The Case of One Who Eats or Drinks but Has Doubts About Its Taking Place before or after Dawn

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who eats Suhur (breakfast in the morning before dawn), then comes out of his house to find out when it has already become dawn. He (the Imam) said, ‘He is required to complete that fast then make Qada’ (compensatory fast) for it; however if such breakfast is in a time other than the month of Ramadan and after dawn one must not fast.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Once during the night my father was performing Salat (prayer) and I was eating Suhur (breakfast in the morning before dawn). He ended and said, ‘Ja’far has eaten and drunk after dawn.’ So he commanded me and I did not fast that day which was not of the month of Ramadan.”’

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who eats and drinks after dawn in the month of Ramadan. He (the Imam) said, ‘If he got up and looked but did not see the dawn then ate then returned and saw that it was dawn, he is required to complete that fast and there is no Qada’ (compensatory fast) on him. If he gets up, eats and drinks, and then looks to the dawn that is already there, he is required to complete that fast and make Qada’ (compensatory fast) for one other day because he ate first, then went to find out about dawn, thus fast of one day is necessary.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of my fasting when I asked the girl to look if it was dawn yet and she said that it was not dawn, yet and I ate; then I looked and saw that it was dawn. He (the Imam) said, ‘You are required to complete that fast and make Qada’ (compensatory fast for it); however, if you yourself had looked first before eating there would have been no Qada’ (compensatory fast) upon you.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who along with his friends go for Suhur (breakfast in the morning before dawn) in a house. He looks toward dawn and asks them to stop eating. Certain ones among them stop and others think that he is joking and he eats. He (the Imam) said, ‘He completes that fast and makes its Qada’ (compensatory fast) also.’”

“I once asked abu Ibrahim (a.s.), about the case of my fasting that I owe one or two days of the month of Ramadan. I eat Suhur (breakfast in the morning before dawn) but it is already dawn. Is it necessary for me to eat that day instead of fasting and make Qada’ (compensatory fast) of that day on another day or complete that fast and then make Qada’ (compensatory fast) on another day? He (the Imam) said, ‘No, but you eat in that day; you ate after dawn. You must make Qada’ (compensatory fast) for it on another day.’”

“I once asked abu Ibrahim (a.s.), about a man who drinks after dawn and he does not know that it is the month of Ramadan. He (the Imam) said, ‘He is required to fast that day and make Qada’ (compensatory fast) on another day, and if it is a Qada’ of the month of Ramadan in (the month of) Shawwal or other times and he drinks after dawn, let him break his fast that day and make Qada'.‘“