It is Recommended to Break Fast with Moist Dates

It is Recommended to Break Fast with Moist Dates  

By the Muhaddith, Shaykh, Allamaa’ Muhammad Nasir uddeen al-Albaani

Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya

From Anas bin Malik -Radi Allaahu anhu- ‘that the Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- used to break fast upon a few moist dates before he would pray, if there were no moist dates then he would break fast upon a few dry dates, and if there were none then he would take a few sips of water.’ 

Collected by Imam Ahmad, and others from the collectors of the Sunan with a Hasan hadeeth from Anas bin Malik -Radi Allaahu anhu.
 

It was graded Hasan by Tirmidhi, and authenticated by al-Hakim, Dhahabi and Deeyah in ‘al-Mukhtar’. I researched this narration in detail in ‘al-Irwaa’ and ‘Saheeh Abi Dawood’.

The aim of mentioning this hadeeth along with a brief research was indeed as a reminder of this Sunnah which many fasting people have neglected especially those who are generally invited to break fast at someone’s house and they prepare delicious, fine food and drink. 

As for presenting moist dates or dry dates then this is rare, and not even mentioned. What is more disliked than that is being negligent of making Iftaar by taking sips of water. So may Allaah give a tree in Paradise for the one who is amongst [Zumar: 18]
 

 [Taken from: ‘Silsilah as-Saheehah’ No. 2840]