The Book of Fasting

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ التَّمِيمِيُّ، وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو غَسَّانَ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو حَازِمٍ، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ ‏ {‏ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الأَسْوَدِ‏} ‏ قَالَ فَكَانَ الرَّجُلُ إِذَا أَرَادَ الصَّوْمَ رَبَطَ أَحَدُهُمْ فِي رِجْلَيْهِ الْخَيْطَ الأَسْوَدَ وَالْخَيْطَ الأَبْيَضَ فَلاَ يَزَالُ يَأْكُلُ وَيَشْرَبُ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُ رِئْيُهُمَا فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ ‏ {‏ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ‏} ‏ فَعَلِمُوا أَنَّمَا يَعْنِي بِذَلِكَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ ‏.‏

Sahl b. Sa'd (Allah be pleased with him) said: When this verse was revealed." Eat and drink till the white streak becomes distinct from the dark streak for you," the person who decided to observe fast tied on one of his feet a black thread and on the other a white thread. And he went on eating and drinking till he could distinguish (between their colour) on seeing them. It was after this that Allah reveal- ed (the words): min al-fajr. And they (the Muslims) came to know that (the word khait) refers to the night and day.

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رُمْحٍ، قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ، سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، - رضى الله عنه - عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّ بِلاَلاً يُؤَذِّنُ بِلَيْلٍ فَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى تَسْمَعُوا تَأْذِينَ ابْنِ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ ‏" ‏ ‏.‏

'Abdullah b. Mas'ud (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had said: Bilal would pronounce Adhan (at the fag end of the night in order to inform the people about the time of the Sahri). So you eat and drink till you hear the Adhan of Ibn Umm Maktum (which was pro- nounced at the conclusion of the Sahri and the commencement of the fast).

حَدَّثَنِي حَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، - رضى الله عنهما - قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ إِنَّ بِلاَلاً يُؤَذِّنُ بِلَيْلٍ فَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى تَسْمَعُوا أَذَانَ ابْنِ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ ‏" ‏ ‏.‏

Abdullah b. 'Umar (Allah be pleased with both of them) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: Bilal announces Adhan during the night, so you eat and drink, till you hear the Adhan of Ibn Umm Maktum.

حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، - رضى الله عنهما - قَالَ كَانَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُؤَذِّنَانِ بِلاَلٌ وَابْنُ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ الأَعْمَى فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِنَّ بِلاَلاً يُؤَذِّنُ بِلَيْلٍ فَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يُؤَذِّنَ ابْنُ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ ‏" ‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَهُمَا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَنْزِلَ هَذَا وَيَرْقَى هَذَا ‏.‏

Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with both of them) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had two Mu'adhdhins, Bilal and son of Umm Maktum, the blind. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Bilal announces Adhan at (the fag end of the) night (i. e. Sahri), so eat and drink till the son of Umm Maktum announces Adhan. And he (the narrator) said: And the (difference of time) between their (Adhans) was not more than this that one climbed down (from the minaret) and the other climbed up (to announce Adhan).

وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا الْقَاسِمُ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، - رضى الله عنها - عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمِثْلِهِ ‏.‏

A hadith like this has been transmitted on the authority of 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her).

وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدَةُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ مَسْعَدَةَ، كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، بِالإِسْنَادَيْنِ كِلَيْهِمَا ‏.‏ نَحْوَ حَدِيثِ ابْنِ نُمَيْرٍ ‏.‏

A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of 'Ubaidullah on the two chains of transmitters.

حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ التَّيْمِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي، عُثْمَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ لاَ يَمْنَعَنَّ أَحَدًا مِنْكُمْ أَذَانُ بِلاَلٍ - أَوْ قَالَ نِدَاءُ بِلاَلٍ - مِنْ سَحُورِهِ فَإِنَّهُ يُؤَذِّنُ - أَوْ قَالَ يُنَادِي - بِلَيْلٍ لِيَرْجِعَ قَائِمَكُمْ وَيُوقِظَ نَائِمَكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ ‏"‏ لَيْسَ أَنْ يَقُولَ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا - وَصَوَّبَ يَدَهُ وَرَفَعَهَا - حَتَّى يَقُولَ هَكَذَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَفَرَّجَ بَيْنَ إِصْبَعَيْهِ ‏.‏

Ibn Mas'ud (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying The Adhan of Bilal should not restrain anyone among you from eating Sahur (last meal before daybreak during the month of Ramadan) for he announces Adhan (or he calls) at (the fag end of) the night to make him turn who stands for prayer among you, and to awaken those who are sleeping among you. And he said: The dawn is not like it, as one says (and he lifted his hand) till he (dispersed his fingers) and said: It is like this.

حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَالِدٍ، - يَعْنِي الأَحْمَرَ - عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ التَّيْمِيِّ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ ‏"‏ إِنَّ الْفَجْرَ لَيْسَ الَّذِي يَقُولُ هَكَذَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَجَمَعَ أَصَابِعَهُ ثُمَّ نَكَسَهَا إِلَى الأَرْضِ ‏"‏ وَلَكِنِ الَّذِي يَقُولُ هَكَذَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَوَضَعَ الْمُسَبِّحَةَ عَلَى الْمُسَبِّحَةِ وَمَدَّ يَدَيْهِ ‏.‏

This hadith has been narrated by Sulaiman al-Taimi with the same chain of transmitters (but with a slight variation of words) that he (the Holy Prophet) said: The dawn is not like it as it is said; he then gathered his fingers and lowered them. But he said, it is like this (and he placed the index finger upon the other one and spread his hand).

وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعْتَمِرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ، إِبْرَاهِيمَ أَخْبَرَنَا جَرِيرٌ، وَالْمُعْتَمِرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ التَّيْمِيِّ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ ‏.‏ وَانْتَهَى حَدِيثُ الْمُعْتَمِرِ عِنْدَ قَوْلِهِ ‏"‏ يُنَبِّهُ نَائِمَكُمْ وَيَرْجِعُ قَائِمَكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ إِسْحَاقُ قَالَ جَرِيرٌ فِي حَدِيثِهِ ‏"‏ وَلَيْسَ أَنْ يَقُولَ هَكَذَا وَلَكِنْ يَقُولُ هَكَذَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ يَعْنِي الْفَجْرَ هُوَ الْمُعْتَرِضُ وَلَيْسَ بِالْمُسْتَطِيلِ ‏.‏

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Sulaiman Taimi with the same chain of transmitters and, at the end, it was said that the first Adhan was meant to awaken those who were in slumber amongst them and in order to make them turn who stand in (prayer) among them (towards food at the commencement of the fast). Jarir (one of the narrators) said that the Messenger (ﷺ) did not say like this but he said like it (true dawn) that the streaks of (true dawn ) are horizontal and not vertical.

حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ بْنُ فَرُّوخَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَوَادَةَ الْقُشَيْرِيِّ، حَدَّثَنِي وَالِدِي، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ سَمُرَةَ بْنَ جُنْدُبٍ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدًا، صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ

Samura b. Jandub reported Muhammad (ﷺ) as saying. The call of Bilal may not mislead any one of you (and he may, under the wrong impression gathered from it, refrain) from taking meal before the commencement of the fast (for the streaks) of this whiteness (which are vertical indicate the false dawn and the true dawn with which the fast commences is that when the streaks of light are) spread.