صحيح البخاري
Bukhari
كتاب الصومThe Book of As-Saum (The Fasting).
بَابُ بَرَكَةِ السَّحُورِ مِنْ غَيْرِ إِيجَابٍ:Chapter. The Sahur (late night meals) is a blessing but it is not compulsory.
Hadith 1922
اُردوEn
لأَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَصْحَابَهُ وَاصَلُوا وَلَمْ يُذْكَرِ السَّحُورُ.
Because the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) observed consecutive fasts, and there is no mention of suhoor among them.
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ ، حَدَّثَنَا جُوَيْرِيَةُ ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، " أَنّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَاصَلَ ، فَوَاصَلَ النَّاسُ ، فَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِمْ ، فَنَهَاهُمْ ، قَالُوا : إِنَّكَ تُوَاصِلُ ، قَالَ : " لَسْتُ كَهَيْئَتِكُمْ ، إِنِّي أَظَلُّ أُطْعَمُ وَأُسْقَى " .
Narrated `Abdullah: The Prophet fasted for days continuously; the people also did the same but it was difficult for them. So, the Prophet forbade them (to fast continuously for more than one day). They slid, "But you fast without break (no food was taken in the evening or in the morning)." The Prophet replied, "I am not like you, for I am provided with food and drink (by Allah).
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
Continuous fasting (sawm wisal) means to fast for several consecutive days without taking pre-dawn meal (suhoor) or breaking the fast (iftar), and to keep fasting in this manner. At times, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to observe such a fast, but he forbade the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) from this type of fasting due to the hardship involved, and instead instructed them to partake in the pre-dawn meal (suhoor) so that they would gain strength for the day.
Imam Bukhari’s intention is that eating suhoor is a Sunnah, it is recommended (mustahabb), but it is not obligatory (wajib), because in the case of continuous fasting (sawm wisal), the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) also abandoned suhoor altogether. Thus, the purpose of the chapter is established.
Continuous fasting (sawm wisal) means to fast for several consecutive days without taking pre-dawn meal (suhoor) or breaking the fast (iftar), and to keep fasting in this manner. At times, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to observe such a fast, but he forbade the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) from this type of fasting due to the hardship involved, and instead instructed them to partake in the pre-dawn meal (suhoor) so that they would gain strength for the day.
Imam Bukhari’s intention is that eating suhoor is a Sunnah, it is recommended (mustahabb), but it is not obligatory (wajib), because in the case of continuous fasting (sawm wisal), the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) also abandoned suhoor altogether. Thus, the purpose of the chapter is established.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 1922
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Sawm wisal refers to fasting continuously for several days without taking pre-dawn (suhoor) or sunset (iftar) meals. At times, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) observed fasts in this manner, but due to the hardship involved, he forbade the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) from doing so. Rather, he instructed them to partake in suhoor so that it would provide them with strength.
(2)
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) intends to show that eating suhoor is recommended (mustahabb) but not obligatory (wajib), because during sawm wisal, the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) abandoned suhoor. From this, Imam Bukhari established the chapter heading.
(3)
Ibn Munayyir established Imam Bukhari’s (rahimahullah) chapter heading in this way: the prohibition of wisal is not for the purpose of making it unlawful (tahrim), but rather as a form of goodwill and concern. And when the prohibition of sawm wisal is for the sake of dislike (karahah), then its opposite (i.e., eating suhoor) will be recommended (mustahabb). Because if suhoor were obligatory (wajib), then wisal would not be established, as in such circumstances, wisal necessitates abandoning suhoor.
(Fath al-Bari: 4/179)
(4)
What is meant by eating and drinking here is spiritual nourishment, such that you (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not feel hunger, or that Allah provided food in a manner befitting His majesty. In any case, what is not meant here is worldly food.
(‘Umdat al-Qari: 8/68)
(1)
Sawm wisal refers to fasting continuously for several days without taking pre-dawn (suhoor) or sunset (iftar) meals. At times, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) observed fasts in this manner, but due to the hardship involved, he forbade the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) from doing so. Rather, he instructed them to partake in suhoor so that it would provide them with strength.
(2)
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) intends to show that eating suhoor is recommended (mustahabb) but not obligatory (wajib), because during sawm wisal, the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) abandoned suhoor. From this, Imam Bukhari established the chapter heading.
(3)
Ibn Munayyir established Imam Bukhari’s (rahimahullah) chapter heading in this way: the prohibition of wisal is not for the purpose of making it unlawful (tahrim), but rather as a form of goodwill and concern. And when the prohibition of sawm wisal is for the sake of dislike (karahah), then its opposite (i.e., eating suhoor) will be recommended (mustahabb). Because if suhoor were obligatory (wajib), then wisal would not be established, as in such circumstances, wisal necessitates abandoning suhoor.
(Fath al-Bari: 4/179)
(4)
What is meant by eating and drinking here is spiritual nourishment, such that you (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not feel hunger, or that Allah provided food in a manner befitting His majesty. In any case, what is not meant here is worldly food.
(‘Umdat al-Qari: 8/68)
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 1922
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Wisal:
To fast without eating or drinking,
that is, without breaking the fast (iftar),
to continuously fast for several days.
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Wisal:
To fast without eating or drinking,
that is, without breaking the fast (iftar),
to continuously fast for several days.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 2563
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
➊ Fasting for several consecutive days without breaking the fast is called wisal, which was a special characteristic of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade his ummah from fasting in this manner.
➋ In the special characteristic that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has mentioned for himself, no one from the ummah shares or participates with him. Those ascetics and Sufi-type individuals who fast consecutively without breaking the fast, their action is entirely contrary to the statement of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
➊ Fasting for several consecutive days without breaking the fast is called wisal, which was a special characteristic of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade his ummah from fasting in this manner.
➋ In the special characteristic that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has mentioned for himself, no one from the ummah shares or participates with him. Those ascetics and Sufi-type individuals who fast consecutively without breaking the fast, their action is entirely contrary to the statement of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 2360
Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai
Hadith Authentication: [وأخرجه البخاري 1962، ومسلم 1102، من حديث مالك به]
Jurisprudential Explanation:
➊ The meaning of the fasting of wisal is that after breaking the fast at sunset, one does not eat the pre-dawn meal (suhoor), but rather continues fasting until the next day at sunset, thus breaking the fast at sunset. In this way, it becomes a twenty-four-hour fast.
➋ Due to compassion and mercy upon the Ummah, the fasting of wisal has been declared prohibited.
➌ Despite being human, the follower (Ummah) and the Prophet are not equal.
➍ During the state of fasting, due to wisal, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was specially fed and given drink by Allah Ta’ala, whereas this is not the case for the followers.
➎ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Talhah (radi Allahu anhu) that we complained of hunger before the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and showed him that each of us had tied a stone to his stomach (to alleviate the pain of hunger), so the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) showed that he had two stones tied. [سنن الترمذي : 2371 وسنده حسن لذاته]
◈ This narration is hasan li-dhatihi, meaning it is a proof. It is understood from this that the feeding and giving drink by Allah to His Messenger is specific to the fasts of wisal; otherwise, in other days, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) also endured hunger. [نيز ديكهئے ح344]
Jurisprudential Explanation:
➊ The meaning of the fasting of wisal is that after breaking the fast at sunset, one does not eat the pre-dawn meal (suhoor), but rather continues fasting until the next day at sunset, thus breaking the fast at sunset. In this way, it becomes a twenty-four-hour fast.
➋ Due to compassion and mercy upon the Ummah, the fasting of wisal has been declared prohibited.
➌ Despite being human, the follower (Ummah) and the Prophet are not equal.
➍ During the state of fasting, due to wisal, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was specially fed and given drink by Allah Ta’ala, whereas this is not the case for the followers.
➎ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Talhah (radi Allahu anhu) that we complained of hunger before the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and showed him that each of us had tied a stone to his stomach (to alleviate the pain of hunger), so the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) showed that he had two stones tied. [سنن الترمذي : 2371 وسنده حسن لذاته]
◈ This narration is hasan li-dhatihi, meaning it is a proof. It is understood from this that the feeding and giving drink by Allah to His Messenger is specific to the fasts of wisal; otherwise, in other days, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) also endured hunger. [نيز ديكهئے ح344]
Source: Muwatta Imam Malik (Narration of Ibn al-Qasim): Commentary by Zubair Ali Zai, Page: 209
