Summary
If a person wakes up after the time of Fajr has started, he must make the intention to fast for that day without consuming anything. He can make the intention at any time until Islamic midday (nisf al-nahar) as long as he does not consume anything after the time of Fajr has started.
Answer
It is preferred (mustahab) to have the pre-dawn meal (sehri/suhur) as it has been described as full of blessings in various narrations.
It is narrated from Anas bin Malik by Imam al-Bukhari (§1923) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Take the pre-dawn meal for there is blessing in it. [1]
تَسَحَّرُوا فَإِنَّ فِي السَّحُورِ بَرَكَةً
It is mentioned in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah:
The pre-dawn meal is desirable (mustahab) [1/120]. [2]
التسحر مستحب
However, even though the pre-dawn meal is desirable, it is not a prerequisite for the fast to be valid. It is narrated from the Mother of the Believers, Sayyidah Ai’sha by Imam al-Tirmidhi (§733):
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to me one day and said: “Do you have anything [to consume]?” She said: “I said: ‘No.’ He said: ‘Then I am fasting.’” [3]عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، قَالَتْ دَخَلَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمًا … Continue reading
Instead, what is required for the fast to be valid, as mentioned in most Hanafi texts such as al-Hidayah, al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah and others is that a person who is capable of fasting stops eating, drinking and intimacy prior to dawn (subh sadiq) with the intention to fast for that day for the sake of attaining closeness to Allah [al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah 1/214].
Therefore, if a person wakes up after the time of Fajr has started, he must make the intention to fast for that day without consuming anything. He can make the intention at any time until Islamic midday (nisf al-nahar) as long as he does not consume anything after the time of Fajr has started.
It is mentioned in al-Durr al-Mukhtar and its supercommentary Radd al-Muhtar:
In the case of the on-time fast of Ramadan; the fast due as a result of a specific vow; and the supererogatory fast, it is correct to make the intention from the night. However, it is not correct to make the intention prior to sunset nor at the time of sunset. [The intention can be made from the night i.e. after sunset] until Islamic midday (al-dahwah al-kubra; nisf al-nahar al-shar’i), but not after it or during it, considering the majority part of the day [Radd al-Muhtar, 2:377].[4](فَيَصِحُّ) أَدَاءُ (صَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ وَالنَّذْرِ الْمُعَيَّنِ وَالنَّفَلِ بِنِيَّةٍ مِنْ اللَّيْلِ) فَلَا … Continue reading
And Allah Almighty knows best.
Muhammad Kalim
14 Ramadan 1443 H.
| ↑1 | تَسَحَّرُوا فَإِنَّ فِي السَّحُورِ بَرَكَةً |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | التسحر مستحب |
| ↑3 | عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، قَالَتْ دَخَلَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمًا فَقَالَ ” هَلْ عِنْدَكُمْ شَيْءٌ ” . قَالَتْ قُلْتُ لاَ . قَالَ ” فَإِنِّي صَائِمٌ ” . |
| ↑4 | (فَيَصِحُّ) أَدَاءُ (صَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ وَالنَّذْرِ الْمُعَيَّنِ وَالنَّفَلِ بِنِيَّةٍ مِنْ اللَّيْلِ) فَلَا تَصِحُّ قَبْلَ الْغُرُوبِ وَلَا عِنْدَهُ (إلَى الضَّحْوَةِ الْكُبْرَى لَا) بَعْدَهَا وَلَا (عِنْدَهَا) اعْتِبَارًا لِأَكْثَرِ الْيَوْمِ |
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