The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Adhan pronounced by Bilal should not stop you from taking Suhur, for he pronounces the Adhan at night, so that the one offering the late night prayer (Tahajjud) from among you might hurry up and the sleeping from among you might wake up. It does not mean that dawn or morning has started." Then he (the Prophet) pointed with his fingers and raised them up (towards the sky) and then lowered them (towards the earth) like this (Ibn Mas`ud imitated the gesture of the Prophet). Az-Zuhri gestured with his two index fingers which he put on each other and then stretched them to the right and left. These gestures illustrate the way real dawn appears. It spreads left and right horizontally. The dawn that appears in the high sky and lowers down is not the real dawn) .
Call to Prayers (Adhaan)
Sahih al-Bukhari - Hadith 621
Hadith Text
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Adhan pronounced by Bilal should not stop you from taking Suhur, for he pronounces the Adhan at night, so that the one offering the late night prayer (Tahajjud) from among you might hurry up and the sleeping from among you might wake up. It does not mean that dawn or morning has started." Then he (the Prophet) pointed with his fingers and raised them up (towards the sky) and then lowered them (towards the earth) like this (Ibn Mas`ud imitated the gesture of the Prophet). Az-Zuhri gestured with his two index fingers which he put on each other and then stretched them to the right and left. These gestures illustrate the way real dawn appears. It spreads left and right horizontally. The dawn that appears in the high sky and lowers down is not the real dawn.
Scholarly Commentary
This hadith clarifies the distinction between the first Adhan (before true dawn) and the second Adhan (at true dawn). Bilal's Adhan was given while it was still night to awaken those praying Tahajjud and prepare others for Suhur. The true dawn (Fajr al-Sadiq) appears horizontally across the horizon, not vertically descending. This understanding prevents Muslims from prematurely ending their Suhur meal.
The Prophet's gesture demonstrates that true dawn spreads gradually across the horizon like stretched fingers, unlike false dawn (Fajr al-Kadhib) which appears as a vertical column of light. This precise timing is crucial for determining the beginning of the Fajr prayer and the end of eating during Ramadan.
Juridical Rulings
1. It is permissible to eat and drink until the true dawn appears horizontally
2. The first Adhan does not mark the beginning of fasting time
3. One must distinguish between the two dawns for proper worship times
4. The horizontal spread of light indicates true Fajr time