IMSAK

Salam Ramadan to all of you. As we are in Ramadan month, let talk a little bit about fasting. Today I want to write about imsak. So, what is imsak?

Imsak is exactly ten minutes before subuh(dawn). And what is the function of it? Well, the function is to make a gap between the time we stop eating (sahur-pre dawn meal), and the time we start to fast (subuh).

Is it wajib to stop eating before imsak? The answer is exactly NO. There is no such thing as imsak in any of our Prophet’s Sunnah or in Holy Quran. Furthermore, you won’t know about imsak in any other Islamic country other than Malaysia.

The real meaning of imsak is to abstain from eating, drinking, sexual intercourse and other things that invalidate the fast. But most of Malaysian does not know this. All they do know is imsak time which is ten minutes before subuh.

What make it worse is, some of them even think that if we eat pass the imsak time, our fast that day is invalidate. So, let me show you a few dalils to prove that imsak is just a bid’ah.

First, let see surah Al-Baqarah verse 187;

وَكُلُواْ وَاشْرَبُواْ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْر

“And eat and drink until the white thread (fajar shadiq-the start of dawn/subuh) appears to you from the black thread (the end of night) of dawn”.

This verse clearly states that there is no such thing as Imsak before dawn but Allah s.w.t suggested that we eat and drink until subuh (dawn).

Then let see our Prophet says;

"When one of you hears the call (adhan), and in his hand has the balance (the food being eaten), then do not stop until he fills his needs." (Abu Dawud, Al-Hakim, Al-Baihaqi with records valid by Albani).

In another event, our beloved Prophet was allowing Umar to finish his need (eat and drink) after hearing to adhan for second dawn (fajar shadiq).

Even in other event, our Prophet once holds the muadzin from chanted adhan, to give the opportunity for Sahabats to finish up their sahur.

Based on this dalils, the Ulama’(s) have concluded that the time limit for sahur is adhan subuh (NOT imsak!!!).