Laila-tul-Qadr (Laila-tul-Qadr), a devout Muslim man

Eleven virtues of Iftār

1.      Sayyidunā Saḥl Bin Sa‘d رَضِیَ اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ has narrated that the Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ has said, ‘People will always remain well as long as they hasten to do Iftār.’ (Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, pp. 645, vol. 1, Ḥadīś 1957)

Dear Islamic brothers! As soon as it is certain that the sun has set, one should instantly do Iftār by eating a date or drinking water etc. and recite the Du‘ā afterwards so that Iftār is not delayed.

2.      The Prophet of mankind, the Peace of our heart and mind, the most Generous and Kind صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ has said, ‘My Ummah will remain steadfast in my Sunnah as long as they do not wait for the stars to appear for Iftār.’

3.      Sayyidunā Abū Ḥuraīrah رَضِیَ اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ has narrated that the Prophet of Raḥmah, the Intercessor of Ummah صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ has said that Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has said, ‘Amongst My servants, the one hastening to do Iftār is dearer to me.’

اِنْ شَـآءَ اللہ عَزَّوَجَلَّ If you want to be dear to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, do not engage yourselves in any activity at the time of Iftār and do Iftār instantly.

4.      Sayyidunā Anas Bin Mālik رَضِیَ اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ has said, ‘I never saw the Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ offer the Maghrib Ṣalāh before eating Iftār, he would first do Iftār even though with a sip of water.’

5.      Sayyidunā Abū Ḥuraīrah رَضِیَ اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ has narrated that the Noble Rasūl صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ warned: ‘This religion will always remain dominant as long as people hasten to do Iftār because the Jews and Christians delay their Iftār.’

Dear Islamic brothers! This Ḥadīś shows that one should do Iftār without any delay. Delaying Iftār is a practice of the Jews and Christians and we have been prohibited to follow them.

6.      Sayyidunā Zaid Bin Khālid Juḥanī رَضِیَ اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ has narrated that the Prophet of Raḥmah, the Intercessor of Ummah, the Owner of Jannah صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ has said:

مَنْ جَهَّزَ غَازِيًا اَوْ حَاجًّا اَوْ خَلَفَهُ فِیْ اَہْلِہِ اَوْ فَطَّرَ صَائِمًا کَانَ لَہُ مِثْلُ اَجْرِہِ مِنْ غَیْرِ اَنْ يَّنْقُصَ مِنْ اُجُوْرِہِمْ شَيْءٌ

Translation: Anyone who gives provisions to a Ghāzī or a Hajj pilgrim or looks after his family in his absence or serves a fasting person with Iftār, will be rewarded the same as him without any reduction in their reward. (Sunan Kubrā lin-Nasāī, pp. 256, vol. 2, Ḥadīś 3330)

What glad tidings! Whoever furnishes a Ghāzī with provisions will be rewarded the same as him, whoever financially assists a Hajj pilgrim will be rewarded the same as him, and whoever serves a fasting person with Iftār will be rewarded the same as him; and there will be no reduction in their rewards.

However, it must be remembered that asking people for money in order to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah is Ḥarām and it is also a sin to give anything to such a person.

Excellent reward for serving someone with Iftār

7. Sayyidunā Salmān Fārsī رَضِیَ اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ has narrated that the Beloved and Blessed Rasūl صَلَّى اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ has said, ‘If anyone serves a fasting Muslim with Iftār, angels will pray for his forgiveness in Ramadan, and Jibrāīl عَلَیْہِ السَّلَام will pray for his forgiveness at Laila-tul-Qadr.’

Look how great and magnificent the blessings and bounties of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ are! If a Muslim provides someone with a date or a sip of water for Iftār in the month of Ramadan, the angels of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ pray for his forgiveness in Ramadan and Sayyidunā Jibrāīl عَلَیْہِ السَّلَام, the chief of all the angels, also prays for his forgiveness at Laila-tul-Qadr.

Jibrāīl عَلَیْہِ السَّلَام shakes hand with one serving Iftār

8. According to a narration, ‘If anyone serves a person with Iftār in Ramadan with Ḥalāl earnings, the angels will send Durūd upon him at every night of Ramadan, and Jibrāīl عَلَیْہِ السَّلَام will shake his hands with such a person at Laila-tul-Qadr. If Jibrāīl عَلَیْہِ السَّلَام shakes hands with a person, his eyes will shed tears (due to the fear of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ) and his heart will become soft.’

Excellence of serving fasting Muslim with water

9. Another Ḥadīś states, ‘If anyone serves a fasting Muslim with water, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will make him drink water from my pond (Ḥawḍ) and he will not feel thirst till he enters Heaven.’ (Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymaĥ, pp. 192, vol. 3, Ḥadīš 1887)

10.  Sayyidunā Salmān Bin ‘Āmir رَضِیَ اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ has narrated that the Prophet of mankind, the Peace of our heart and mind, the most Generous and Kind صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ has said, ‘When you do Iftār, do it with a fresh or dry date because it is blessed and if you have neither, then do Iftār with water because it is a purifier.’ (Jāmi‘ Tirmizī, pp. 162, vol. 2, Ḥadīš 695)

This blessed Ḥadīš encourages us to do Iftār with fresh or dried dates because it is Sunnah to do so, but if you have neither of them, use water because it is a purifier.

11.  Sayyidunā Anas رَضِیَ اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ has narrated that the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ used to do Iftār with fresh dates before the (Maghrib) Ṣalāh. If the fresh dates were not available he صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ would eat a few dry dates instead and if they were not available either, he would drink a few handfuls of water. (Sunan Abī Dāwūd, pp. 447, vol. 2, Ḥadīš 2356)

The foregoing blessed Ḥadīš describes that the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ would initially prefer fresh dates for Iftār, if they weren’t available then dry dates and if they weren’t available either, then he صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ would drink water. Therefore, we should first attempt to do Iftār with sweet fresh dates, which is a sweet Sunnah of the Noble Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ. If they aren’t available, then dry dates and if they aren’t available either, then water.

Dear Islamic brothers! Many blessed Aḥādīš encourage us to use dates at Saḥarī and Iftār. Eating dates, drinking dates-soaked water and using dates as a cure are all Sunnahs. Dates contain innumerable blessings and cures for numerous illnesses.