Do You Break Iftar After Prayers?

[Ali-F]

Salam.

 

What's the best thing to do in your opinion regarding breaking iftar before or after prayers?

 

I thought of doing it after prayers, because otherwise I would lose my concentration (think about the food), and I would also like to read duas etc. which would take like, 15 min extra, and I would delay the sitting with my family. 

 

But then we have the talk about "praying on time". Hm.. I don't know what I exactly should do.

 

Maybe pray maghrib first, short duas, and then eat, and then pray again.

 

But, what do you do?

[Ghulam e Ale Mohammad]

Personally I pray before eating coz after eating you become lazy and dull. If there are members of your family waiting for you, pray Maghrib prayer then go eat and then pray Isha after. 

[Al-Hassan]

This is what works for me:

1) Break fast with dates

2) Drink a cup of cold water

3) Eat soup

All the above should take less than 10 minutes. At this point, the dates, soup, water should give you enough energy to make you get up and go pray while temporarily filling you up to make you not think of food extremely during Salat. After that, you do the following:

4) Go pray Maghreb

5) Go back to finish eating Iftar

6) Pray 'Isha

Try it and see if it works.

[Al-Englisi]

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 

و عليكم السلام

 

It's mustahab (recommended) to pray before breaking your fast. 

 

السؤال: هل تأخير الإفطار إلى بعد صلاة المغرب والعشاء مستحب ؟

الجواب: نعم يستحب ذلك .

http://www.sistani.org/arabic/qa/02340/

Question: Is delaying Iftar until after Maghrib and `Ishaa prayers recommended (mustahab)?

Answer: Yes, to do so is Mustahab

 

We also have narrations to support this. The discussion however is that does it mean it's mustahab to break after `Ishaa prayers at the actual time of `Ishaa, or is the same reward given for breaking it when you join your `Ishaa with maghrib.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Al-Englisi

[Haydar Husayn]

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 

و عليكم السلام

 

It's mustahab (recommended) to pray before breaking your fast. 

 

السؤال: هل تأخير الإفطار إلى بعد صلاة المغرب والعشاء مستحب ؟

الجواب: نعم يستحب ذلك .

http://www.sistani.org/arabic/qa/02340/

Question: Is delaying Iftar until after Maghrib and `Ishaa prayers recommended (mustahab)?

Answer: Yes, to do so is Mustahab

 

We also have narrations to support this. The discussion however is that does it mean it's mustahab to break after `Ishaa prayers at the actual time of `Ishaa, or is the same reward given for breaking it when you join your `Ishaa with maghrib.

Do the narrations mention that it is better to break the fast after the Ishaa prayer? I thought that it was after the Maghrib prayer, although if people join the prayers it would be after Maghrib and Ishaa.

[Al-Englisi]

Do the narrations mention that it is better to break the fast after the Ishaa prayer? I thought that it was after the Maghrib prayer, although if people join the prayers it would be after Maghrib and Ishaa.

 

I looked into this about two months ago, and the word used (if i remember correctly) was `Isha'ayn, which would refer to both maghrib and `ishaa. This is also the term used by Sayyid al-Khu'i and Sayyid al-Imam in their verdicts. 

 

For me it was not clear that which `Ishaa was being referred to, because the term `Ishaa'ayn also refers to when you join the prayers together and isn't necessarily talking about the two prayers in their separate times. 

[Sumerian]

I eat before, I just can't wait...

[Mirkhalil]

We have many traditions in regarding this issue, so at first I will mention them and then I will try to conclude Inshallah.

There are some hadiths about breaking fast as soon as possible as it follows:

قال رسول الله‏ صلى‏الله‏علیه‏و‏آله: لا یَزالُ النّاسُ بِخَیرٍ ما عَجَّلُوا الفِطرَ

- قال رسول الله‏ صلى‏الله‏علیه‏و‏آله: عَجِّلُوا الإِفطارَ و أخِّرُوا السَّحورَ .

- قال رسول الله صلى‏الله‏علیه‏و‏آله: مِن فِقهِ الرَّجُلِ فی دینِهِ تَعجیلُ فِطرِهِ و تَأخیرُ سَحورِهِ.

In contrary, there are many emphases on doing prayer at its proper time. We have hadiths which say it is Mustahab for a man to break fast after his prayer.

So if we want to gather between these hadiths, we should say it is better to have Iftar after prayer except in two situations:

First if some people are waiting for you, you can postpone it. As Imam Baqir (a.s) says "In month of Ramadan you should pray and break your fast except if some people are waiting for you.

عن الإمام الباقر علیه‏السلام: «فی رَمَضانَ تُصَلّی ثُمَّ تُفطِرُ ، إلاّ أن تَكونَ مَعَ قَومٍ یَنتَظِرونَ الإِفطارَ، فَإِن كُنتَ مَعَهُم فَلا تُخالِف عَلَیهِم و أفطِر ثُمَّ صَلِّ، و إلاّ فَابدَأ بِالصَّلاةِ.»    قُلتُ: ولِمَ ذلِكَ؟ قالَ: «لِأَنَّهُ قَد حَضَرَكَ فَرضانِ: الإِفطارُ وَالصَّلاةُ، فَابدَأ بِأَفضَلِهِما، و أفضَلُهُمَا الصَّلاةُ.»  ثُمَّ قالَ: «تُصَلّی و أنتَ صائِمٌ فَتُكتَبُ صَلاتُكَ تِلكَ فَتُختَمُ بِالصَّومِ، أحَبُّ إلَیَّ.

The second situation is that when you don't have the presence of the heart. So it is better to do prayer by the presence of the heart.

[Haydar Husayn]

I looked into this about two months ago, and the word used (if i remember correctly) was `Isha'ayn, which would refer to both maghrib and `ishaa. This is also the term used by Sayyid al-Khu'i and Sayyid al-Imam in their verdicts.

For me it was not clear that which `Ishaa was being referred to, because the term `Ishaa'ayn also refers to when you join the prayers together and isn't necessarily talking about the two prayers in their separate times.

Thanks. I would assume that it is referring to when you combine prayers, because if you pray them separately it would seem strange that it would be better to not break your fast until after Ishaa.

Anyway, unless I'm absolutely starving, I tend to pray Maghrib, break my fast, and then pray Ishaa.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Haydar Husayn

[guest2k16]

I personally prefer to Break my fast, eat & then pray, because if i pray before i break my fast, i would lose my concentration as well, & all i think about is food, so i just try to pray fast to finish quickly, & then i'd always regret it later for praying fast & not concentrating.

 

So i would rather eat first, & then quickly go to pray after it, even though i do feel super full & lazy after that, but it's much better because i'd start concentrating when i'm praying, I'd have more time to read Duaa & pray my Qatha. 

Edited June 19, 2015 by Rosiee

[Sumerian]

فقد دل على استحباب التأخير صحيحة الحلبي عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام إنه سئل عن الافطار أقبل الصلاة أو بعدها؟ قال: فقال إن كان معه قوم يخشى أن يحبسهم عن عشائهم فليفطر معهم، وإن كان غير ذلك فليصل ثم ليفطر، وعلى أنه تكتب الصلاة صلاة الصائم موثقة زرارة وفضيل (وهي موثقة باعتبار علي بن الحسن بن فضال) عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام في رمضان تصلي ثم تفطر إلا أن تكون مع قوم ينتظرون الافطار، فإن كنت تفطر معهم فلا تخالف عليهم فأفطر ثم صل وإلا فابدء بالصلاة، قلت: ولم ذلك؟ قال لأنه قد حضرك فرضان الافطار والصلاة فابدء بأفضلهما، وأفضلهما الصلاة، ثم قال: تصلي وأنت صائم فتكتب صلاتك تلك فتختم بالصوم أحب إلي

 

 

 

Sayyed al-Khoei (ra) said this is sahih.

 

This is narrated in Kitab al-Kafi, Wasa'il al-Shi'a and I think Man La Yahdaruhu al-Faqih.

 

Basically, it is better to pray before breaking your fast, unless you are with a group of people whom are waiting for iftar. 

 

From what I understand, meaning that you praying would make them wait on their dinner, and I don't know. Perhaps someone else can shed some light on this.

Edited June 19, 2015 by al-Ibrahimi

[mina]

Isn't it also mustahab to break the fast "on time"?

Mostly I break my fast with water and a date and pray maghreb and isha,then eat and then read smthg or make dua.

[Al-Hassan]

^That's what I thought as well before.

[Al-Hussayni]

^ Indeed, I normally pray maghrib, then break the fast with dates, then pray 'Isha, then eat. 

[mina]

^That's what I thought as well before.

Are we wrong with that?

[Al-Englisi]

^ According to the verdict i shared, and others i've seen, and the narrations on the topic, i would say; yes :P

 

The narrations the brother posted before do not contradict what has been mentioned and do not seem to be regarding prayer vs iftaar, rather what is preferred for iftaar and suhur. 

 

The mustahab time to break fast in normal circumstances seems to be after prayers. 

[Sumerian]

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir [a] said,

 

"The salat is given priority over the iftar, unless you are with a group who are beginning with the iftar, then do not act contrary to them - break your fast with them. Otherwise, begin with the salat, for it is better than the iftar, and your salat being written while you are a faster is more beloved to me."

 

(Wasa'il ash-Shi`a)

 

Translation by brother Qa'im.

Edited June 26, 2015 by al-Ibrahimi

[Sumerian]

Issue 1759: It is Mustahab that a person breaks his fast after offering Maghrib and Isha prayers. However, if he feels terribly inclined to eat, so much that he cannot concentrate on the prayers, or if someone is waiting for him, it is better that he should break his fast first and offer the prayers later. However, as far as possible, he should try to offer the prayers during the prime time (Fadheelat).

 

http://www.sistani.org/english/book/48/2284/

[Hameedeh]

Break the fast by eating a date. Drink half a cup of water or tea. Pray maghrib and isha, then eat the iftar meal. May Allah SWT accept your fasting.

[aliyah21]

I've always prayed Maghrib and Isha before opening my fast for two reasons; I'm usually too lazy after eating, and because the prayer offered from a fasting person is better. 

 

Imam Baqir (AS) has said, "It is better in the month of Ramadhan to pray then break your fast unless there are people waiting for you to break their fast. Then do not disagree with them. Break your fast with them and then pray, otherwise, offer your prayer first."

 

The Imam (AS) also explained why praying before opening your fast is better: 

"This is because the time for two obligations has arrived; breaking the fast and Salat and I would prefer to begin with the more virtuous of the two. Obviously, Salat is more virtuous. When you pray whilst you are still fasting, your Salat will be written as the Salat of a fasting person which is more desirable to me."