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When the above verses were revealed: 'Until the white thread appears to you, distinct from the black
thread,' I took two (hair) strings, one black and the other white, and kept them under my pillow and
went on looking at them throughout the night but could not make anything out of it. So, the next
morning I went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and told him the whole story. He explained to me, "That verse
means the darkness of the night and the whiteness of the dawn."
Sahih al-Bukhari Book 30, Hadith 26
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It was the custom among the companions of Muhammad that if any of them was fasting and the food
was presented (for breaking his fast), but he slept before eating, he would not eat that night and the
following day till sunset.
Qais bin Sirma-al-Ansari was fasting and came to his wife at the time of Iftar (breaking one's fast) and
asked her whether she had anything to eat. She replied, "No, but I would go and bring some for you."
He used to do hard work during the day, so he was overwhelmed by sleep and slept. When his wife
came and saw him, she said, "Disappointment for you." When it was midday on the following day, he
fainted and the Prophet (ﷺ) was informed about the whole matter and the following verses were revealed:
"You are permitted To go to your wives (for sexual relation) At the night of fasting." So, they were
overjoyed by it. And then Allah also revealed: "And eat and drink Until the white thread Of dawn
appears to you Distinct from the black thread (of the night)." (2.187)
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When the following verses were revealed: 'Eat and drink until the white thread appears to you, distinct
from the black thread' and of dawn was not revealed, some people who intended to fast, tied black and
white threads to their legs and went on eating till they differentiated between the two. Allah then
revealed the words, 'of dawn', and it became clear that meant night and day.