Abu Huraira said that God’s messenger forbade uninterrupted fasting, and when a man said, “You fast uninterruptedly, messenger of God,” he replied, “Which of you is like me? During the night my Lord gives me food and drink.”
‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “When the night approaches on this side and the day retreats on that side and the sun sets, he who fasts has reached the time to break it.”
Hafsa reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who does not before dawn express his intention of fasting is not credited with it.”
Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Darimi transmitted it. Abu Dawud said that Ma'mar, az-Zubaidi, Ibn ‘Uyaina and Yunus al-Aili, all of whom got it on Zuhri’s authority, traced it no farther back than Hafsa.
Sahl reported God’s messenger as saying, “The people will continue to prosper as long as they hasten the breaking of the fast.”*
*This refers to each day during Ramadan, and recommends that the fast should be broken as early as that may lawfully be done.
