The Ruling on Precaution in the Adhan for Fajr by Advancing or Delaying It
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His Eminence the Shaykh: Some of the people in our area used to eat after the Fajr adhan.
And when I mentioned to them that this is not permissible, they said: There is nothing wrong with that, so what is the ruling on these past days?
The phrase "there is nothing wrong with that" is not a valid proof,But if they said: if the Fajr had not yet appeared, there would have been a valid reason, such as if they were in the desert and there were no lights around them,And they said: we did not see the appearance of Fajr; because some people nowadays doubt the calendar that is in people's hands,They say: that it is earlier than the appearance of Fajr,And they say: we went out to the desert and there were no lights around us, and we saw Fajr being delayed,Until some of them exaggerated and said: delayed by a third of an hour.
But it appears that this is an exaggeration that is not correct, and what we see is that the calendar that is in people's hands now - which is the Umm al-Qura calendar - advances Fajr by five minutes specifically, meaning if you eat while the adhan is being called according to the calendar, there is no harm, unless the mu'adhdhin is being cautious and delaying. Some mu'adhdhins, may Allah reward them with good, are cautious and do not call the adhan until five minutes after the current timing. This is a serious matter, and some ignorant mu'adhdhins advance the Fajr adhan, thinking that this is more cautious for fasting, but they forget that they are neglecting what is more severe than fasting! And that is the Fajr prayer. Perhaps a person prays before the time, and if a person prays before the time, even with the opening takbir, his prayer is not valid.
Then they - I mean these mu'adhdhins before Fajr -They say: We are being cautious.
We say: Are you being more cautious than Allah was cautious for His servants?! Allah says: [al-Baqarah:187] So it is necessary that Fajr becomes clear.
Even the Qur'anic expression did not say: Until Fajr appears,Rather He said: [al-Baqarah:187] So you, when you called the adhan, prevented Allah's servants from eating and drinking at this moment, which means you have forbidden people what Allah has permitted for them, so you will bear sin from this aspect as well, even if it is assumed that the people waited and did not pray, you will bear sin from the fact that you prevented Allah's servants from what Allah has made lawful for them.
So ignorance is a deadly disease, and some people are ignorant and look with the eye of a one-eyed person, seeing only from one side, while the other side is neglected, and this is a great error. Therefore, it is obligatory for students of knowledge to alert people to this matter, especially the mu'adhdhins,And they say: Fear Allah regarding Allah's servants! How do you call the adhan before Fajr and prevent Allah's servants from what Allah has made lawful for them? Perhaps a person has just woken up, thirsty and wanting to drink, but due to his scrupulousness and mindfulness of Allah, when he heard the mu'adhdhin, he held back, and the mu'adhdhin is calling the adhan before Fajr, thinking that this is the most cautious, so he deprives this poor man of a drink of water. So the most cautious thing is not to follow the stricter; rather, the true precaution is to follow what the Shari'ah has brought.
And when I mentioned to them that this is not permissible, they said: There is nothing wrong with that, so what is the ruling on these past days?
The phrase "there is nothing wrong with that" is not a valid proof,But if they said: if the Fajr had not yet appeared, there would have been a valid reason, such as if they were in the desert and there were no lights around them,And they said: we did not see the appearance of Fajr; because some people nowadays doubt the calendar that is in people's hands,They say: that it is earlier than the appearance of Fajr,And they say: we went out to the desert and there were no lights around us, and we saw Fajr being delayed,Until some of them exaggerated and said: delayed by a third of an hour.
But it appears that this is an exaggeration that is not correct, and what we see is that the calendar that is in people's hands now - which is the Umm al-Qura calendar - advances Fajr by five minutes specifically, meaning if you eat while the adhan is being called according to the calendar, there is no harm, unless the mu'adhdhin is being cautious and delaying. Some mu'adhdhins, may Allah reward them with good, are cautious and do not call the adhan until five minutes after the current timing. This is a serious matter, and some ignorant mu'adhdhins advance the Fajr adhan, thinking that this is more cautious for fasting, but they forget that they are neglecting what is more severe than fasting! And that is the Fajr prayer. Perhaps a person prays before the time, and if a person prays before the time, even with the opening takbir, his prayer is not valid.
Then they - I mean these mu'adhdhins before Fajr -They say: We are being cautious.
We say: Are you being more cautious than Allah was cautious for His servants?! Allah says:
Until it becomes clear to you
حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُEven the Qur'anic expression did not say: Until Fajr appears,Rather He said:
Until it becomes clear
حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَSo ignorance is a deadly disease, and some people are ignorant and look with the eye of a one-eyed person, seeing only from one side, while the other side is neglected, and this is a great error. Therefore, it is obligatory for students of knowledge to alert people to this matter, especially the mu'adhdhins,And they say: Fear Allah regarding Allah's servants! How do you call the adhan before Fajr and prevent Allah's servants from what Allah has made lawful for them? Perhaps a person has just woken up, thirsty and wanting to drink, but due to his scrupulousness and mindfulness of Allah, when he heard the mu'adhdhin, he held back, and the mu'adhdhin is calling the adhan before Fajr, thinking that this is the most cautious, so he deprives this poor man of a drink of water. So the most cautious thing is not to follow the stricter; rather, the true precaution is to follow what the Shari'ah has brought.