as a mercy to the Worlds, upon his Family, his Companions and his Brothers until the Day of Resurrection. This being so said:

This is a [true] dream because of his saying صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم: “While I was sleeping two men came to me…” the hadith… (1), and his dream صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم is true, and the warning stated in the hadith concerns those who break the fast before the due time of fast breaking, i.e., before sunset and not before the Call to prayer (Al-Adhân); and this is what is meant by his saying صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم: “…before the due time of fast breaking”.

The perfect knowledge belongs to Allah عزَّ وجلّ ; and our last prayer is all the praises and thanks are to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and prayers of Allah are to Muhammad and his Family, Companions and Brothers until the Day of Resurrection.

Algiers on: Dhû Al-Qa‘dah the 20^th, 1426 H
Corresponding to: December the 22^nd, 2005 G