Thus, the noble verse pinpoints exactly when the daily fast begins and ends: it starts with the break of the second dawn and finishes at sunset. By permitting eating and drinking up to daybreak, Allah indicates the desirability of the pre-dawn meal (suhur).

In the two Sahih collections it is narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Take suhur, for suhur contains blessing.”

Many other reports likewise encourage the pre-dawn meal, even if it is only a sip of water; and it is recommended to delay it until the moment the first light of dawn bursts forth.

If someone wakes up in a state of major ritual impurity, or if a menstruating woman becomes pure before dawn, they should go ahead and take suhur, commence the fast, and postpone the full bath (ghusl) until after daybreak.

Some people, however, stay awake most of the night, take suhur very early, and then sleep several hours before dawn. In doing so they fall into several errors:

1. They begin fasting before its prescribed time.
2. They miss the congregational Fajr prayer, thereby disobeying Allah by neglecting what He has made obligatory.
3. They may even delay the Fajr prayer past its time and perform it only after sunrise—an even graver offense and a more serious sin. Allah the Exalted says: “So woe to those who pray, yet are heedless of their prayer” (Qur’an 107:4–5).