CCN. Sahur is one of the sunnah practices that is highly recommended to do when you want to fast in the month of Ramadan. Not only in obligatory fasts such as Ramadan and vows, even in sunnah fasting, but the emphasis is also on doing it.
وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالْأَسْحَارِ
“And those who ask forgiveness at dawn.” [QS. Ali Imran: 17]
تَسَحَّرُوْا فَإِنَّ فِي السَّحُوْرِ بَرَكَةً
“Be happy all of you, because actually in the meal there is a blessing” [HR. Bukhari & Muslim]
السُّحُورُ أَكْلَةٌ بَرَكَةٌ فَلَا تَدَعُوهُ وَلَوْ أَنْ يَجْرَعَ أَحَدُكُمْ جَرْعَةً مِنْ مَاءٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى الْمُتَسَحِّرِينَ
Sahur is a blessed meal, so don’t miss it even if one of you just sips a sip of water, because Allah and the angels pray for those who are having breakfast.[HR. Ahmad]
The Priority of Eating Sahur
Daqiqil Id Rahimahullah mentioned that the blessing in eating sahur covers the goodness of ukhrawiyah and dunyawiyyah issues, in the form of carrying out the sunnah of Rasulullah SAW which is rewarded for those who do it and gives physical strength when going too fast.
Ibnu Nawawi even details the good that will be obtained if you eat the pre-dawn meal, this explanation is viewed from various sides, as in his expression: “The blessings in the pre-dawn meal can be seen from: the strength of the body when fasting, motivated to be diligent in worship, motivated to increase practice fasting, motivated to dhikr and pray at a noble time, motivated to forgive sins, motivated to pray at night until motivated to keep oneself busy with other worship (such as reading the Qur’an) until dawn.” [Syarh Sahih Muslim]
- Sahur opens the door of almsgiving for those who need food, it can also be a means for eating in a congregation (including the habits of the Prophet SAW).
- Sahur is a reason for prayers & dhikr to be answered, including being used to increase the number of night prayers at dawn.
- Sahur gives strength when carrying out fasting worship
- Sahur adds strength to diligent worship
- Sahur avoids bad behavior due to hunger
- Sahur is included in imitating the sunnah of the Prophet SAW
Tips for Carrying Out Sahur Worship in the Month of Ramadan
To get the perfect pre-dawn reward, it is only fitting that we try to optimize everything related to early dawn. Starting from when we are going to sleep until we wake up from sleep. Some of the things that must be considered are as follows:
- Ending the Sahur Meal, it is advisable to end the Suhoor meal as long as you are not worried about the dawn. As in the hadith of the Prophet SAW: “We ate sahur with Rasulullah SAW, then we stood up to pray.” Anas said, “I said to Zaid, ‘What is the period between the call to prayer and sahur?’ Zaid replied, ‘About 50 verses'” [Muttafaqun ‘alaih] and “Humans will always be in goodness as long as they end the meal and hasten to break their fast.” ” [HR. Ahmad]
- Avoid staying up late, some Muslims sometimes stay up from early to midnight, then neglect to eat sahur. This action is in contrast to the guidance of the Prophet SAW, because sahur is highly recommended and emphasized to be done, even if you only eat and drink in small amounts.
- Food preparation, if you are worried that it will be too late to wake up for sahur, then you should prepare food just before going to bed. These foods can be put in the refrigerator, then warmed up when you wake up from sleep. Among the good foods for sahur in Ramadan are dates, based on the hadith of the Prophet SAW “The most delicious pre-dawn food for a believer is dates” [HR. Abu Dawud and Ibn Hibban]
- Don’t skip sahur, sahur is an important time to fill up with energy before fasting all day. Therefore, don’t skip sahur, and make sure to eat sahur before the imsak time.
- Choose the right food, choose the right food for sahur, such as complex carbohydrates, protein, and fiber which can provide long-lasting energy. Avoid foods that contain lots of sugar and fat, because these foods can speed up gastric emptying and cause hunger more quickly.
- Drink enough water, and make sure to drink enough water at dawn to prevent dehydration during fasting. Drink at least two glasses of water at dawn and avoid drinks that contain caffeine, such as coffee or tea, because caffeine can cause dehydration.
- Don’t eat too much, and don’t eat too much at dawn because it can cause nausea and discomfort during fasting. Choose enough portions to provide energy throughout the day.
- Don’t smoke too much. Avoid smoking too much during sahur because smoking can speed up stomach emptying and cause hunger faster.
- Keep exercising Even though you exercise, keep doing light exercises such as walking or light exercise. Exercise can help increase energy and reduce stress.
- Get enough rest. Be sure to get enough rest after Suhoor, because a lack of sleep can lead to a lack of energy during fasting. We hope these tips will help you carry out your fast smoothly and full of energy during the month of Ramadan.
(translator: Ahdi Z. Amri)
