[erepsysoulptnw]

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.