68/24. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 5298 — Suhur and the Adhan of Bilal
Using gestures to express the decision of divorce
وَقَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لاَ يُعَذِّبُ اللَّهُ بِدَمْعِ الْعَيْنِ وَلَكِنْ يُعَذِّبُ بِهَذَا». فَأَشَارَ إِلَى لِسَانِهِ. وَقَالَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ أَشَارَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَيَّ أَيْ خُذِ النِّصْفَ. وَقَالَتْ أَسْمَاءُ صَلَّى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي الْكُسُوفِ، فَقُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ مَا شَأْنُ النَّاسِ وَهْيَ تُصَلِّي، فَأَوْمَأَتْ بِرَأْسِهَا إِلَى الشَّمْسِ، فَقُلْتُ آيَةٌ فَأَوْمَأَتْ بِرَأْسِهَا أَنْ نَعَمْ. وَقَالَ أَنَسٌ أَوْمَأَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ أَنْ يَتَقَدَّمَ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ أَوْمَأَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِيَدِهِ لاَ حَرَجَ. وَقَالَ أَبُو قَتَادَةَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي الصَّيْدِ لِلْمُحْرِمِ: «آحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ أَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَحْمِلَ عَلَيْهَا أَوْ أَشَارَ إِلَيْهَا». قَالُوا لاَ. قَالَ: «فَكُلُوا».
Suhur and Bilal's Adhan Hadith: Do Not Stop Eating Too Early
Sahih Bukhari : 5298
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 5298
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ التَّيْمِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ يَمْنَعَنَّ أَحَدًا مِنْكُمْ نِدَاءُ بِلاَلٍ ـ أَوْ قَالَ أَذَانُهُ ـ مِنْ سَحُورِهِ، فَإِنَّمَا يُنَادِي أَوْ قَالَ يُؤَذِّنُ لِيَرْجِعَ قَائِمُكُمْ ". وَلَيْسَ أَنْ يَقُولَ كَأَنَّهُ يَعْنِي الصُّبْحَ أَوِ الْفَجْرَ، وَأَظْهَرَ يَزِيدُ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ مَدَّ إِحْدَاهُمَا مِنَ الأُخْرَى.
'Abdullah bin Mas'ud Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The call (or the Adhan) of Bilal should not stop you from taking the Suhur-meals for Bilal calls (or pronounces the Adhan) so that the one who is offering the night prayer should take a rest, and he does not indicate the daybreak or dawn." The narrator, Yazid, described (how dawn breaks) by stretching out his hands and then separating them wide apart.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5298In-book reference : Book 68, Hadith 47USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 63, Hadith 219
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 5298
This suhur and Bilal's adhan hadith explains an important timing point for fasting. The Prophet said that the call of Bilal should not stop anyone from taking suhur. He explained that Bilal called the adhan so the one praying at night could return and rest. That call did not mean the real daybreak or dawn had arrived. The narrator then described dawn by stretching out his hands and separating them wide apart, showing the spread of light. The narration focuses on not confusing Bilal's early call with true fajr. For people searching for suhur time hadith or Bilal adhan before fajr, this report gives a clear answer from the Prophet's own words.
What we learn from this hadith
- Bilal's call did not signal the true dawn in this report.
- People were told not to stop suhur because of that call.
- The early call helped the night worshipper return and rest.
- The narration points to the visible spread of dawn as the sign.
