When the verse "Until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread" was revealed, I took a white rope and a black rope, and placed them beneath my pillow ; and then I looked at them, byt they were not clear to me. So I mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He laughed and said: Your pillow is so broad and lengthy ; that is (i.e. means) night and day. The version of the narrator 'Uthman has: That is the blackness of night and whiteness of day.
Hadith Commentary: Sunan Abi Dawud 2349
This narration from Sunan Abi Dawud's "Fasting (Kitab Al-Siyam)" presents a profound lesson in understanding Quranic metaphorical language through the experience of a companion who literally interpreted the divine verse.
Literal Interpretation and Divine Mercy
The companion's action of placing physical threads beneath his pillow demonstrates the sincere desire of early Muslims to implement Quranic injunctions with exact precision. This reflects the purity of their faith and their earnestness in religious observance.
Allah's Messenger's gentle response, characterized by laughter rather than criticism, shows the prophetic wisdom in correcting misunderstandings with compassion. This teaching method encourages seeking knowledge without fear of making mistakes in sincere effort.
Metaphorical Understanding of Quranic Language
The verse from Surah Al-Baqarah (2:187) uses the imagery of "white thread" and "black thread" as metaphors for the transition between night and day. The Prophet's clarification establishes that the Quran employs symbolic language that requires proper contextual understanding.
This incident establishes an important principle in Islamic jurisprudence: that not all Quranic expressions are to be understood literally, and that the Sunnah serves as the primary interpreter of the Quran's intended meanings.
Practical Application in Fasting
The ultimate ruling derived from this hadith is that the beginning of the fasting day is marked by the true dawn (al-fajr al-sadiq), when the first light of day becomes distinguishable from the darkness of night. This establishes the precise timing for the commencement of the daily fast during Ramadan.
Scholars have unanimously agreed that this refers to the horizontal illumination that appears across the horizon before sunrise, not the vertical light that appears earlier (false dawn). This precision ensures uniformity in Islamic practice across the Muslim community.