By Harun Razaq

Sahuur is early morning meal taken by a fasting Muslim before fajr. And Iftar is meal taken to break the fast at sunset. Both the Sahuur and Iftar must be in conformity with the rule guiding table manner in Islam in order to achieve the full reward.

Sahuur should be taken in line with the instruction of the Prophet (s.a.w) that states: “Eat Sahuur, for in it, there is barakah”. (al-Bukhari) It is a blessed meal, which is not in sync with the action of People of the Book (the Jews and Christians). And while taking the Sahuur, the Sunnah is to delay it till the third part of the night and should be a light food. On this the Prophet (s.a.w) says: “the best Sahuur for believer is dates”. Although, it is allowed to take other types of food in moderate quantum and not in excess.

The Iftar is to be hastened. Break your fast before Salat Maghrib, breaking it with an odd number of ripe dates or dried dates or water according to the practice of the Prophet (s.a.w) as recorded in Hadith that: “the Prophet (s.a.w) breaks his fast before he pray (Salat Maghrib) with ripe dates. If there were none, he would use dried ones and if there were none, he would have a few rips of water”. (Tirmidhi 3/79)

The fasting Muslim should say the following while breaking the fast: “Dhahabaz zama’u wabtallatil ‘uruuqu, wathabatal ajru insha-a Allahhu -Thirst is gone, vein are moistened and the reward is certain, insha Allah” (Abu Dawud 2/760, Darul Qutni 21/185); “Allahumah laka sumtu wa ala riskika aftartum – O Allah, I ask of You, by Your mercy that encompasses everything, to forgive me”. Also from Ibn Umar “Allahuma innii as ‘aluka bi rahmatikallati wasi ‘at kulla shai’in an taghfira lii- O Allah, I ask of You, by Your mercy that encompasses everything, to forgive me” (Fiqhu Sunnah 1/339).