Chapter on Merit of the Pre-Dawn Meal (Suhur) and What It Is Recommended That the Breaking of the Fast Be upon

Ali ibn al-Hasan, from al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Yusuf, from Muadh ibn Thabit Abu al-Hasan, from Amr ibn Jumay, from Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, from his father عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said: Imam عليه السلام said: “The Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family, said: ‘Take the pre-dawn meal, even with mouthfuls of water. Indeed, the blessings of Allah سبحانه وتعالى are upon those who take the pre-dawn meal (al-suhur).’”

And from him, from Yaqub ibn Yazid, from Muhammad ibn Abi Umayr, from Hafs ibn al-Bakhtari, from Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him: Imam عليه السلام said: “The best of your pre-dawn (al-suhur) meals is al-sawiq and dates.”

Muhammad ibn Yaqub, from Ali ibn Ibrahim, from his father, from al-Nawfali, from al-Sakuni, from Imam Jafar al-Sadiq عليه السلام, from his fathers عليه السلام, peace be upon them, who said: Imam عليه السلام said: “The Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family, said: ‘The pre-dawn meal (al-suhur) is a blessing.’” Imam عليه السلام said: “The Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family, said: ‘My community must not abandon the pre-dawn meal (al-suhur), even if only upon a poor-quality dried date (hashafah).”

Ali ibn al-Hasan, from al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Yusuf, from Abd al-Salam ibn Salim, from Sayf ibn Amirah, from Amr ibn Shimr, from Jabir, who said: I (narrator) heard Abu Ja’far عليه السلام, peace be upon him, saying: “The Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family, would break the fast upon the two black things.” I (narrator) asked: “May Allah سبحانه وتعالى have mercy on you, and what are the two black things?” Imam عليه السلام said: “Dates and water, and raisins and water, and He صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم would take the pre-dawn meal (al-suhur) with them both.”

Ali ibn al-Hasan, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Najran, from Hammad ibn Isa, from Hariz, from Zurarah and Fudayl, from Abu Ja’far عليه السلام, peace be upon him: Imam عليه السلام said: “In (month of) Ramadan, you pray (salah) and then break the fast, unless you are with people who are waiting for the breaking of the fast. If you are with the people, then do not oppose them; break the fast, then pray. Otherwise, begin with the prayer (and then break the fast).” I (narrator) asked: “And why is that?” Imam عليه السلام said: “Because two obligations have come upon you; breaking the fast and prayer. So begin with the better of the two, and the better of the two is prayer.” Then Imam عليه السلام said: “That you pray while you are fasting, so that prayer of yours is written and you seal it with fasting, is more beloved to me (the Imams عليه السلام).”

Sa’ad ibn Abdullah, from Abu Abdullah, from Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Razi, from al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Hamzah, from Rifaah ibn Musa, from Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, from his father عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said: Imam عليه السلام said: “The Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family, said, ‘Assist one another, by eating the pre-dawn meal (al-suhur), in fasting the day, and by sleeping at the midday nap (al-qaylulah), in standing during the night.’”

Al-Husayn ibn Said, from Ibn Sinan, from a man, from Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him: Imam عليه السلام said: “Breaking the fast upon water washes away the sins of the heart.”

And from him, from some of our companions, raising it, from Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him: Imam عليه السلام said: “If the people were to take the pre-dawn meal (al-suhur) and not break their fast upon water, by Allah سبحانه وتعالى, they would not be able to fast perpetually.”

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa, from Muhammad ibn Yahya, from Ghiyath ibn Ibrahim, from Jafar, from his father: Imam عليه السلام said: “That Imam Ali عليه السلام, peace be upon him, used to like breaking the fast upon milk.”

Ali ibn al-Hasan, from Muhammad and Ahmad, the two sons of al-Hasan, from their father, from Abdullah ibn Bukayr, from some of our companions, from Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him: Imam عليه السلام said: “It is recommended for the fasting person, if he is able to do that, to pray (salah) before he breaks the fast.”