Breaking the Fast or Praying Maghrib?

Question: 366

Some Muslims have exaggerated about breaking their fast to the point that they miss the Magrib prayer; after eating dates comes the soup and juice and so on.

What is your advice with regard to such behavior?

Summary of answer

If the meal is put in front of you without your own intention being to miss the congregational prayer, then you can eat and drink, even if you miss the congregational prayer.

Answer

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and his family.

If the meal is put in front of a person without his own intention being to miss the congregational prayer, then he can eat and drink, even if he misses the Maghrib congregational prayer , based on the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), "If the meal is served and the prayer starts, begin with the meal." (Al-Bukhari, 631)

As for putting a large portion of food out purposely to miss the congregational prayer, this is the wrong approach and incorrect behavior.

Then what is the sunnah ? The sunnah is what is reported on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) "that he used to break the fast before he prayed with fresh dates, if there were no fresh dates then with dry dates, and if there were no dry dates, then he sipped from water." (At-Tirmidhi and others. He stated it was hasan, gharib hadith. Also Al-Albani declared it hasan in Sahih Al-Jami`,499).

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Source:

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid