Suhoor: Your Complete Guide to the Pre-Dawn Meal

Suhoor is the blessed pre-dawn meal consumed before starting the daily fast in Ramadan. If you’ve heard of Suhoor but aren’t entirely sure of its significance, timing, or what to eat, you’re in the right place. This guide provides everything you need, from spiritual benefits to practical eating tips.

When your day starts with a nourishing Suhoor, remember those facing hunger before dawn. Give mercy and ease their fasting with a donation to our Ramadan Appeal.

Suhoor refers to the blessed pre-dawn meal eaten before the fast begins during Ramadan, highly recommended by the Prophet ﷺ. Consuming Suhoor provides both spiritual and physical benefits, preparing your body for a day of fasting.

Suhoor is more than just a meal; it is an act of worship that carries immense reward. Learn more in our Beginner’s Guide to Ramadan, which explains the timing and purpose of Suhoor.

Suhoor is a Sunnah that offers blessings beyond mere nutrition. The Prophet ﷺ highlighted the immense difference between fasting with and without Suhoor, showing its spiritual value.

Physically, Suhoor provides energy and sustenance, helping maintain focus during worship and daily activities. By taking Suhoor, the day’s fast becomes more manageable, allowing your body to maintain strength and concentration.

Additionally, Suhoor is a moment for reflection and intention-setting, making it both a spiritual and practical preparation for Ramadan. It is also an opportunity to foster gratitude for the sustenance you have and remember those in need.

When does Suhoor officially begin?

Suhoor timing is directly linked to the validity of the fast, making it one of the most important practical aspects of Ramadan. Islamic guidance clearly defines when Suhoor may be eaten and when it must stop, ensuring clarity for Muslims observing the fast.

There is no fixed or official start time for Suhoor. It may be eaten at any point during the night after the Isha prayer. However, it is recommended to delay Suhoor and eat it as close to the end of the night as possible.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ encouraged this practice, as narrated in authentic Hadith:

“My Ummah will remain upon goodness so long as they hasten to break the fast and delay Suhoor.” — Musnad Ahmad

Delaying Suhoor follows Prophetic guidance and allows the body to benefit more fully from the nourishment taken before fasting begins.

When should I stop Suhoor?

Suhoor must stop at the beginning of Fajr, which is marked by the call to the Fajr prayer. Once Fajr begins, eating and drinking are no longer permitted.

Some Islamic calendars include a time known as Imsak, usually 10–15 minutes before Fajr. Imsak is a precautionary buffer, but it is not the official start of fasting. The fast legally begins at Fajr, not at Imsak.

To help you stay spiritually grounded throughout the month, Human Appeal’s Islamic Prayer Timetable makes it easy to keep track of your daily prayers and fasting times. Featuring a Ramadan timetable search by location, the tool uses GPS to automatically detect and remember your location, ensuring prayer and Suhoor/Iftar times are always accurate—wherever you are. While online timetables are helpful, your local mosque will usually provide the most precise prayer times for your area. You can find your nearest mosque using the Mosque finder directory.

Is there a significance to delaying Suhoor?

Yes. Delaying Suhoor is a recommended Sunnah and carries immense reward. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Eat Suhoor, for indeed there is blessing in Suhoor.” — Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim

This blessing is both spiritual and physical. Delaying Suhoor strengthens the body for fasting and aligns the believer with Prophetic practice, increasing reward while easing the fast.

Suhoor is essential for maintaining energy, focus, and well-being throughout Ramadan. Planning it thoughtfully helps reduce hunger, fatigue, and dehydration, allowing you to focus on worship rather than physical strain.

The best Suhoor foods for sustained energy through the day

An effective Suhoor includes foods that release energy slowly, keep you feeling full, and support hydration. A balanced combination of nutrients helps the body cope with long fasting hours.

Recommended foods include:

• Complex carbohydrates (such as oats and whole grains): provide slow, sustained energy throughout the day.
• Protein (eggs, yogurt, lentils, beans): increases satiety and reduces hunger.
• Fibre-rich foods (fruits and vegetables): aid digestion and help regulate energy levels.
• Eating dates during iftar and Suhoor therefore help equip the body with essential nutrients that help maintain the fast. Learn more about traditional foods in our Sunnah foods guide.

Nourishing your body this Ramadan is an act of worship—but nourishing others is an act of mercy.

That’s why we created Our Ramadan Kitchen – The Human Appeal Ramadan Cookbook.

With over 30 delicious, wholesome recipes and heart-warming stories from the Human Appeal family around the world, this cookbook brings together dishes from our staff, volunteers, trusted influencers, and—most importantly—the inspiring people we support globally.

Every copy feeds Gaza. All profits go directly to our 20,000,000 Hot Meals for Gaza Appeal.

Order or download your copy today—available instantly as a digital download or print-on-print-on-demand—and turn your Suhoor and Iftar into acts of mercy this Ramadan.

Foods to avoid

To maintain energy for longer, it’s important to avoid foods that negatively impact fasting. Excessive sugar causes rapid energy crashes, while overly salty foods increase thirst and dehydration during the day.

Hydration is key to fasting

Hydration is critical for a healthy fast. Drink plenty of water at Suhoor and include foods with high water content, such as cucumber and melon. The World Health Organization recommends drinking at least 10 glasses of water.

Avoid caffeine, including tea, coffee, and fizzy drinks like cola, as they can dehydrate the body and worsen thirst during fasting hours.

Feeding Others This Ramadan

As you nourish your own fast, remember those who begin their day with nothing. Give mercy this Ramadan by helping provide hot Iftar meals to families in Gaza.Your donation is doubled, bringing comfort and dignity at sunset to those who need it most. Donate now to provide hot Iftar meals for Gaza.

There is no single obligatory dua for Suhoor, but it is recommended to make the intention (niyyah) to fast after finishing Suhoor and before Fajr. A commonly recited intention is:

“O Allah, I intend to fast tomorrow for Your sake.”

The intention may be made silently in the heart and signifies sincerity and readiness to worship through fasting.

By Human Appeal

Manchester, United Kingdom