Desirability of Sahur in the Month of Ramadan

Here are two authentic ḥadīth, one Ḥasan (Good) and the other Muwaththaq (Reliable), which discusses the extreme desirability to do saḥūr (eating before Fajr) for month of Ramaḍān, and the desirability to do saḥūr for voluntary fasts as well.

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ السَّحُورِ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ الصَّوْمَ أَ وَاجِبٌ هُوَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِأَنْ لَا يَتَسَحَّرَ إِنْ شَاءَ وَ أَمَّا فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ فَإِنَّهُ أَفْضَلُ أَنْ يَتَسَحَّرَ نُحِبُّ أَنْ لَا يُتْرَكَ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ

From Abī Baṣīr from Abī `Abd Allāh said, I asked him (عليه السلام) about suḥūr for one who wants to fast, is it wājib upon him?’ So he (عليه السلام) said: ‘There is no problem if he does not do saḥūr if he wants, but as for in the month of Ramaḍān, it is better (afḍal) that he does saḥūr. We love to not abandon it in the month of Ramaḍān’[1]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ زُرْعَةَ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ السَّحُورِ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ الصَّوْمَ فَقَالَ أَمَّا فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ فَإِنَّ الْفَضْلَ فِي السَّحُورِ وَ لَوْ بِشَرْبَةٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ وَ أَمَّا فِي التَّطَوُّعِ فَمَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَتَسَحَّرَ فَلْيَفْعَلْ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ فَلَا بَأْسَ

From Samā`ah said, ‘I asked him (عليه السلام) about suḥūr for one who wants to fast’ So he (عليه السلام) said: ‘As for in the month of Ramaḍān it is better to do sahūr, even if it is a sip of water. And as for in voluntary (fasts) whoever I love does saḥūr, and whoever does not, then there is no problem’[2] 

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[1] al-Kulaynī, al-Kāfī, vol. 4, pg. 94, ḥadīth # 1; al-Majlisī said this ḥadīth is Ḥasan (Good) (See: al-Majlisī, Mir’āt al-`Uqūl, vol. 16, pg. 259)

[2] al-Kulaynī, al-Kāfī, vol. 4, pg. 94, ḥadīth # 2; al-Majlisī said this ḥadīth is Muwaththaq (Reliable) (See: al-Majlisī, Mir’āt al-`Uqūl, vol. 16, pg. 260)

Bibliography

al-Kulaynī. al-Kāfī. Ed. `Alī Akbar al-Ghaffārī. 3rd. 8 vols. Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyyah, 1388.

al-Majlisī. Mir’āt Al-`Uqūl. 26 vols. Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyyah, 1410.