Suhoor

Suhoor (also spelled Suhur or Sehri) is the pre-dawn meal consumed by Muslims before beginning their daily fast during the month of Ramadan. This highly recommended practice (Sunnah Mu'akkadah) is based on the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) emphatic instruction: "Partake of Suhoor, for indeed in Suhoor there is blessing (Barakah)" (Bukhari and Muslim). The time for Suhoor ends at the break of true dawn (Fajr al-Sadiq), after which the fast commences until sunset. The Prophet encouraged delaying Suhoor as close to Fajr as possible while still completing the meal before the prayer time enters, as his companion Zayd ibn Thabit reported that the time between their Suhoor and the Fajr prayer was approximately fifty verses (Bukhari). Even a small amount of food or a sip of water qualifies as Suhoor, as the Prophet said: "The Suhoor is blessed, so do not neglect it even if one of you only drinks a sip of water" (Ahmad). The blessings of Suhoor include physical sustenance for the day's fast, spiritual reward for following the Sunnah, the opportunity for pre-dawn prayer and supplication during the last third of the night, and distinction from other fasting traditions. In many Muslim cultures, families wake together for Suhoor, strengthening family bonds and creating a sense of communal worship.