Almost all Indonesian Muslims have surely heard the word imsak. Some might even be startled when they suddenly hear a loud shout of “imsaaaaak” or a siren going off right when they’re enjoying their pre-dawn meal. When that happens, they suddenly panic, hurriedly gulp down water, and might even choke. Haha… Wait, but imsak isn’t the cutoff time for the pre-dawn meal!
Maybe because it’s become part of the culture—aka “Ramadan Kalcer”—most people don’t really understand that imsak isn’t the cutoff for suhoor. In fact, imsak isn’t a “red light” or a signal that fasting has begun. So what exactly is imsak? Let’s break down this “Ramadan Kalcer” phenomenon so your suhoor can be more peaceful!
The Origins of the Imsak Tradition
Referring to the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) which states:
“Narrated by Qatadah, from Anas bin Malik, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Zaid bin Thabit ate suhoor together. After they finished eating suhoor, he then stood up to perform prayer. We [the Companions] asked Anas, ‘How long was the interval between finishing suhoor and their performing prayer?’ Anas bin Malik replied, ‘About the time it takes to recite fifty verses.’”
(HR Al-Bukhari)
We won’t find the word imsak at all. However, there is an implicit indication that can be interpreted to mean the Prophet Muhammad finished his pre-dawn meal and allowed a duration of time between the end of the meal and the Fajr call to prayer equivalent to about 50 recitations of Quranic verses.
In the past, counting the number of Quranic verses was a method of measuring time, before the advent of technology known as the clock. Although difficult for the average person to define, it was the easiest option at the time. Now, back then, 50 verses were equivalent to about 10 to 15 minutes.
The act of abstaining as preparation for the Subuh call to prayer performed by the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not have a specific term. However, substantively, this activity is the same as the imsak practice in Indonesia. The term “imsak” itself is borrowed from Arabic, but its meaning differs from that in Islamic jurisprudence. Imsak in fiqh literature refers to the concept of fasting, namely refraining from things that invalidate the fast, such as eating, drinking, sexual intercourse, intentional vomiting, and so on.
Thus, it is clear that imsak has a textual basis in the Prophet’s hadith; it is just that the term used by Indonesians differs from the fiqh terminology. And most importantly, imsak is not the cutoff time for the pre-dawn meal. Furthermore, the hadith above also emphasizes that the cutoff for the pre-dawn meal is the appearance of dawn or the time of Fajr prayer.
Ibn Hajar explains:
“The author indicates that the first time of dawn is when dawn breaks, as that is the time when eating and drinking are prohibited. Meanwhile, the interval between the end of suhoor and the onset of prayer time—which is the duration of reciting 50 verses or the like, approximately one-third of a fifth of an hour (4 minutes)—may be equivalent to the time taken for wudu.”
(Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqallani in Fath al-Bari)
Imsak Is Not the Deadline for Suhoor
- The Tradition of Imsak Through the Ages
In Indonesia, imsak has become part of the culture. Long before smartphone notifications existed, scholars across the archipelago established the imsak time as a reminder for the community. The purpose is noble: to give us a buffer period to prepare, clean up food remnants, and not be “caught off guard” when the Subuh call to prayer arrives. Thus, imsak is a local expression of care to ensure our worship remains intact.
