Missing the Maghrib Prayer due to breaking fast

Missing the Maghrib Prayer due to breaking fast

Questioner says: In Ramadan I do not pray Maghrib with the congregation and that is because of the farness of the masjid and me being preoccupied with breaking fast. Keeping in mind that I pray all the rest of the obligatory prayers in the masjid with the congregation. So what is the ruling on this? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer: That which is obligatory upon you is to pray Maghrib in th masjid just like all the rest of the obligatory prayers if you are capable and you hear the call. Due to the saying of the Prophet, s`llahu 'alayhi wasallam: (Whoever hears The call and doesn't come, then he has no prayer except for an excuse.) It was said to ibn 'Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with them both, what is the excuse? He said: Sickness or fear.

And in Saheeh Muslim, the Prophet, sallahu 'alayhi wasallam, was asked by a blind man: (Oh Messenger of Allah, I do not have anyone to lead me to the masjid so is there any leave for me to pray in my home? The Prophet, sallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said to him: Do you hear the call for prayer? He said: Yes. The Prophet, sallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said: Then respond to it.) And in another narration other than Muslim, he, sallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said: (I do not find any leave for you (i.e. to do otherwise.)

So if the Prophet, sallahu 'alayhi wasallam, didn't permit for a blind person who doesn't have anyone to guide him (to the masjid), nor did he, sallahu 'alayhi wasallam, pardon him, then what about one who is (totally) capable of going to the masjid to pray and can see?! He is first and foremost not going to be excused.

So if you hear the call (i.e. the athaan), it is upon you to race (towards it). Eat from that which is easy for you from the fatoor (breakfast); three dates, five dates, whatever is easy then head for the prayer.

The Prophet, sallahu 'alayhi wasallam, and his Companions, may Allah be well pleased with them, used to break their fast then head out for the prayer (in jamaa'ah). Hence, you must do likewise. Break your fast with that which Allah makes easy for you then proceed to the prayer. However if the masjid is distant from you and you don't hear the athaan because of that, then you are excused. But if you drive to it (i.e. the prayer) and bear the difficulty (in that) it will be more virtuous and greater for your reward. And the intent by athaan is the normal athaan without the loudspeakers. The one where the voice is heard by the normal athaan and upright voice, the one when the voices subside (it) can be heard from your place (i.e. where you are at).

As for it -the athaan- being heard by way of the loudspeakers and it is far and you only hear it by way of that, then this doesn't concern you if it is far away. However if you were to go and endure the hardships or by driving in a car this is better for you and more superior.

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Reference:

Sheikh Bin Baaz

http://www.binbaz.org.sa/mat/15754

Translated by: Abu Fouzaan Qaasim

THE RULING ON EXTRAVAGANCE IN THE IFTAR

THE RULING ON EXTRAVAGANCE IN THE IFTAR 

Shaykh Salih al'Fawzan  حفظه الله

Question: Some people are extravagant in the food and drink. So we find the table full of different kinds of food?

Answer: “This opposes the Sunnah in the month of Ramadan. It is not a month of food and drink and satiety. Rather it is a month of fasting. He takes from the food what he needs during the iftar. As for having a variety of food and a variety of iftar and Ramadan then becomes a month of eating and drinking, not a month of fasting. One should lessen the food, especially since he will stand for the night and needs less food and drink. This is because if he fills his stomach with food and drink, he will be lazy for prayer and worship”.

الإسراف في الأكل والشراب في رمضان

السؤال: 

بعض الناس يسرفون في الأكل والأطعمة و الأشربة فنجد يعني الموائد مملؤه بالإصناف الطعام؟

الجواب:ـ هذا خلاف السنة شهر رمضان ليس شهر للأطعمة والأشربة وتخمة بل هو شهر الصيام يأخذ الأطعمة عند الإفطار ما يحتاج إليهِ أما تنويع الأطعمة وتنويع الإفطار، وكان شهر رمضان صار شهر للأكل وشرب ما هو شهر للصيام يخفف الأطعمة ولا سيما وأنهُ سيقوم من الليل ويحتاج من تخفيف الطعام والشرب لأنهُ وإذا ملأ بطنهُ بطعام وشراب كسل عن الصلاة والعبادة.   

http://www.alfawzan.af.org.sa/node/15610

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]