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 Messenger of Allah 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."

لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ {حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الأَسْوَدِ} عَمَدْتُ إِلَى عِقَالٍ أَسْوَدَ وَإِلَى عِقَالٍ أَبْيَضَ فَجَعَلْتُهُمَا تَحْتَ وِسَادَتِي فَجَعَلْتُ أَنْظُرُ فِي اللَّيْلِ فَلاَ يَسْتَبِينُ لِي فَغَدَوْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ سَوَادُ اللَّيْلِ وَبَيَاضُ النَّهَارِ

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.

أُنْزِلَتْ {وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الأَسْوَدِ} وَلَمْ يَنْزِلْ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ فَكَانَ رِجَالٌ إِذَا أَرَادُوا الصَّوْمَ رَبَطَ أَحَدُهُمْ فِي رِجْلِهِ الْخَيْطَ الأَبْيَضَ وَالْخَيْطَ الأَسْوَدَ وَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَأْكُلُ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُ رُؤْيَتُهُمَا فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ بَعْدُ {مِنَ الْفَجْرِ} فَعَلِمُوا أَنَّهُ إِنَّمَا يَعْنِي اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ

from the black thread." was revealed, but: '... of dawn' was not revealed (along with it) so some men, when intending to fast, used to tie their legs, one with white thread and the other with black thread and would keep on eating till they could distinguish one thread from the other. Then Allah revealed' ... of dawn,' whereupon they understood that meant the night and the day.

وَأُنْزِلَتْ {وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الأَسْوَدِ} وَلَمْ يُنْزَلْ {مِنَ الْفَجْرِ} وَكَانَ رِجَالٌ إِذَا أَرَادُوا الصَّوْمَ رَبَطَ أَحَدُهُمْ فِي رِجْلَيْهِ الْخَيْطَ الأَبْيَضَ وَالْخَيْطَ الأَسْوَدَ وَلاَ يَزَالُ يَأْكُلُ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُ رُؤْيَتُهُمَا فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ بَعْدَهُ {مِنَ الْفَجْرِ} فَعَلِمُوا أَنَّمَا يَعْنِي اللَّيْلَ مِنَ النَّهَارِ

" Until the white streak of the dawn becomes distinct from the dark streak" (ii. 187) Adi b. Hatim said: Messenger of Allah, verily I keep underneath my pillow two strings, one white and the other black, by which I distinguish night from dawn. Upon this the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Your pillow seems to be very large. For the word khait implies the blackness of the night and the whiteness of the dawn.

لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ { حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ} قَالَ لَهُ عَدِيُّ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَجْعَلُ تَحْتَ وِسَادَتِي عِقَالَيْنِ عِقَالاً أَبْيَضَ وَعِقَالاً أَسْوَدَ أَعْرِفُ اللَّيْلَ مِنَ النَّهَارِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنَّ وِسَادَتَكَ لَعَرِيضٌ إِنَّمَا هُوَ سَوَادُ اللَّيْلِ وَبَيَاضُ النَّهَارِ

" Eat and drink till the white streak is distinct from the dark streak," a person would take hold of a white thread and a black thread and keep on eating till he could find them distinct (in the light of the dawn). It was then that Allah, the Majestic and Great, reveiled (the words) min al-fajr (from the dawn), and then it became clear (that the word khait refers to the streak of light in the dawn).

لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ { وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الأَسْوَدِ} قَالَ كَانَ الرَّجُلُ يَأْخُذُ خَيْطًا أَبْيَضَ وَخَيْطًا أَسْوَدَ فَيَأْكُلُ حَتَّى يَسْتَبِينَهُمَا حَتَّى أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ﷻ { مِنَ الْفَجْرِ} فَبَيَّنَ ذَلِكَ

When this verse was revealed." Eat and drink till the white streak becomes distinct from the dark streak for you," the person who decided to observe fast tied on one of his feet a black thread and on the other a white thread. And he went on eating and drinking till he could distinguish (between their colour) on seeing them. It was after this that Allah reveal- ed (the words): min al-fajr. And they (the Muslims) came to know that (the word khait) refers to the night and day.

لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ { وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الأَسْوَدِ} قَالَ فَكَانَ الرَّجُلُ إِذَا أَرَادَ الصَّوْمَ رَبَطَ أَحَدُهُمْ فِي رِجْلَيْهِ الْخَيْطَ الأَسْوَدَ وَالْخَيْطَ الأَبْيَضَ فَلاَ يَزَالُ يَأْكُلُ وَيَشْرَبُ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُ رِئْيُهُمَا فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ { مِنَ الْفَجْرِ} فَعَلِمُوا أَنَّمَا يَعْنِي بِذَلِكَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ

When the verse "Until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread" was revealed, I took a white rope and a black rope, and placed them beneath my pillow ; and then I looked at them, byt they were not clear to me. So I mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He laughed and said: Your pillow is so broad and lengthy ; that is (i.e. means) night and day. The version of the narrator 'Uthman has: That is the blackness of night and whiteness of day.

لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ { حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الأَسْوَدِ } قَالَ أَخَذْتُ عِقَالاً أَبْيَضَ وَعِقَالاً أَسْوَدَ فَوَضَعْتُهُمَا تَحْتَ وِسَادَتِي فَنَظَرْتُ فَلَمْ أَتَبَيَّنْ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَضَحِكَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ وِسَادَكَ لَعَرِيضٌ طَوِيلٌ إِنَّمَا هُوَ اللَّيْلُ وَالنَّهَارُ قَالَ عُثْمَانُ إِنَّمَا هُوَ سَوَادُ اللَّيْلِ وَبَيَاضُ النَّهَارِ

[AI] I said, "O Messenger of Allah, I have placed a white thread and a black thread under my pillow, but I cannot distinguish between them." He said, "You have a wide bedspread, and that night is part of the day, as Allah says, 'And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread. Then complete the fast until the night.' And do not approach them while you are in seclusion in the mosques. These are the limits set by Allah, so do not come near them.' Thus Allah makes clear His signs to the people that they may fear Him."

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَقَدْ جَعَلْتُ تَحْتَ وِسَادَتِي خَيْطًا أَبْيَضَ وَخَيْطًا أَسْوَدَ فَمَا تَبَيَّنَ لِي شَيْءٌ قَالَ «إِنَّكَ لَعَرِيضُ الْوِسَادِ وَإِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ اللَّيْلُ مِنَ النَّهَارِ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى» {وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ثُمَّ أَتِّمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ وَلَا تُبَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنْتُمْ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوهَا كَذَالِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ آيَاتِهِ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتُّقُونَ}

[AI] When this verse was revealed: "And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread (of night)" (Quran 2:187), I intended to distinguish between two headbands, one black and the other white. So I placed them under my pillow and looked at them, but I couldn't differentiate between the white and the black. When I woke up in the morning, I went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and informed him about what I had done. He said, "That is the whiteness of the day and the darkness of the night."

لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ {وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ} [البقرة 187] مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ قَالَ عَمَدْتُ إِلَى عِقَالَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَسْوَدُ وَالْآخَرُ أَبْيَضُ فَجَعَلْتُهُمَا تَحْتَ وِسَادِي قَالَ ثُمَّ جَعَلْتُ أَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِمَا فَلَا تُبِينُ لِي الْأَسْوَدَ مِنَ الْأَبْيَضِ وَلَا الْأَبْيَضَ مِنَ الْأَسْوَدِ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحْتُ غَدَوْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ بِالَّذِي صَنَعْتُ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ وِسَادُكَ إِذًا لَعَرِيضًا إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ بَيَاضُ النَّهَارِ مِنْ سَوَادِ اللَّيْلِ

When the verse "Until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread" was revealed, I took a white rope and a black rope, and placed them beneath my pillow ; and then I looked at them, byt they were not clear to me. So I mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He laughed and said: Your pillow is so broad and lengthy ; that is (i.e. means) night and day. The version of the narrator 'Uthman has: That is the blackness of night and whiteness of day. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 2349)

لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ {حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ} مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ أَخَذْتُ عِقَالًا أَبْيَضَ وَعِقَالًا أَسْوَدَ فَوَضَعْتُهَا تَحْتَ وِسَادَتِي فَنَظَرْتُ فَلَمْ أَتَبَيَّنْ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَضَحِكَ وَقَالَ «إِنَّ وِسَادَكَ إِذًا لَعَرِيضٌ طَوِيلٌ إِنَّمَا هُوَ اللَّيْلُ»

When this verse was revealed." Eat and drink till the white streak becomes distinct from the dark streak for you," the person who decided to observe fast tied on one of his feet a black thread and on the other a white thread. And he went on eating and drinking till he could distinguish (between their colour) on seeing them. It was after this that Allah reveal- ed (the words): min al-fajr. And they (the Muslims) came to know that (the word khait) refers to the night and day. (Using translation from Muslim 1091b)

لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ {وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ} وَلَمْ يَنْزِلْ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ فَكَانَ رِجَالٌ إِذَا أَرَادُوا الصَّوْمَ رَبَطَ أَحَدُهُمْ فِي رِجْلَيْهِ الْخَيْطَ الْأَسْوَدَ وَالْخَيْطَ الْأَبْيَضَ فَلَا يَزَالُ يَأْكُلُ وَيَشْرَبُ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَيُّهُمَا فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ تَعَالَى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ {مِنَ الْفَجْرِ} فَعَلِمُوا أَنَّمَا يَعْنِي بِذَلِكَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ

[AI] "When this verse was revealed: 'until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct from the black thread [of night],' I took a black thread and a white thread and placed them under my pillow. Then I looked but I could not distinguish between them, so I mentioned that to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he laughed and said, 'Your pillow must be very wide and long. This refers to the night and the day.'"

لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ {حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ} أَخَذْتُ عِقَالًا أَسْوَدَ وَعِقَالًا أَبْيَضَ فَوَضَعْتُهُمَا تَحْتَ وِسَادَتِي فَنَظَرْتُ فَلَمْ أَتَبَيَّنْ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَضَحِكَ وَقَالَ «إِنَّ وِسَادَكَ إِذًا لَعَرِيضٌ طَوِيلٌ إِنَّمَا هَذَا اللَّيْلُ وَالنَّهَارُ»

[AI] When this verse was revealed, I took two ropes, one of them black and the other white, and placed them under my pillow. I raised them in the night but I could not distinguish the white from the black. I mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , and he said, "O son of Hatim, if your pillow had been truly wide, you would have been able to distinguish the white from the black. Allah only meant that you should eat and drink until the whiteness of the day can be distinguished from the darkness of the night."

لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ {وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ} أَخَذْتُ عِقَالَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا أسْوَدُ وَالْآخَرُ أَبْيَضُ فَوَضَعْتُهُمَا تَحْتَ وِسَادَتِي فَرَفَعَتْهُمَا فِي اللَّيْلِ فَلَمْ أَتَبَيَّنْ الْأَبْيَضَ مِنَ الْأَسْوَدِ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا ابْنَ حَاتِمٍ إِنَّ وِسَادَكَ إِذًا لَعَرِيضٌ إِنَّمَا قَالَ كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمْ بَيَاضُ النَّهَارِ مِنْ سَوَادِ اللَّيْلِ

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. (Using translation from Bukhārī 1917)

نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ {وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ} [البقرة 187] وَلَمْ يَنْزِلْ {مِنَ الْفَجْرِ} [البقرة 187] فَكَانَ رِجَالٌ إِذَا أَرَادُوا الصَّوْمَ رَبَطَ أَحَدُهُمْ فِي رِجْلِهِ الْخَيْطَ الْأَبْيَضَ وَالْخَيْطَ الْأَسْوَدَ وَلَا يَزَالُ يَأْكُلُ وَيُشْرَبُ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُ رُؤْيَتُهُمَا فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ {مِنَ الْفَجْرِ} [البقرة 187] فَعَلِمُوا أَنَّمَا يَعْنِي بِذَلِكَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ

[AI] "When the verse {And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]} [Surah Al-Baqarah: 187] was revealed, I hung two headbands, one white and one black, under my pillow. I would wake up at night and look, but it would not become clear to me. When morning came, I went to the Prophet ﷺ and informed him. He smiled and said, 'If your pillow is thick, then it is the whiteness of the day due to the darkness of the night.'"

لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ {وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ} [البقرة 187] مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ الْآيَةَ عَمَدْتُ إِلَى عِقَالَيْنِ عِقَالٍ أَبْيَضَ وَعِقَالٍ أَسْوَدَ فَجَعَلْتُهُمَا تَحْتَ وِسَادَتِي فَجَعَلْتُ أَقُومُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَأَنْظُرُ فَلَا يَتَبَيَّنُ لِي فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحْتُ غَدَوْتُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ فَضَحِكَ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ وِسَادُكَ لَعَرِيضًا إِنَّمَا ذَاكَ بَيَاضُ النَّهَارِ مِنْ سَوَادِ اللَّيْلِ

[AI] This verse was revealed {and eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread} [Surah Al-Baqarah 187], and it did not reveal {of dawn} [Surah Al-Baqarah 187]. He said, "There were men among us who, when they wanted to fast, would tie a white thread and a black thread around one of their legs. He would continue to eat and drink until he could distinguish between the two threads. Then Allah, the Most High, revealed after that {of dawn} [Surah Al-Baqarah 187], so they knew that it only meant the night and the day." Ibn Abi Maryam said, "Ibn Abi Hazim narrated to me from his father from Sahl bin Saad in a similar manner."

نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ {وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ} [البقرة 187] وَلَمْ يَنْزِلْ {مِنَ الْفَجْرِ} [البقرة 187] قَالَ وَكَانَ رِجَالٌ إِذَا أَرَادُوا الصَّوْمَ رَبَطَ أَحَدُهُمْ فِي رِجْلَيْهِ الْخَيْطَ الْأَبْيَضَ وَالْخَيْطَ الْأَسْوَدَ فَلَا يَزَالُ يَأْكُلُ وَيَشْرَبُ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُ رُؤْيَتُهُمَا فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ تَعَالَى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ {مِنَ الْفَجْرِ} [البقرة 187] فَعَلِمُوا أَنَّهُ إِنَّمَا يَعْنِي بِذَلِكَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ وَحَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ أَبِي حَازِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ بِنَحْوِهِ