Praise be to Allaah.
There are many Sunnahs of fasting, including the following:
1 – It is Sunnah if
someone insults you to respond in a better manner and say, “I am fasting,”
because of the report narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah
(may Allaah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fasting is a paradise so there
should be no obscene or offensive talk or behaviour. If a person fights him
or insults him, let him say, ‘I am fasting,’ twice. By the One in Whose hand
is my soul, the smell coming from the mouth of the fasting person is better
before Allaah then the fragrance of musk. [Allaah says:] ‘He gives up his
food, drink and desire for My sake. Fasting is for Me and I will reward for
it, and a good deed receives the reward of ten like it.’” Al-Bukhaari, no.
1894; Muslim, 1151.
2 – It is Sunnah for the fasting person to eat suhoor,
because it was proven in al-Saheehayn that Anas ibn Maalik (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Eat suhoor for in suhoor
there is blessing.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1923; Muslim, 1059).
3 – It is Sunnah to delay
suhoor because of the report narrated by al-Bukhaari from Anas from Zayd ibn
Thaabit (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “We ate suhoor with the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then
he got up to pray.” I said: “How much time was there between the adhaan and
suhoor?” He said: “The time it takes to recite fifty verses.” (Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 1921).
4 – It is Sunnah to hasten to break the fast because the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The people
will continue to be fine so long as they hasten to break the fast.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1957; Muslim, 1098). See also question no.
49716)
5 – It is Sunnah to break the fast with fresh dates; if none
are available then with dry dates; if none are available then with water –
because of the hadeeth of Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said:
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
used to break his fast with fresh dates before praying; if there were no
(fresh dates) then with dry dates, and if there were no (dried dates) then
he would take a few sips of water.
(Nararted by Abu Dawood, no. 2356; al-Tirmidhi, 696; classed
as hasan in al-Irwa’, 4/45)
6 – It is Sunnah when
breaking the fast to say what is narrated in the hadeeth, which is to say
Bismillaah. This is obligatory according to the correct view because the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined that. The
words “Allaahumma laka sumtu wa ‘ala rizqika aftartu, Allaahumma taqabbal
minni, innaka antaal-samee’ al-‘aleem (O Allaah, for You I have fasted and
with Your provision I have broken my fast, O Allaah accept (this fast) from
me for You are the All-Hearing, All-Knowing) are da’eef (weak), as stated by
Ibn al-Qayyim (Zaad al-Ma’aad, 2/51). There is also another report:
“Dhahaba al-‘zama’ wa abtallat al-‘urooq wa thabata al-ajr in sha Allaah
(the thirst is gone, the veins have been moistened and the reward is
assured, if Allaah wills).” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2357; al-Bayhaqi,
4/239; classed as hasan in al-Irwa’, 4/39).
There are ahaadeeth which
speak of the virtue of the du’aa’ of the fasting person, such as the
following:
(i)
It was narrated from Anas (may
Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Three prayers are not rejected: the prayer of a
father, the prayer of a fasting person, and the prayer of a traveler.”
Narrated by al-Bayhaqi, 3/345; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
al-Saheeh 1797.
(ii)
It was narrated from Abu
Umaamah in a marfoo’ report: “Every time the fast is broken Allaah has
people whom He ransoms.” Narrated by Ahmad, 21698; classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/491.
(iii)
It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed
al-Khudri in a marfoo’ report: “Allaah ransoms people every day and night –
i.e., in Ramadaan – and every day and night the Muslim has a prayer that is
answered.” Narrated by al-Bazzaar; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/491.
See also questions no.
37745,
37720,
13999,
14103.