Correct time of breaking fast (Iftar) according to shia’s

I saw many shia’s break fast, when the sky becomes dark! Which may take approx. 15mins more as compared to sunni’s.

Lets see some shia sahih hadiths & opinion of shia ulema’s on this issue:

Lets start with Nahjul-balagha: This is what Ali(ra) said about the times of maghrib prayer & breaking fast:

1.1. Letter 52:

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَصَلُّوا بَالنَّاسِ الظُّهْرَ حَتَّى تَفِيءَ (1) الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَرْبِضِ الْعَنْزِ (2) . وَصَلُّوا بِهِمُ الْعَصْرَ وَالشَّمْسُ بَيْضَاءُ حَيَّةٌ فِي عُضْوٍ مِنَ النَّهَارِ حِينَ يُسَارُ فِيهَا فَرْسَخَانِ. وَصَلُّوا بِهِمُ الْمَغْرِبَ حِينَ يُفْطِرُ الصَّائِمُ، وَيَدْفَعُ (3) الْحَاجُّ إِلَي مِنًي. وَصَلُّوا بِهِمُ الْعِشَاءَ حِينَ يَتَوَارَى الشَّفَقُ إِلَى ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ. وَصَلُّوا بِهِمُ الْغَدَاةَ والرَّجُلُ يَعْرِفُ وَجْهَ صَاحِبِهِ. وَصَلُّوا بِهِمْ صَلاَةَ أَضْعَفِهِمْ (4) ، وَلاَ تَكُونُوا فَتَّانِينَ (5)

“Lead the Zuhr prayer till the shadow of a wall becomes equal to the height of the wall and read the Asr prayer when the sun is still bright and enough time of the day is left for a person to cover a distance of six miles. The Maghrib prayers should be performed when people break their fasts and when Hajj pilgrims return from Arafat. And the time for Isha prayer is when the red glow of the even twilight disappears from the West, till one-third of the night is still left. The morning prayers are to be performed when there appears enough light of the dawn for a man to recognize the face of his companion.”

[Note: Now the above is almost the word by word meaning of the letter. Unfortunately like a number of other letters and sermons of Nahj. the translators in al-islam.org has added some words in their tranlsation without using any brackets]

Comment: Anywz my point is to stress on the statement:
“The Maghrib prayers should be performed when people break their fasts and when Hajj pilgrims return from Arafat. And the time for Isha prayer is when the red glow of the even twilight disappears from the West, till one-third of the night is still left.”

Means isha time is defined by “when the red glow of the even twilight (“diffused light from the sky when the sun is below the horizon” or “This is the time before sunrise and after sunset where it is still light outside, but the sun is not in the sky”) disappears”..

This means time of maghrib [or breaking fast] is before the arrival of isha.. means just before when the the red glow of the even twilight is disappered..

this looks same as what sunni’s do!!

It is reported in Al-Bukhaari (1954) and Muslim (1100) narrated that:

‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When the night comes from here (the east) and the day departs from here (the west), and the sun sets, then it is time for the fasting person to break his fast.”

But shia break fast when there is some darkness!! But above Ali (ra) said “The Maghrib prayers should be performed when people break their fasts “!!
this means ali (ra) break his fast before the darkness appear i.e. sun is not visible but sky have little redness (same as what sunni’s do)!!

& see what arabic dictionary says about word ليل which was used by jahil shia’s [quran used word lail for breaking fast but shia alim use this word to decieve layman sunni’s as well as shia’s]:

Quran 2:187 says:

أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ الصِّيَامِ الرَّفَثُ إِلَى نِسَآئِكُمْ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَخْتانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنكُمْ فَالـنَ بَـشِرُوهُنَّ وَابْتَغُواْ مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَكُلُواْ وَاشْرَبُواْ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّواْ الصِّيَامَ إِلَى الَّيْلِ وَلاَ تُبَـشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمْ عَـكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَـجِدِ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ فَلاَ تَقْرَبُوهَا كَذلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ آيَاتِهِ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ

It is made lawful for you to have sexual relations with your wives on the night of As-Siyam (fasting). They are Libas ﴿i.e., body-cover, or screen﴾ for you and you are Libas for them. Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He turned to you (accepted your repentance) and forgave you. So now have sexual relations with them and seek that which Allah has ordained for you (offspring), and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete your fast till lail. And do not have sexual relations with them (your wives) while you are in I`tikaf in the Masjids. These are the limits (set) by Allah, so approach them not. Thus does Allah make clear His Ayat to mankind that they may acquire Taqwa.

In arabic dictinary word ليل is defined as:

اللَّيْلُ: عقيب النهار ومَبْدَؤُه من غروب الشمس

the arabic dictionary lail described the night time from the sun set.

 

1.2. Now lets move further to extremely interesting narration in shia book “Amaali al-Sadooq” by Ibn Babawaih al-Qummi.

The Shi’a argue that Iftaar (breaking of fasting) must be done when it is night. That the sign for knowing it is night, is the interlacing of stars.

Interestingly, their Imams say they seek refuge in Allah and disown anyone who breaks his fast when stars interlace with each others.

Translation: Council 62
Tuesday, last day of Rabie’ II, 368 h.
1- Reported to us the celebrity Muhaddith & Jurist Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Hussain b. Musa b. Babawaih al-Qummi, he said: Narrated to us my father, saying: Narrated to us Muhammad b. Yahya al-‘Attar saying: Narrated to us Sahl b. Ziyad al-Adamy, from Haroon b. Muslim from Muhammad b. Abi Umair, from Ali b. Ismael saying: I was told by Abu Usamah al-Shah-haam saying: I heard Abu Abdullah [as] saying:
Whoever delays Maghrib until stars interlace with each others for no good reason, I disown him before Allah.

All narrators are thiqa except daeef Sahl b. Ziyad.

Now lets move further:

2. In his book al-Hidayah, Ibn Babawayh writes under chapter: The Time for Maghrib & Isha:

قال الصادق: إذا غابت الشمس حل الإفطار ووجبت الصلاة

Al-Sadiq said: If (When) the sun falls, breaking of fasting becomes lawful, and prayer becomes due.

3. Here is what Sheikh Al-Toosi has said concerning the time of Maghrib.

و أوّل وقت صلاة المغرب عند غيبوبة الشّمس. و علامته سقوط القرص. و علامة سقوطه عدم الحمرة من جانب المشرق. و آخر وقته سقوط الشّفق، و هو الحمرة من ناحية المغرب

“The first time of Salaah Al-Maghrib is at the disappearance of the sun, and the sign of the falling of the sun’s disk. The sign of the sunset is the absence of the redness (in the sky) from the east side. The final time (of maghrib) is the disappearance of the shafaq (evening twilight), and it is the (disappearance of) redness in terms of the west side.”

Source: Al-Toosi, Al-Nihaayah fee Majarrad Al-Fiqh wa Al-Fataawa, pg. 59

4.1. This is from al-Kafi and it is the traditional position as explained by Shaykh Tusi above.

Chapter on the time for Maghrib and Isha

علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن حريز، عن زرارة قال: قال أبوجعفر (عليه السلام): وقت المغرب إذا غاب القرص فإن رأيت بعد ذلك وقد صليت فأعد الصلاة ومضى صومك وتكف عن الطعام إن كنت أصبت منه شيئا
(حسن)

Ali bin Ibrahim from his father from Hamad bin Isa from Hariz from Zurara : Said Abu Ja’far (a.s) : The time for Maghrib is when the sun’s disk disappears so if you see it after a time and you had already prayed then repeat your prayer and continue your fast and stop eating if you had taken anything of food

(Hasan according to Allama Majlisi due to Ibrahim bin Hashim)

4.2.

عدة من أصحابنا، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن الحسين بن سعيد، عن النضر بن سويد، عن عبدالله بن سنان، عن أبي عبدالله (عليه السلام) قال: سمعته يقول: وقت المغرب إذا غربت الشمس فغاب قرصها
(صحيح)

A group of our companions from Ahmad bin Muhammad from Husayn bin Said from Nadhr bin Suwayd from Abdillah bin Sinan from Abi Abdillah (a.s) : I heard Him (a.s) say : The time for Maghrib is when the sun dissapears and so dissapears its disk (from the horizon)

(Sahih ccording to Allama Majlisi)

4.3.

الحسين بن محمد الاشعري، عن عبدالله بن عامر، عن علي بن مهزيار، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن حريز، عن زيد الشحام قال: سألت أبا عبدالله (عليه السلام) عن وقت المغرب فقال: إن جبرئيل (عليه السلام) أتى النبي (صلى الله عليه وآله) لكل صلاة بوقتين غير صلاة المغرب فإن وقتها واحد ووقتها وجوبها
(صحيح)

Husayn bin Muhammad al-Ash’ari from Abdullah bin A’amir from Ali bin Mihzayar from Hamad bin Isa from Hariz from Zayd al-Shaham who said : I asked Abi Abdillah (a.s) on the time for Maghrib so he said : Indeed Gabriel came to the Prophet (s.a.w.w) and provided for every prayer two time periods (starting and ending) except for salatul Maghrib for it has one time only and during this one time period is what is Wajib upon it (the prayer)

(Sahih ccording to Allama Majlisi)

4.4.

الحسين بن محمد الاشعري، عن عبدالله بن عامر، عن علي بن مهزيار، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن حريز ، عن، زرارة، والفضيل قالا: قال أبوجعفر (عليه السلام): إن لكل صلاة وقتين غير المغرب فإن وقتها واحد ووقتها وجوبها ووقت فوتها سقوط الشفق
(صحيح)

Husayn bin Muhammad al-Ash’ari from Abdullah bin A’amir from Ali bin Mihzayar from Hamad bin Isa from Hariz from Zurara and Fudayl who said : Abu Ja’far (a.s) said : Indeed for every salat there are two time periods except for Maghrib whose time period is one alone and during this one time period is the Wajib prayer (to be prayed) and this period ends when the twilight (afterglow) disappears

(Sahih ccording to Allama Majlisi)

4.5.

محمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن ابن فضال: قال: سأل علي ابن أسباط أبا الحسن (عليه السلام) ونحن نسمع: الشفق الحمرة أو البياض؟ فقال: الحمرة لو كان البياض كان إلى ثلث الليل
(موثق)

Muhammad bin Yahya from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Ibn Faddal : Ali bin Asbat asked Abul Hassan (a.s) while we were listening : The (disappearance of the) red glow or the white (to indicate the end of Maghrib)? He (a.s) said the red one, if it were the white you would have had to wait up to a third of the night (for it to disappear and hence pray)

(Muwathaq ccording to Allama Majlisi due to Ibn Faddal)

4.6.

محمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن عبدالله بن محمد الحجال، عن ثعلبة بن ميمون، عن عمران بن علي الحلبي قال: سألت أبا عبدالله (عليه السلام) متى تجب العتمة؟ قال: إذا غاب الشفق والشفق الحمرة، فقال عبيدالله: أصلحك الله إنه يبقى بعد ذهاب الحمرة ضؤ شديد معترض؟ فقال أبوعبدالله (عليه السلام): إن الشفق إنما هو الحمرة وليس الضوء من الشفق
(صحيح)

Muhammad bin Yahya from Ahmad bin Muhammad from Abdullah bin Muhammad al-Hajjal from Tha’laba bin Maymun from Imran bin Ali al-Halabi who said : I asked Abi Abdillah (a.s) when does the Utmah (Isha prayer) become Wajib? He (a.s) said : When the afterglow disappears and specifically the red glow, so Ubaydullah said : May Allah (s.w.t) make ease for you, there remains after the disappearance of the red glow (in the evening twilight) a slight but very bright remainder of light (so what then?)
He (a.s) said : Indeed the evening twilight is the red glow and not the light from a part of the twilight

(Sahih ccording to Allama Majlisi)

5.

10- حدثنا محمد بن الحسن بن أحمد بن الوليد ره قال حدثنا محمد بن الحسن الصفار عن العباس بن معروف عن علي بن مهزيار عن الحسن بن سعيد عن علي بن النعمان عن داود بن فرقد قال سمعت أبي يسأل أبا عبد الله الصادق ع متى يدخل وقت المغرب فقال إذا غاب كرسيها قال و ما كرسيها قال قرصها قال متى تغيب قرصها قال إذا نظرت فلم تره

Reported to us, Muhammad bin al-Hasan bin Ahmad bin al-Waleed, from Muhammad bin al-Hasan al-Saffaar from al-‘Abbaas bin Ma’roof from Ali bin Mehziyaar from al-Hasan bin Sa’eed from ‘Alee bin al-Nu’maan from Dawood bin Farqad saying: I heard my father asking Aboo ‘Abd Allaah al-Saadiq about the time Maghrib begins. He said: when its rim disappears. He asked: What is its rim? he said: its disk. (My father) Said: How do we know the disk disappeared? he said: if you looked and did not see it.

Source: Al-Amaalee lil-Sadooq, pg. 79 & it is Saheeh because all narrators are reliable.

6.

11- حدثنا أبي رحمه الله قال حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله قال حدثنا أبو جعفر أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى و موسى بن جعفر بن أبي جعفر البغدادي عن أبي طالب عبد الله بن الصلت القمي عن الحسن بن علي بن فضال عن داود بن أبي يزيد قال قال الصادق جعفر بن محمد ع إذا غاب الشمس فقد دخل وقت المغرب

Reported to us my father, saying: Narrated to us Sa’d bin ‘Abdullaah, from Aboo Ja’far Ahmad bin Muhammad bin ‘Eesaa & Moosaa bin Ja’far bin Abee Ja’far al-Baghdaadee, from Aboo Taalib ‘Abdullaah bin AS-Salt al-Qummee, from al-Hasan bin Alee bin Faddaal from Dawood bin Abee Yazeed from al-Saadiq Ja’far bin Muhammad saying: When the sun sets, the time of Maghrib has entered.

Source: Al-Amaalee, pg. 80 & it is Muwaththaq due to الحسن بن علي بن فضال

7. here is what shia ayatollah sayyid fadlullah said:

“31. The time for maghrib prayer starts with sunset, i.e. the disappearance of the sun disc beyond the horizon. However, the disappearance of the sun to the naked eye shall not be complete unless the bronze glow in the East disappears. When the latter vanishes, the actual time for maghrib starts. That said, there is no harm, from an ihtiyat perspective, to wait for the disappearance of that glow from the East, but it is not essential.”

Comment: So it is permissible to pray at earliest when the sun disk disappears.

8.

وأول وقت المغرب مغيب الشمس وعلامة مغيبها عدم الحمرة من المشرق المقابل للمغرب من السماء

Translation:”The initial timing of Maghrib is the sun’s set, and the sign for its setting (end of maghrib) is voidness of reddish (color) on the east (horizon) across from the west horizon.”

Source: Al-Muqni3a by Shaykh al-Mufeed, under the chapter: Prayers Timings & The Sign of Each

9.

وأول وقت المغرب غروب الشمس وهو أفضل، وعلامة غروبها اسوداد المشرق بذهاب الحمرة

Translation:”And the initial time for Maghrib, is the sun’s set, which is best, and the sign of its setting (end of maghrib) is the darkness of the eastern (horizon) through the disappearence of the reddish (color) thereof.”

Source: Al-Kafi fil al-Fiqh, by Aboo-Salaah al-Halabee, under chapter 4: Tayammum

10. Got E-mail from the office of Ayatollah Sayyid fadlullah asking:

1: Can Magrib prayer be offered at the same time as the sunni magrib?”

here is what it was translated into

س1) هل يمكن للشيعة أداء صلاة المغرب في توقيت السُنة؟

here is the reply

ج1) إذا غاب قرص الشمس فقد دخل وقت الصلاة وجاز الإفطار.

“If the sun’s disk has disappeared, indeed the salaah time has entered, and it is permissible to do iftaar (break fast)”

When i asked the question to one of the shia about: why u break fast after 10-15min. !!

He said: Shia break their fast about 10-15 minutes later. They doubt the sun went down! so to make sure they wait. if u think about its actually better to extend ur fast just a few more minutes cause if you broke ur fast a few minutes earlier than when ur suppose to break it, ur whole day’s worth of fasting is gone and does not count and you must re-fast that day!!

Now let me apply some scientific theories:

What science says: When the sunsets,, the sun appears 2-3min above the horizon bcoz of the refraction of light through the atmosphere..

Means when u just see the sun disappears (just on horizon),, this means the sun was already gone below horizon before 2-3mins.(see image)

i.e. shia break fast (after 10-15min. of sunni’s time) when darkness just arrives.. means sun is much below the horizon.. (means 10(or 15)+2=12-17min or 10(or 15)+3=13-18min later..) not above the horizon which they fell doubted..

Now it is proved that shia think when the darkness comes this means sun is below horizon but this is not true scientifically & according to arabic dictionary.

updated to v1.1