Question: Regarding the Time of Breaking the Fast (with a brief commentary)

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the Seal of the Prophets, and upon his family and his pure companions.

To proceed: Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

Concerning the determination of the time, there are differing narrations. There is no harm in acting upon any of them, because their classification in the books of worship as “sound”, “weak”, “unknown”, or “abandoned” is not an infallible categorisation. Rather, it represents the opinion of the scholar who deemed it correct.

There is no harm in breaking the fast immediately upon the disappearance of the sun’s disc. Likewise, there is no harm in waiting until the eastern redness disappears. Waiting is regarded as a precautionary measure, based on caution and striving for certainty in the soundness of one’s fast. Strengthening certain narrations is not, in itself, a proof for weakening others; both positions have been transmitted from the Ahl al-Bayt, and they neither declared one absolutely weak nor the other absolutely strong.

Imam al-Sadiq ^(a.s) said: “Maghrib time begins when the disc (of the sun) disappears…”1

Based on this narration, it is permissible to break the fast once the sun’s disc has set, for its disappearance marks the time of Maghrib prayer. Similarly, Imam al-Sadiq said ^(a.s):

“When the sun has set, breaking the fast becomes lawful and the prayer becomes obligatory.”2

It has also been narrated from Imam al-Kadhim ^(a.s) that he broke his fast upon the call of the mu’adhdhin saying: “Allahu Akbar.”3

As for waiting until the eastern redness disappears, this is a precautionary measure, as previously mentioned. Imam al-Kadhim ^(a.s) said:
“I see that you should wait until the redness disappears and take precaution for your religion.”4

Therefore, to the best of my knowledge, there is no harm in breaking the fast with those who break it when the sun’s disc disappears, or when the mu’adhdhin pronounces the takbir for Maghrib.

And above every possessor of knowledge is One more knowing. (Qur’an 12:76)

And all praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his companions.

Written by: Tammām Aḥmad
Date: 8 July 2015 

• 1Al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 265, hadith no. 172, Chapter: The Time of Maghrib and ‘Ishā’ Prayers.
• 2Tafṣīl Wasā’il al-Shī‘a, vol. 10, p. 125, hadith no. 52, Chapter: That the Time of Breaking the Fast Is the Disappearance of the Eastern Redness.
• 3Tafṣīl Wasā’il al-Shī‘a, vol. 10, p. 127, hadith no. 53, Chapter: The Permissibility of Breaking the Fast at the Commencement of the Maghrib Adhān.
• 4Tafṣīl Wasā’il al-Shī‘a, vol. 10, p. 124, hadith no. 52, Chapter: That the Time of Breaking the Fast Is the Disappearance of the Eastern Redness.