1233/1 - Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “People will retain goodness as long as they hasten to break their fast.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1234/2 - Abu ‘Atiyyah reported: I and Masrūq went to ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), and Masrūq said to her: “There are two of the Companions of Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) who never stop to pursue what is good; as of them hastens to perform the Maghrib prayer and break the fast, while the other delays the Maghrib prayer and break the fast.” She said: “Who hastens to perform the Maghrib prayer and break the fast?” He said: ‘Abdullāh,’ – meaning Ibn Mas‘ūd. She said: “This is what the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings) used to do.” [Narrated by Muslim]
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1235/3 - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah Almighty said: ‘The most beloved of My servants to me are those who hasten to break their fast.’” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan (sound)] [2]
1) Hastening to break the fast is a sign of goodness in this Ummah and a trait that Allah loves and is pleased with.
2) The Prophet’s statements and actions urge us to hasten to break the fast. The fortunate amongst us are those who adhere to the Prophet’s Sunnah.
1236/4 - ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When the night approaches from this side, and the day retreats from that side, and the sun sets, then it is time for the fasting person to break his fast.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1237/5 - Abu Ibrāhīm ‘Abdullāh ibn Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: We were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) on a journey and he was observing fasting. When the sun set, he said to a person: “O so-and-so, dismount and prepare the ground roasted barley drink for us.” He replied: “O Messenger of Allah, there is daylight still.” The Messenger said: “Dismount and prepare barley drink for us.” He said: “But it is still daytime.” The Messenger again said to him: “Dismount and prepare barely drink for us.” So, he dismounted and prepared a barley drink for them. The Prophet drank that and then said: “When you perceive that the night approaching from that side, a fasting person should break the fast.” And he pointed with his hand towards the east. [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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1) It is recommended to hasten in breaking the fast when the night approaches and the sun sets, even if some of its light is still remaining.
2) We have to obey the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and comply with his command, even if our minds do not recognize the wisdom behind it. A sign of a person’s guidance is his full submission to the texts of Shariah.
{But no, by your Lord, they will not believe until they accept you [O Prophet] as judge in their disputes, and find no discomfort within their hearts about your judgments, but accept them wholeheartedly.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 65]
1238/6 - The Companion Salmān ibn ‘Āmir Ad-Dabbi (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When anyone of you breaks his fast, let him break it with dates; if he cannot find any, let him break his fast with water, for it is pure.”
[Narrated by Abu Dāwūd and Al-Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)]
1239/7 - Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to break his fast before praying with fresh dates. If there were no fresh dates, he would have dried dates; and if there were no dried dates, he would drink a few sips of water.” [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd and Al-Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hasan (sound)]
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1) It is better for a fasting person to break his fast with fresh dates; and if he cannot find any, he may break his fast with dried dates. If he cannot find it still, he may break his fast with water. In doing so, he complies with the Prophet’s command and maintains his health, for the body readily accepts sweet stuff after the long period without food.
2) If a person cannot find what to break his fast therewith, he can hold the intention of breaking the fast in his heart until he finds something to eat.
As we tackled Hadīth No. (332), we pointed out the weakness of the Hadīth reported by Salmān ibn ‘Āmir, who is mentioned here, and that this is not an authentic statement by the Prophet. Rather, it is a practice of the Prophet narrated by Al-Tirmidhi that, “He used to break his fast before praying by having fresh dates. If there were no fresh dates, he would have dried dates; and if there were no dried dates, he would drink a few sips of water.”