We were with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on a journey, and when the sun set, he said to a man, "Get down and
prepare a drink of Sawiq for me." The man said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Will you wait till it is evening?"
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) again said, "Get down and prepare a drink of Sawiq." The man said, "O Allah's
Apostle! Will you wait till it is evening, for it is still daytime. " The Prophet (ﷺ) again said, "Get down
and prepare a drink of Sawiq." So the third time the man got down and prepared a drink of sawiq for
him. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) drank thereof and pointed with his hand towards the East, saying, "When you see
the night falling from this side, then a fasting person should break his fast."
Narrated by Narrated `Abdullah bin Abi A'ufa:
Context
In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is traveling with his companions when he instructs one of them to prepare a drink as the sun sets. Despite the companion's hesitation about the timing, the Prophet (ﷺ) insists, demonstrating the importance of breaking the fast promptly at sunset. He also teaches that the onset of night signifies the end of fasting for the day.
Modern Application
This teaching is particularly relevant during Ramadan, as it reminds Muslims to break their fast as soon as the sun sets. In daily life, it encourages mindfulness about prayer and meal times, fostering a routine that aligns with spiritual practices.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Fasting and Drinking Etiquette because it emphasizes the importance of breaking the fast at the correct time and the proper manner of consuming food and drink.
Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur'an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed.
So when they had passed beyond it, [Moses] said to his boy, "Bring us our morning meal. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, [much] fatigue."
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.
