1265/1 - Zayd ibn Khālid al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “He who provides a fasting person something with which to break his fast will earn the same reward as the fasting person, without diminishing the reward of the latter in the least.”
[Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)]
1) We should be keen to provide fasting people with some food to break their fast, given the great reward for doing so, especially when the fasting people are needy and poor.
2) It shows Allah’s immense mercy, as He records the full reward for someone who only participates in a part of a good deed.
1266/2 - Um ‘Umārah al-Ansāriyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) visited her, and she served him food. He said: “Eat.” She said: “I am fasting.” Thereupon, he said: “Indeed, the angels invoke Allah’s blessings upon a fasting person in whose place others eat, until they finish.” Or perhaps he said: “until they eat their fill.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan (sound)] [3]
1267/3 - Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) came to visit Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubādah, who brought some bread and oil. The Prophet ate and then said: “May the fasting people break their fast in your house; may the righteous eat your food; and may the angels ask forgiveness and mercy for you!”
[Narrated by Abu Dāwūd, with an authentic Isnād]
1) They show the merit of serving food to a fasting person at the time of breaking the fast. By virtue of doing so, the angels invoke Allah’s blessings and mercy for the host.
2) It is recommended to supplicate for a person who has entertained fasting people. They demonstrate the supplication to be made by the guest for his host.
3) The Shariah pays attention to etiquette and is careful to reward good-doers so that people will feel motivated to do good. A case in point is the refined etiquette of supplication to be said by a fasting person for the host who provided him with food to break his fast.
The Hadīth reported by Um ‘Umārah al-Ansāriyyah is inauthentic. Yet there is an authentic Hadīth carrying a similar meaning. It was narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah that ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr said: “When people eat in the house of a fasting person, the angels send blessings upon him.” This statement is regarded as attributed to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), because a Companion would not say such things merely on the basis of his personal opinion. This is emphasized by the Hadīth on the supplication to be said by the guest: “May the fasting people break their fast in your house; and may the angels ask forgiveness and mercy for you!”