“Bilāl calls the adhān at night, so eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktūm calls the adhān.”
The narrator added: “He was a blind man and would not give the call until it was said to him: ‘Morning has come, morning has come.’”
Narrated by al-Bukhārī (no. 617, wording is his) and Muslim (no. 1092), from the narration of Ibn ʿUmar — may Allah be pleased with them both.
Muslim added: “There was nothing between the two except that one would descend while the other would ascend.”
Brief Explanation of the Hadith
Among the established Sunnahs of the Prophet — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — is that he prescribed two calls to prayer for Fajr. The first would occur shortly before the break of dawn: to awaken those asleep, alert those engaged in prayer so they may conclude with Witr, and prepare the people for Suḥūr.
As for the second call to prayer, it would be given upon the certainty of the true dawn’s appearance. This call signified the entrance of the prescribed time for the Fajr prayer and the obligation to refrain from food, drink, and other nullifiers for the one intending to fast. This is clarified in the report narrated by Ibn ʿUmar — may Allah be pleased with them both — that the Prophet — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — said: “Indeed, Bilāl calls the adhān at night…” Thus, the Prophet — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — clarified that the adhān of Bilāl occurred in the latter part of the night before the break of dawn. At that time, eating and drinking remained permissible, as it was still a period of allowance. The obligation to refrain from the nullifiers of fasting — whether food, drink, or marital relations — was not established until after the adhān of Ibn Umm Maktūm, for his call to prayer took place upon the rising of the true dawn, which marks the commencement of both the prayer and the fast. And this is in full accord with the saying of Allah, the Exalted:
{And eat and drink until the white thread becomes distinct to you from the black thread of dawn} (al-Baqarah 2:187).
Ibn Umm Maktūm would not give the adhān until it was said to him: “You have entered the morning, you have entered the morning,” meaning that the light of dawn had become visible and its time had certainly begun. Thus, his call to prayer was made only after the time had entered with certainty.
The Sunnah is that there should not be a long interval between the two adhāns. For in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim it is reported: “And there was nothing between them except that this one would descend and that one would ascend.” This indicates the close succession between the two calls to prayer.
The ḥadīth indicates:
• The permissibility of giving the adhān for Fajr before its actual time.
• The permissibility of appointing two mu’adhdhins in a single mosque — one to call before Fajr and the other after the true dawn has risen.
• The validity of the adhān of a blind man, provided he is certain of the time of its entrance.
• That a man may be ascribed to his mother if he is more commonly known by her.
• That mentioning a person with a physical impairment or distinctive attribute is permissible when the intent is identification and not belittlement.