Can I fast without sehri (suhoor)?

Question

In the month of Ramadan, what should a person who couldn't wake up for suhoor do? Should he continue the fast or should he compensate for it later?

Answer 1

Eating Suhur is Sunnah. Not obligatory. As Prophet Muhammad (Salla-Allahu-Alaihi-Wa-Sallam) Says,

"Eat Suhur (predawn meal). Surely, there is a blessing in Suhur."

^{Source: This hadith from Bukhari and Muslim}

But, Keeping Fast during Ramadan is Obligatory for every Muslim. As described in the Quran and many Ahadith of Prophet (Salla-Allahu-Alaihi-Wa-Sallam).

The Ayat from Quran is

The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days.

^{Source: Sahih International Translation of The Holy Quran}

So, the conclusion is, Even if you missed Suhur, You have to fast. Suhur is not obligatory and it is a Sunnah and Prophet says, there is Barakah (blessings) in Suhur. But, it is not in the per-requisites of Fasting

Hope this will help

Answer 2

All the other answers (correctly) point out that fasting is wajib (obligatory) and suhoor is sunnah (in the sense that it is not obligatory, but recommended). However, more clearly, the reason you still have to fast is because of the conditions of fasting:

1. Being Muslim
2. Being beyond puberty and possessing a sound state of mind
3. Having the ability to complete the fast
4. Not being sick or in a state of travel
5. Not having other impediments to fasting (women in their menses etc.)

As you can see, suhoor is not a condition for fasting - and therefore you are obliged to fast despite missing suhoor. If one of the conditions is broken, only then you are not obliged to fast.

So while the wajib/sunnah distinction is valid, technically it would be that suhoor is not a condition for fasting that gives you the answer to your query. And Allah knows better.

Source for conditions of fasting

Answer 3

You can and you must!

There is no excuse of breaking the fast if you skipped Sehri for one reason or another. Sehri (mid night meal) has it own benefit and is recommended by the prophet but that is not a requirement for fast. All you need to do is make your intentions for fast and offer prayer. The prayer is

'Wa be somi ghadin navaithu min sheri ramadan' meaning

" I have made the intention of obligatory fast for this day of Ramadan for the sole pleasure of Allah Almighty."

Intention for fasting

The time for the intention (Niyyat) for fasting begins anytime after sunset until midday. Intention is obligatory and it is Sunnat to recite it verbally each day. Even if the intention is made before midday the fast will be valid. Recite Durood Shareef before and after making the intention.

So in short sehri is not compulsory for fasting but it is highly recommended. If you skip it which can very well happen, you should still keep the fast.

If you skipped sehri and now it is too hard for you to keep the fast, that is probably another question.

Answer 4

As othe answers mentioned, suhoor is a Sunnah (and a recommened Sunnah), but it's not obligatory, and many people don't take it when the fast-time is short and the eating-time is long, however it's still recommended to take it, as this Hadith mentions:

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Eat Suhur (predawn meal). Surely, there is a blessing in Suhur."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

عن أنس، رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ ‏ "‏تسحروا فإن في السحور بركة‏"‏

متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏

Riyad as-Salihin

So you see that suhoor is a confirmed sunnah, but it's still Sunnah, not obligatory, not taking suhur:

• Neither spoils your fasting: You still can fast if you have the intention.

• Nor give you permissions to eat after fajr (the starting time of fast), as this fasting duration is mentioned in Quran and eating anything within that duration breaks your fast:

أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ الصِّيَامِ الرَّفَثُ إِلَىٰ نِسَائِكُمْ ۚ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ ۗ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنكُمْ ۖ فَالْآنَ بَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَابْتَغُوا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۚ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ۖ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ ۚ وَلَا تُبَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمْ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ ۗ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ آيَاتِهِ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ

Sahih International

It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them. Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset. And do not have relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the mosques. These are the limits [set by] Allah , so do not approach them. Thus does Allah make clear His ordinances to the people that they may become righteous.

[Surat Al-Baqarah:187]

As you see Quran explicitly says that you can eat till fajr time, and after that you'll have to fast until Maghrib.

Hope that's helpful.

Answer 5

Yes. You can be fasting without eating sahari. Having sahari (eating food before Azan of Fajr in order to being with sufficient energy as much as possible during the day before you want to be fasting). In other word, perhaps Islam recommend muslims to eat sahari before fasting, in order to being able to bearing it during the day, otherwise it would be very difficult for everyone in order to bear it without sahari. So it indicates that how much Islam is paying notice to muslim programs. But islam has not pointed it out as a wajib act. Then you can.fast without waking up at the sahari.

Answer 6

Of course you should fast even if you miss suhoor. Kids above 12 years must fast. Anybody younger who couldn't take hunger don't have to fast. But when they do suhoor they should fast.

Suhoor is a Sunah. You must fast if you eat at that time. Fasting is mendatory for anybody at a puberty age (12+ years).

So even though you miss suhoor, if your 12+ years, you must fast at all costs.