Question:
What is the correct time to break the fast according to the Hadith?
Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
Answer:
❀ Allah Almighty says:
Arabic:
ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ
(Al-Baqarah: 187)
Translation:
“Then complete the fast until the night.”
There is consensus among the entire Ummah that this verse means: as soon as the sun sets, the fast should be broken.
Sayyidunā ʿUmar رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Arabic:
إذا أقبل الليل من ها هنا، وأدبر النهار من ها هنا، وغربت الشمس فقد أفطر الصائم
Translation:
“When the night appears from this side, and the day departs from that side, and the sun sets, then the fasting person has broken his fast.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1954; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1100)
Sayyidunā Sahl bin Saʿd رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Arabic:
لا يزال الناس بخير ما عجلوا الفطر
Translation:
“People will continue to remain upon goodness as long as they hasten to break their fast.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1957; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1098)
❀ Imām Ibn Daqīq al-ʿĪd رحمه الله said:
“It is unanimously recommended (mustahabb) to break the fast immediately after being certain that the sun has set.”
(Iḥkām al-Aḥkām Sharḥ ʿUmdah al-Aḥkām: 2/26)
What is the correct time to break the fast according to the Hadith?
Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
Answer:
❀ Allah Almighty says:
Arabic:
ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ

Translation:
“Then complete the fast until the night.”
There is consensus among the entire Ummah that this verse means: as soon as the sun sets, the fast should be broken.
Sayyidunā ʿUmar رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Arabic:
إذا أقبل الليل من ها هنا، وأدبر النهار من ها هنا، وغربت الشمس فقد أفطر الصائم
Translation:
“When the night appears from this side, and the day departs from that side, and the sun sets, then the fasting person has broken his fast.”

Sayyidunā Sahl bin Saʿd رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Arabic:
لا يزال الناس بخير ما عجلوا الفطر
Translation:
“People will continue to remain upon goodness as long as they hasten to break their fast.”

❀ Imām Ibn Daqīq al-ʿĪd رحمه الله said:
“It is unanimously recommended (mustahabb) to break the fast immediately after being certain that the sun has set.”
