13/10. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1101b — Night Approaches, Fast Ends
Clarifying the time for ending the fast and the end of the day
When Night Approaches: Iftar Time Hadith Explained
Sahih Muslim : 1101b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1101b
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، وَعَبَّادُ بْنُ الْعَوَّامِ، عَنِ الشَّيْبَانِيِّ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي أَوْفَى، - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي سَفَرٍ فَلَمَّا غَابَتِ الشَّمْسُ قَالَ لِرَجُلٍ " انْزِلْ فَاجْدَحْ لَنَا " . فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَوْ أَمْسَيْتَ . قَالَ " انْزِلْ فَاجْدَحْ لَنَا " . قَالَ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا نَهَارًا . فَنَزَلَ فَجَدَحَ لَهُ فَشَرِبَ ثُمَّ قَالَ " إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ اللَّيْلَ قَدْ أَقْبَلَ مِنْ هَا هُنَا - وَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ نَحْوَ الْمَشْرِقِ - فَقَدْ أَفْطَرَ الصَّائِمُ " .
Ibn Abi `Aufa Narrated from:
We were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on a journey. When the sun sank he said to a person: Get down and prepare barley meal for us. Upon this he said: Messenger of Allah, let there be dusk. (He the Holy Prophet) said: Get down and prepare barley meal for us.He (the person) said: There is still (the light of) day upon us. (But) he got down (in obedience to the command of the Holy Prophet) and prepared a barley meal for him and he (the Holy Prophet) drank that (liquid meal) and then said: When you see the night approaching from that side (west) (and he pointed towards the east with his hand), then the observer of the fast should break it.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1101bIn-book reference : Book 13, Hadith 66USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 6, Hadith 2423
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1101b
This narration from Ibn Abi Aufa gives the same practical lesson about iftar time. The Companions were with the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم on a journey. When the sun sank, he told a person to prepare barley meal. The person suggested waiting until dusk and mentioned that daylight still seemed present. Yet the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم repeated the command, and after the meal was prepared, he drank it. Then he said that when night is seen approaching from that side, pointing toward the east, the fasting person should break the fast. The hadith teaches that sunset and the approach of night are enough; one should not delay simply because some light remains.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم acted after the sun had sunk, even while light still remained.
- The coming of night after sunset is a sign for breaking the fast.
- The hadith shows obedience to the Prophet's instruction in a practical fasting matter.
