Delaying the Pre-Dawn Meal
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Among the etiquettes of fasting: One should pay attention to the etiquettes that came from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). Among them is eating the pre-dawn meal, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: “Eat the pre-dawn meal, for there is a blessing in the pre-dawn meal.” This is a command, and it explains the wisdom. “Eat the pre-dawn meal” is a command, and “for there is a blessing in the pre-dawn meal” is an explanation of the wisdom behind this command to eat the pre-dawn meal.
Among the blessings of this pre-dawn meal: First: It involves obeying the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). There is no doubt that obeying the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is good and a blessing.Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: [Al-Imran: 31] These are the blessings.
Second: One of the blessings of this pre-dawn meal is that it distinguishes us from the fasting of the People of the Book, for the People of the Book do not eat the pre-dawn meal. They eat food before the middle of the night and begin their fast from the middle of the night to the middle of the day. But the Muslims eat the pre-dawn meal at the end of the night.
Third: One of its blessings is that it nourishes the body throughout the day and helps one to be patient in abstaining from food and drink, even in the long, hot days of summer. Whereas a person who is not fasting is found drinking five or six times a day and eating twice, but this pre-dawn meal has a blessing in it from Allah, so the body can endure.
Fourth: One of the blessings of the pre-dawn meal is that it is an aid in obeying Allah, meaning in fasting. And whatever is an aid in obeying Allah is good and a blessing. The most important thing now that I want us to do is: when the pre-dawn meal is presented to you, be aware now, when you eat, that you are obeying the command of the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him). It is not just eating in order to strengthen yourself for the fast.
Second: Be aware that you are emulating him; for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) used to eat the pre-dawn meal and then stand up for prayer. Between his pre-dawn meal and the prayer was the length of fifty verses.Meaning: He (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) delayed the pre-dawn meal. Be aware of this, my brother, so that your eating becomes an act of worship.
Also: Be aware of another matter, which is that by this you differ from the People of the Book. They are fasting at this time, for they fast from the middle of the night, whereas you are eating now. This is a difference from them, for differing from the People of the Book is pleasing to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). They are the enemies of Allah, so differing from them is pleasing to Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He), and conforming to them is feared to bring down wrath upon the person. For this reason, 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade entering the churches when the Christians are worshipping in them, and he said: “I fear that the wrath will descend upon you.”
Among the blessings of this pre-dawn meal: First: It involves obeying the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). There is no doubt that obeying the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is good and a blessing.Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said:
Say, [O Muhammad], "If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins
قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْSecond: One of the blessings of this pre-dawn meal is that it distinguishes us from the fasting of the People of the Book, for the People of the Book do not eat the pre-dawn meal. They eat food before the middle of the night and begin their fast from the middle of the night to the middle of the day. But the Muslims eat the pre-dawn meal at the end of the night.
Third: One of its blessings is that it nourishes the body throughout the day and helps one to be patient in abstaining from food and drink, even in the long, hot days of summer. Whereas a person who is not fasting is found drinking five or six times a day and eating twice, but this pre-dawn meal has a blessing in it from Allah, so the body can endure.
Fourth: One of the blessings of the pre-dawn meal is that it is an aid in obeying Allah, meaning in fasting. And whatever is an aid in obeying Allah is good and a blessing. The most important thing now that I want us to do is: when the pre-dawn meal is presented to you, be aware now, when you eat, that you are obeying the command of the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him). It is not just eating in order to strengthen yourself for the fast.
Second: Be aware that you are emulating him; for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) used to eat the pre-dawn meal and then stand up for prayer. Between his pre-dawn meal and the prayer was the length of fifty verses.Meaning: He (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) delayed the pre-dawn meal. Be aware of this, my brother, so that your eating becomes an act of worship.
Also: Be aware of another matter, which is that by this you differ from the People of the Book. They are fasting at this time, for they fast from the middle of the night, whereas you are eating now. This is a difference from them, for differing from the People of the Book is pleasing to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). They are the enemies of Allah, so differing from them is pleasing to Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He), and conforming to them is feared to bring down wrath upon the person. For this reason, 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade entering the churches when the Christians are worshipping in them, and he said: “I fear that the wrath will descend upon you.”