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:

Q : Is it obligatory to get up just before dawn to have something ? Is `Sewri` compulsory?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Is suhur compulsory?

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 no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

It is narrated by Hadrat Anas bin Malik (r.a.) that the Prophet (saws) said, "Take Suhur, as there is a blessing in it."

The taking of ‘suhur’ or pre-dawn meal for fasting is a Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), and he recommended and urged the believers to eat and drink something before the fast begins. It would make the fast easy for the believer and he(saws) said that Allah has put a blessing in this meal.

It is a preferred Sunnah, but not obligatory or compulsory. If one does not take the ‘suhur’ and intends to fast, his fast will be valid.

If for whatever reason, one does not like to get up and eat a full meal, it is preferred that he get up just before dawn and eat something (even one date) and/or a gulp of water… so that he would be able to get the blessings of the ‘suhur’.

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

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan