Q: There have been multiple videos circulating by multiple scholars stating that you can eat all the way up to Fajr. They are quoting the hadith that if you have food in your hand, then you can continue eating until the adhan and even during the adhan. When leading scholars say things, we believe them. What should we do? Let’s say i eat till the end of adhan, would that be okay? Some Muadhin say a 3 to 5 minutes adhan, so would it be fine to eat til the end of it? JAK
A: The hadith you are possibly referring to states: When one of you hears the call to prayer while the vessel is in his hand, let him not put it down until he has fulfilled his need of it. It is important to note that this hadith has a specific context as described by experts of hadith. Our TikTok generation often shares snippets of this hadith without providing us with the proper understanding, leading to a relaxed or extreme approach to fasting.
In our time, we have watches, and astronomers have established fixed times for the start and end of the fast. Humans appear to want it both ways. When it suits us to be modern, we go that route, when it suits us to follow traditional thinking that suits us, we want to go that way. Therefore, just as one does not break their fast merely because it gets cloudy, the same principle applies to the start of the fasting time. We rely on our clocks to determine when to begin fasting and when to end it.
Context: Regarding the hadith in question, during the time of the Prophet (SAW) and subsequent generations, two adhans were often given. The first adhan served as a reminder, while the second adhan was the actual call to prayer. Thus, the first adhan was not for the Fajr salah but rather a signal to stop eating. Also, the Rasool (SAW) is divinely guided, if He said to stop, He knew better. If He allowed the person to continue, He knew better. This is part of our belief.
Applying this hadith in its proper context, if one had something in their hand when the alarm/adhan/siren for starting the fast went off at its exact time, it would not be forbidden to finish what is in one’s hand. However, it would be incorrect to prolong eating until the end of the adhan. Once the muadhin says Allahu Akbar, one should finish what is in their hand, and hopefully, by the second Allahu Akbar — or by the end of the second Allahu Akbar the fast would have started. Repeating this delaying action to start ones fast intentionally would be incorrect. This would also depend on when your adhan/reminder for fasting occurred. Thus, if your reminder went off on the exact time for the start fast, you would be safe, if your settings were off, then this too would need to be taken into consideration, resulting in a possible repeat of the given fast.
It is also recommended to start the fast a few minutes earlier to avoid any doubt. Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt (hadith). If a delay occurs within the mentioned parameters, the fast would not be invalid.
Allah Certainly Knows Best.