During the fast eating and drinking, after the whiteness of the day becomes distinct from the blackness of the night, is prohibited until night.
In the beginning cohabitation between man and wife was not allowed for those who observed fast, whether night or day, but the future second Caliph (ra) and some other Companions confessed to the Holy Prophet (saw) that they had transgressed this prohibition.
“Our Lord! We have been unjust to ourselves; if You do not forgive us, and have mercy on us we shall be doomed.” [7:the Heights:23]
Through this verse [2:187] cohabitation between man and wife during the night was made lawful.
أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ الصِّيَامِ الرَّفَثُ إِلَى نِسَآئِكُمْ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ عَلِمَ اللّهُ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَخْتانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنكُمْ فَالآنَ بَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَابْتَغُواْ مَا كَتَبَ اللّهُ لَكُمْ وَكُلُواْ وَاشْرَبُواْ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّواْ الصِّيَامَ إِلَى الَّليْلِ وَلاَ تُبَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمْ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللّهِ فَلاَ تَقْرَبُوهَا كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللّهُ آيَاتِهِ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ
“Permitted to ye, on the night of the fasts, to go in unto your women. They are your garments and ye are their garments.
Allah knoweth what ye used to do secretly among yourselves -- acted unfaithfully to yourselves & deceiving yourselves in this respect; so He hath turned in mercy toward you and forgave you and relieved your burden.
So now hold intercourse with them and seek that which Allah hath ordained for you, and eat and drink until the white thread becometh distinct to you from the black thread of the dawn, then strictly observe the fast till nightfall and touch them not, but be at your devotions in the mosques. Those are the limits imposed by Allah, so approach them not.
Thus doth Allah make clear His communications for mankind that they may guard against evil, learn self-restraint.”
Allah knoweth what ye used to do secretly among yourselves -- acted unfaithfully to yourselves & deceiving yourselves in this respect; so He hath turned in mercy toward you and forgave you and relieved your burden.
So now hold intercourse with them and seek that which Allah hath ordained for you, and eat and drink until the white thread becometh distinct to you from the black thread of the dawn, then strictly observe the fast till nightfall and touch them not, but be at your devotions in the mosques. Those are the limits imposed by Allah, so approach them not.
Thus doth Allah make clear His communications for mankind that they may guard against evil, learn self-restraint.”
[2:the Cow:187]
Man's actions must follow certain patterns, starting with the gross, and gradually ascending to the subtlest of the subtle. There were very few truly obedient devotees of God who observed every command of Allah (swt), but the merciful Lord also takes into consideration the wishes of the "not so careful Muslims" – alhamdulilLah!
“Praise be to God who has revealed this truth to us; we would not have got it had He not shown it to us. Verily, the messengers of our Lord have come down with truth.” [7:the Heights:43]
