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What Is the Right Time to Break the Fast?


Hanafi Fiqh

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question: Assalam alaykum,

The mosques in my city seem to call the adhan 3-5 minutes after the time is in (both by calculation and my own careful observation).

What is the right time to break the fast?

Answer: Walaikum assalam,

I pray this finds you in the best of health and spirits.

The fast time is over once Maghrib comes in. It is sunna to hasten to break the fast after Maghrib time is in.

The Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace & blessings be upon him & his folk) said, “My Community will remain upon good as long as they hasten to break their fast.” [Agreed upon]

Ibn Hajar explains, in his commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari that this is because

(1) it is a sign of following the Prophetic example (sunna); and

(2) it precludes the excessiveness that led other religious traditions away from Divine Guidance.

Please find related answers in the SeekersHub Answers.

And Allah is the giver of success and facilitation.

Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a scholar and researcher of Islamic law and translator of several Arabic works to the English language. After ten years overseas, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in the Summer of 2007. In May 2008 he founded SeekersGuidance to deal with the urgent need to spread Islamic knowledge—both online and on the ground—in a reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible manner.

Photo: fairuz othman