SAHRI

Sahri is the act of arising from sleep during the course of the night to partake of some food or drink in anticipation of the next day's fasting.

1. Sahri is Sunnat regardless of whether one feels like eating anything or not. One should rise and eat even a date or two or merely take a gulp of water.

2. It is of greater merit to delay Sahri. But it should not be delayed so much that Subah Sadiq has almost set in, causing doubt in the validity of the fast.


3. It is not permissible to forgo a fast because of failure to wake up during the night for Sahri.

4. It is not permissible to eat after the expiry of Sahri time. Sahri time expires with the commencement of Subah Sadiq.

5. Some people continue eating even while the Fajr Athaan is being proclaimed. This act breaks the fast since the Athaan is proclaimed after expiry of Sahri time.

6. While the best method of observing Sahri is in the later part of the night, after rising from sleep, the Sahri will be valid if for some reason one remained awake until late in the night and then partook of Sahri before going to sleep.

7. Eating by error after the ending of Sahri time necessitates QADHA of the fast. If one ate under the mistaken Impression that it was still Sahri time, the fast of the following day will not be valid. However, it is Wajib (compulsory) to abstain from all acts which break Saum and to remain like a Sa-im (a fasting person). Qadha of the fast will have to be made after Ramadhan.

8. A doubt in the ending of Sahri time will not invalidate the fast although it is Makrooh (a sinful act) to eat when there is a doubt as to the existence of Sahri time. But qadha will not be compulsory. Nevertheless, in view of the doubt, it will be better to make qadha of such a fast.

9. It is Mustahab to delay Sahri as late as possible, but not to the Makrooh time, i.e. when one starts doubting the validity of Sahri time.

10. Some Ramadhan time-tables indicate a recommended time for the cessation of eating, etc. at the time of Sahri. It, is not obligatory to stop eating at such recommended times. One is allowed to eat right until the ending of Sahri time which coincides with Subah Sadiq although it is best to stop a couple of minutes before Subah Sadiq.

(11) If Sahri was missed due to having overslept, one should not forgo fasting. It is not permissible to refrain from Saum because of having missed Sahri.