Etiquette and Sunnah of Fasting

Some aspects are obligatory (waajib) and others are recommended (mustahabb).

We should make sure that we eat and drink something at suhoor, and that we delay it until just before the adhaan of Fajr. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Have suhoor, for in suhoor there is blessing (barakah)." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, 4/139).

"Suhoor is blessed food, and it involves being different from the people of the Book. What a good suhoor for the believer is dates." (Reported by Abu Dawood, no. 2345; Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/448).

Not delaying iftaar, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The people will be fine so long as they do not delay after." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, 4/198).

Breaking one's fast in the manner described in the hadeeth narrated by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to break his fast with fresh dates before praying; if fresh dates were not available, he would eat (dried) dates; if dried dates were not available, he would have a few sips of water." (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 3/79 and others. He said it is a ghareeb hasan hadeeth. Classed as saheeh in al-Irwa', no. 922).

After reciting the words reported in the hadeeth narrated by Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), when he broke his fast, would say: "Dhahaba al-zama', wa'btallat al-'urooq, wa thabat al-ajru in sha Allah (Thirst is gone, veins are flowing again, and the reward is certain, in sha Allah)." (Reported by Abu Dawood, 2/765; its isnaad was classed as hasan by al-Daaraqutni, 2/185).

Keeping away from sin, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "When any of you is fasting, let him not commit sin." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 1904).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"Whoever does not stop speaking falsehood and acting in accordance with it, Allah has no need of him giving up his food and drink." (Al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 1903).

The person who is fasting should avoid all kinds of haraam actions, such as backbiting, obscenity and lies, otherwise his reward may all be lost. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "It may be that a fasting person gets nothing from his fast except hunger." (Reported by Ibn Maajah, 1/539; Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/453).

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