Imsaak?

[Endure Whisper]

As far as I know, we start fasting at Adhan Fajir (Fajir prayers) and stop at Adhan Magrib (Magrib prayers). However, my mother in law insists that the fasting begins at Imsaak (10 minutes before Fajir prayers), so she gets all worried about me eating/drinking after Imsaak.

I know that Imsaak is a border line. It's the time where you should start being cautious because it will Adhan soon. But I don't think it's haraam to eat/drink between Imsaak and Adhan Fajir. Actually I only drink water at that time, you know the last few sips before you start fasting..

Can anyone confirm whether Imsaak is the time we must stop eating/drinking or is it just there to be careful?

[NiGhTFaCe]

To put yourself on the safe side, you try to stop having anything before the Imsak time.

[UmKhalid]

Well since I go by Sunni teachings, and Sunni teachings consider Imsaak Bid'aa... I never went by Imsaak.

But at the same time, the Ibadhi sect considers Imsaak. Which makes sense, as the Ibadhi sect is always on the safe side.

We go by hadeeths like this one : لا تزال أمتي بخير ما أخروا السحور وعجلوا الإفطار

I found it hard to translate, maybe: My Ummah will remain well whilst it ends the Suhoor later, and has the Futoor earlier. (Muslim and Bukhari)


Also another hadeeth which I'll have to look for, but this is what it means:

A man asks the Prophet :PBUH: when he should stop eating Suhoor. The Prophet :PBUH: mentions that there are two men who recited the Fajr Athan: Ibn Maktoom, and Bilal (May God be pleased with them) ... and the Prophet advises him to go with Bilal's athan, because Bilal recites it a little later.

I'm sure my Ibadhi brothers could provide you other sources explaining why Imsaak is considered in the Ibadhi sect. So you could get a better idea about all the teachings regarding this matter.

[UmKhalid]

I made a mistake in the names. Ibn Maktoom is the one who recites the Athan later, Bilal recites it earlier.

So the hadeeth is:

: «إن بلالا يؤذن بليل فكلوا واشربوا حتى تسمعوا أذان ابن مكتوم فإنه لايؤذن حتى يطلع الفجر»

"Bilal recites the Athan when it is still dark (night), so eat and drink until you hear Ibn Maktoom's recitation. For he does not recite it until the break of Dawn"

[Evana]

Ok, there you go: http://www.maraoman.net/im.jpg

[Amjad]

Didn't the prophet PBUH use to eat until Fajer Athan (call of prayer) comes?

Then where did this Imsak thing come from?

Personally, Imsak is Fajr Athan to me. The time Fajr Athan is performed, is the time that I'm supposed to start my fasting. And the time Maghrib Athan is performed, is the time that I'm supposed to break my fasting. It's very simple I guess.

[NiGhTFaCe]

Evana, she didn't ask for the timetable, her question is clear up there :bored:


Anyways, to make the point more clear, if you notice the Imsak time is like ten minutes before the athan & always been like this. This period is just put yourself on the safe side as I stated earlier. Myself even if the Imsak didn't exist, I would have gave myself a time before the athan.

[UmKhalid]

Personally, Imsak is Fajr Athan to me. The time Fajr Athan is performed, is the time that I'm supposed to start my fasting. And the time Maghrib Athan is performed, is the time that I'm supposed to break my fasting. It's very simple I guess.

Yep!

Because the 'Athan' at the end is but an announcement of 'Dukhool el Waqt'.

Dukhool el Waqt means: The entering of the time of prayer.

---

There are even Sunnis who decide to stop eating some time before the Athan, but they do not have the right to claim that this is a Religious Must. To them, it's just a personal preference.

[Endure Whisper]

Ok, there you go: http://www.maraoman.net/im.jpg


Evana, she didn't ask for the timetable, her question is clear up there :bored:



Exactly... :)

[Evana]

Evana, she didn't ask for the timetable, her question is clear up there :bored:


NiGhTFaCe, I havent notice that until now. :shy:

Anyway, imsaak time is the fajer athan time to me as well.

[sameerb1]

me and some of friends were discussing the same imsak issue the night of ramadhan as i am the only sunni between all ibadhi's in the group in desert...and everyone stopped eating while i was eating and one other man started eating with me which was after imask...
i asked isnt it against his sect to do that...he replied its better to stop at imsak time but not a must to do thing...and then a mutawa who sits with us also said the same thing...

so i guess...its not haram...the concept is just misunderstood
imsak is there just to be on the safe side i guess

[FAITH86]

I think scholars made up the whole Imsak thing to be on the safe side.

In other words, you can't be sure if Athan Fajer timing is accurate so you better stop eating 10 minutes before the athan.

[MissKindy]

I drink water at 3:54 :rolleyes: i stop eating or drinking after that timing to stay on the safe side :)

[MoZeS]

Imsak makes alot of sense!

what if you were eating and just swollowed your last bite right after the athan started? your whole fast is Ba6il (unaccepted); because its on purpose! so be on the safe side anyway whether you think its a bid'a or a musta7ab; maybe you can read a page of the quran a few minutes before athan; we arent so desperate to eat, are we? :P


even if the Imsak didn't exist, I would have gave myself a time before the athan.

*same here*

[Endure Whisper]

^3:54 is too early! Adhan Al Fajar is at 4:30!!

[FAITH86]

4:15 is more reasonable

[toxic_honey]

sorry i eat when the athan is so near! when the athan is at 4:30 i stop eating at 4:28 , two mins to brush my teeth -_-


and i check when its athan everyday

call 1443 :)

[HITMAN]

You can stop eating at Imsaak or at the call for morning prayers, both ways you are right

Don't get obsessed with such trivial matters like when to stop eating, should fold my hands or leave them aside, say Ameen after Imam recites Faateha et al

[clouds]

me personally I follow the Quran on Imsak:

Allaah Says (what means): "Eat and drink until you can distinguish between the white line and black line from dawn." [Quran; 2:187] The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "Bilal calls for salah at night. Eat and drink until Ibn Um Maktoom calls." Ibn Um Maktoom, may Allaah be pleased with him, was a blind man who did not call for prayer until he was told it is time.

surely the companion of thge Prophet pbuh "the Sahaba" stick to the literal meaning of the Quran, so someone will tell the blind man Ibn Maktoom dawn time is due based on the Quranic verse above.

so what I actually do I hang two lines on my window one is black and the other is white and when I can distinguish between them "colour wise" I will stop eating and drinking and my Imsak starts.

[BrAiKi]

I follow the Imsaak most of the time, just to be on the safe side. I wouldn't follow it if I woke up right before fajer prayer, I'd ignore it and eat n drink until I hear the call for fajer prayer!

[BrAiKi]

I believe Imsaak is good as a precaution thing, but people should not think of it as a MUST, because it is not.

[Lym]

In Oman, I follow the Imsaak rule, abroad I don't, only because my timetable here specifically says that one should stop eating during the Fajr prayer and break the fast during the Maghrib prayer.

I don't think it is a must, just a precaution.

This Ramadan, I stop drinking water like 2 minutes before the adhan. That is enough safe guard for me.