Question:
Assalamu‘alaikum. I want to ask, what is the ruling if someone does not wake up for sahoor. Some people say that even if someone does not take his sahoor, he can still fast. Hope for an explanation from ustaz.
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wbt,
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the many countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Among the great sunnah of the Prophet PBUH in the month of Ramadhan is to delay the sahoor and to hasten in breaking the fast. This is in accordance with a hadith from Sahl bin Sa’ad, the Prophet PBUH said:
لَا يَزَالُ النَّاسُ بِخَيْرٍ مَا عَجَّلُوا الْفِطْرَ
“The people will remain on the right path as long as they hasten the breaking of the fast.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (1957) & Sahih Muslim (2608)
Imam al-Nawawi states that the above hadith is an encouragement to hasten to break the fast after the sunsets. And the above hadith also means that as long as people do not leave this sunnah, then they will be among the people who are on the right path. If they start to delay it, then it is a sign of harm and disaster. (Refer Al-Minhaj Syarh Sohih Muslim, 7/28)
The same is stated for sahoor, it is one of the great sunnah of which the Prophet PBUH never left. It is also a difference between our fast and the fast of the People of the Book. This is recorded by a hadith narrated by Sahl bin Sa’ad, where the Prophet PBUH said:
إِنَّ فَصْلَ مَا بَيْنَ صِيَامِنَا وَصِيَامِ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أَكْلَةُ السَّحَرِ
“The difference between our fasting and that of the people of the Book is eating shortly before dawn.”
Sunan Abu Daud (2343)
Furthermore, there is a blessing from Allah SWT through sahoor. From Anas bin Malik, the Prophet PBUH said:
تَسَحَّرُوا فَإِنَّ فِي السَّحُورِ بَرَكَةً
“Take Sahur, for in Sahur there is blessing.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (1923)
Among the reasons for the blessing in sahoor is due to the fact that sahoor supply energy and helps someone throughout the day of fasting to perform good deeds and worships.
Moreover, the Prophet PBUH commanded us to not leave sahoor. This is narrated by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri where the Prophet PBUH said:
السَّحُورُ أَكْلُهُ بَرَكَةٌ ، فَلاَ تَدَعُوهُ ، وَلَوْ أَنْ يَجْرَعَ أَحَدُكُمْ جُرْعَةً مِنْ مَاءٍ ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَمَلاَئِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى الْمُتَسَحِّرِينَ
“Eating during sahoor is a blessing. Do not leave it even if it is just a sip of water. Indeed, Allah gives His blessings and the angels supplicate to those who takes his sahoor.”
Musnad Imam Ahmad (11102)
Thus, as a conclusion, sahoor is a great sunnah of the Prophet PBUH of which the companions of Prophet PBUH and the Prophet PBUH himself never leave. Not taking sahoor means that he has neglected a great sunnah of the Prophet PBUH. True, that his fast is valid, but fasting is not solely on the validity or invalidity of it. The purpose of fasting is to gain the blessing in the worship of fasting that we are performing. Take this chance of taking sahoor and seek forgiveness during this time to Allah SWT. This is among the attributes of a believer, as stated by Allah SWT in the Quran:
وَبِٱلْأَسْحَارِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ
“And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness,”
Surah al-Dzariyat (18)
May Allah SWT bless us with taufiq and hidayah to reap the benefits in this blessed month of Ramadhan the best that we could. Wallahua’lam.