Chapter on the Time When Eating and Drinking Become Forbidden for the Fasting Person and the Morning Prayer Becomes Permissible

"I asked Abu Abdullah (as), 'When does food become forbidden for the fasting person, and when does the time for the Fajr prayer begin?' Imam (as) said to me: 'When the dawn spreads and appears like a white cloth, at that point food becomes forbidden for the fasting person, and the time for the Fajr prayer begins.' I said: 'Aren't we still within the time until the sun's rays appear?' Imam (as) said: 'Far from it! Where are you going with this? That is the prayer of children!'"

"This verse was revealed about Khawwat ibn Jubayr al-Ansari. He was with the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) during the Battle of the Trench while fasting. Before this verse was revealed, if anyone slept at night, food became forbidden for them. Khawwat came to his family at night and asked: 'Do you have any food?' They said: 'Do not sleep until we prepare food for you.' He reclined and fell asleep. When they told him: 'You have already slept,' he replied, 'Yes, I did.' He remained in that state, fasting until the next day, and went to the trench, where he started to faint. The Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family) passed by him, and when he saw his condition, he asked about his situation. Khawwat then explained what had happened. Then Allah (swt), the Exalted, revealed: 'And eat and drink until the white thread becomes distinct to you from the black thread of dawn.'" (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:187).

Hadith.1936 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) was asked about the verse: "The white thread becomes distinct from the black thread of dawn" (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:187). Imam (as) said: "It is the whiteness of the day separating from the darkness of the night."

Hadith.1937 - In another narration, Imam (as) said: "It is the dawn about which there is no doubt."

Hadith.1938 - Sama'ah ibn Mihran asked Imam (as) about two men who rose to check for dawn. One of them said, "There it is," while the other said, "I do not see anything." Imam (as) said: "The one who does not see the dawn clearly may eat and drink because Allah (swt), the Exalted, says: 'And eat and drink until the white thread becomes distinct to you from the black thread of dawn; then complete the fast until the night' (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:187)." Sama'ah also asked him about a man who ate and drank after dawn had risen in the Month of Ramadan. Imam (as) said: "If he rose, looked, and did not see the dawn, then ate, and afterward checked again and saw the dawn, he should complete his fast, and there is no need for him to make it up. But if he rose, ate and drank without looking, and then saw that the dawn had already risen, he must complete his fast for that day and also make up another day, because he began eating without checking first, so making up the fast is obligatory upon him."

"I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about a man who, during the Month of Ramadan, went out while his companions were taking suhoor (pre-dawn meal) in a house. He saw the dawn and called out to them, saying that the dawn had risen. Some of them stopped eating, while others thought he was joking and continued to eat. Imam (as) said: 'They must complete their fast and make up another day.'"

"I asked Abu Abdullah (as): 'I instruct a servant girl to check for the dawn, and she tells me that it has not risen yet, so I eat. Then I check and find that it had actually risen when she looked.' Imam (as) said: 'Make up that day. However, if you had been the one to check and it happened, there would be nothing upon you.'"