Suhoor - The Pre-Dawn Meal

ITS WISDOM

Allah has made fasting obligatory upon us, just as it was prescribed for the People of the Book before us. Allah, the most high says:
"Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious" Sooratul-Baqarah (2):183

Originally the time of fasting and its rulings were in accordance with what was prescribed for the People of the Book. It was not permissible to eat, drink or have sexual intercourse after one had slept meaning that if one fell asleep before eating then he could not eat until the next evening, and this was also prescribed for the Muslims as has preceded.

When this was abrogated the Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered the taking of Suhoor as a distinction between our fast and that of the People of the Book.
From Amir ibn al-Aas radiyallah 'anhu, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"The distinction between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is the taking of the pre-dawn meal (suhoor)" Muslim 1096

ITS EXCELLENCE

From Salmaan, radiyallah 'anhu, who said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Blessing is in three: the Jamaa'ah, ath-thareed (a broth of crumbled bread and meat) and the Suhoor" Reported by Tabaraanee in al0Kabeer 6127

Fron Abdhullah ibn al-Haarith, from a man of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) who said:
I entered upon the Prophet (peace be upon him) and he was taking the suhoor and he said : "It is a blessing which Allah has given to you, so do not leave it" Repoted by ash-Sheeraazee in al-Alqaab

Perhaps the greatest blessing of suhoor is that Allah, the Most High, covers them with His forgiveness and send His Mercy upon them. The angels of the Most Merciful ask for forgiveness for them, so that they maybe granted freedom from the Fire by the Most Merciful in the month of the Quran.

From Aboo Sa'eed al Khudree, radiyallah 'anhu, who said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The suhoor is a meal of blessings, so do not leave it, even if one of you just takes a (gulp) of water, since Allah sends mercy and His angels seek forgiveness for those who take the suhoor" Ahmad (3/12 and 44)
DELAYING THE SUHOOR
Anas, radiyallah 'anhu, reports from Zayd ibn Thaabit that he said: We ate suhoor along with the Prophet (peace be upon him), then he stood up for the prayer, I said: "How much time was there between the adhaan (call to prayer) and the suhoor?"
He (peace be upon him) said: "The interval was sufficient to recite fifty Aaayat" Bukhari (4/18) and Muslim 1097

ITS RULING

The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave an emphatic order for one wishing to fast that he should take suhoor, so he (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever wishes to fast then let him take something to eat as suhoor" Ahmad 3/438

Then he (peace be upon him) explained the value of suhoor to his Ummah, saying : "The disctinction between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is the taking of the suhoor" Muslim 1096

We see that the Prophet's (peace be upon him) order is heavily emphasised in three ways:
1. The Order itself;
2. That it is a sign of the fasting of the Muslims and the disctinction between their fast and the fast of others; and
3. The forbiddance of leaving it.

These are strong indications and clear evidence, yet despite all this al-Haafidh ibn Hajr reports in Fathul-Baaree (4/139) that there is Ijmaa' that it is (no more than) a recommendation (mustahabb)! And Allah knows best.