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Sihori and Iftar — The Blessed Meals and Adab of Fasting

السحور والإفطار وآداب الصوم
4 min read · 654 words

A practical Dawoodi Bohra guide to the two meals that frame the fast: sihori, the pre-dawn meal eaten before the time of Fajr, and iftar, the breaking of the fast at sunset with the Maghrib adhan. Eating sihori is a stressed sunnah and a barakat — even a sip of water counts — so rise, take it late, and form your niyyat for the fast. Hasten iftar the moment Maghrib enters; do not delay it. The Prophet broke his fast on simple things such as dates and water, so begin with something sweet and light, recite the dua of iftar with gratitude, then pray Maghrib in its proper sitting. The guide covers recommended foods, the adab of moderation and thankfulness, and the iftar supplication, and reminds the reader to follow the community Mansak. The app shows your local sihori and namaz times so you know exactly when each window opens and closes.

Sihori — The Blessed Pre-Dawn Meal

Sihori (suhoor) is the meal taken in the last part of the night, before the break of dawn (Fajr), to strengthen the body for the day’s fast. Taking it is a stressed sunnah and a source of barakat (blessing); the believer is encouraged not to skip it, even when appetite is low. The intention behind it is to draw strength for worship and obedience, so the meal itself becomes part of the act of fasting.

Practical points for sihori:

  1. Rise in the blessed last third of the night. It is recommended to delay sihori toward the end of its window rather than eat very early — but stop in good time, before the dawn (Fajr) time arrives.
  2. Even a little suffices to gain the sunnah. If you cannot eat, take at least a sip of water; the barakat is in the rising and the intention, not only the quantity.
  3. Form your niyyat (intention) to fast. The fast of Ramadan and other obligatory fasts requires the intention to be settled for the day; sihori is the natural time to renew it.
  4. When the time of Fajr enters, stop eating and drinking and turn to the Fajr namaz, the first of the three Bohra sittings.

The app’s sihori and namaz times tell you precisely when the sihori window closes so you can finish with calm and certainty.

Iftar — Hastening the Breaking of the Fast

When the sun sets and the time of Maghrib enters, the fast is broken. It is a stressed sunnah to hasten iftar — to break the fast promptly at sunset rather than delay it. There is goodness and reward in being among those quick to open their fast at its proper moment.

How to break the fast well:

  1. Wait for confirmed sunset / the Maghrib adhan. Do not break early; the app marks the Maghrib time for your location.
  2. Begin with something simple and sweet. Following the Prophet’s practice, dates and water are the classic choice; if dates are unavailable, water alone is excellent. Start light before any heavy meal.
  3. Recite the dua of iftar with a grateful heart. A well-known supplication is: Allahumma laka sumtu wa ‘ala rizqika aftartu — “O Allah, for You I fasted and with Your provision I break my fast.” Confirm the exact wording your community recites from the Mansak.
  4. Pray Maghrib in its sitting (Maghribain). Many prefer to break the fast lightly, offer the namaz, and then take the fuller meal afterwards.
  5. Eat with moderation and thankfulness. Overeating after a day of restraint undoes the discipline of the fast; gratitude (shukr) for the rizq completes the worship.

Recommended foods lean toward the wholesome and easily digested — dates, fruit, water, milk, and light dishes — avoiding excess. The spirit of iftar is gratitude, generosity, and feeding others, especially sharing one’s table with family and the needy.

Adab, Gratitude, and Following the Mansak

The two meals are not merely about food; they frame a day of devotion. Sihori begins it with intention and strength, and iftar closes it with gratitude. Through both, observe restraint, remember Allah, give thanks for the provision (rizq) He grants, and share with others. The Quran ties fasting to gratitude: “…that you may complete the period and glorify Allah for having guided you, and that you may be thankful” (2:185).

These details — the exact sihori cut-off, the precise iftar dua, recommended foods, and the manner of combining the meal with Maghrib — follow the established practice of the community. This guide is a study aid only; the authoritative method is the community Mansak. Please confirm the specifics with your aamil saheb and follow the Mansak for your jamaat. Use the app’s sihori and namaz times to keep your fast accurate from its first sip to its breaking.

See also: What Breaks The Fast, Niyyat For Fasting, Ramadan Guide, Daily Salat Times Explained

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