Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamu alaikum Brother,

Q2. I wanted to know if one can do Suhur during Ramzan being unclean and later on have ghusl or should one be in the state of Ghusl?

Q3. Is it compulsory to break the fast immediately after sunset or can it be delayed. Reason being I`m a working woman and I start from office before sunset and will be driving back home at the time of Iftehar, hence forth will be delayed in breaking the fast by 1/2 to 1 hour daily based on the density of traffic. Please tell me in the light of Quran and Haditz if my fast would be accepted. Or should I stop travelling once the sunsets and break my fast on the street itself.

Allahafiz

Ayesha

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Answer:

Suhoor sex ghusl

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: I wanted to know if one can do Suhur during Ramzan being unclean and later on have ghusl or should one be in the state of Ghusl?

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.153 Narrated by Abu Bakr bin Abdur Rahman

My father and I went to 'Aisha and she said, "I testify that Allah's Messenger (saws) at times used to get up in the morning in a state of Janaba from sexual intercourse, not from a wet dream and then he would fast that day." Then he went to Um Salama (another wife of the Prophet (saws)) and she also narrated a similar thing.

Although it is highly recommended that one purify oneself immediately after sexual intercourse, there is absolutely no obligation upon the believers that they must purify themselves from the state of ‘janaba’ before ‘suhoor’ in order to fulfill their fast.

There is evidence and allowance in the Sunnah that if one wishes to sleep, eat, or drink or do other chores before purifying oneself with ‘ghusl’ or full bath from their state of ‘janaba’, one must at least do the ‘wudu’ or ablution.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 603 Narrated by Aisha

Abdullah ibn AbdulQays said, "I asked Aisha about the Witr (prayer) of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and made mention of a hadith, then I said: ‘What did he (saws) do after having sexual intercourse? Did he take a bath before going to sleep or did he sleep before taking a bath?’ She said: ‘He (saws) did all these. Sometimes he (saws) took a bath and then slept, and sometimes he (saws) performed ablution only and went to sleep.’ I (the narrator) said: ‘Praise be to Allah Who has made things easy (for the believers in the deen).’

If one does not perform the ghusl immediately after sex for any reason, it would be better and purer to perform the wudu (ablution) and go about ones chores, sleep, or eat and drink, and perform the ghusl later when one intends to pray or recite the Quran.

Your Question: Is it compulsory to break the fast immediately after sunset or can it be delayed.

Sahl ibn Sad reported that the Prophet (saws) said: "The people will always be with the good as long as they hasten in breaking the fast."

Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 2346 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘Religion will continue to prevail as long as people hasten to break the fast, because the Jews and the Christians delay doing so.’

Said Sahl ibn Sa'd narrated that the Prophet (saws) said: "All the Prophets of Allah have been ordered to hasten the breaking of the fast and to delay the ‘suhoor’ (pre-fast dawn) meal.’

Related by al-Bukhari, Ahmad and Malik.

Anas reported: "The Messenger of Allah (saws) would break his fast with ripe dates before he would pray (Magrib prayers). If those were not available, he would eat dried dates. If those were not available, he would drink some water."

Related by Abu Dawud, al-Hakim, and by at-Tirmidhi.

It is an extremely preferred Sunnah and practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws) to hasten to break one’s fast as soon as the sun has completely set or at the first call of the ‘magrib’ adhaan.

Your Question: …..hence forth will be delayed in breaking the fast by 1/2 to 1 hour daily based on the density of traffic. Please tell me in the light of Quran and Haditz if my fast would be accepted. Or should I stop travelling once the sunsets and break my fast on the street itself.

Beloved Sister, it is best and closest to the Sunnah if you could hasten to break your fast as soon as the sun has set and ‘magrib’ time occurs. If the traffic or your transportation delays the reaching of your destination by a half or one hour, it would be prudent to carry a few dates or a small bottle of water and break your fast in your vehicle as soon as the time is due….for that then would be closest to the Sunnah and guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

If for an absolutely genuine reason one has to delay the breaking of one’s fast, there is no harm and the fast would be considered valid. The concept of fasting in Islam is not to see how strong one is, but rather to determine how obedient is one to their Lord’s Commands….thus one should not make it a habit to delay the breaking of one’s fast, but strive to break their fast as soon as the sun has set and ‘magrib’ has begun.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan