Fatwa ID: 08453
Answered by: Alimah Maryam Badshah
Question:
Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani (RA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever provides the Iftar for a fasting person, then for him is the same reward as him (the fasting person), without anything being diminished from the reward of the fasting person.”
According to this hadith, what qualifies as ‘providing Iftar’ to a fasting person? To receive the promised reward, must one offer both the item used to break the fast as well as a meal in line with expected customary standards?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
The Hadeeth you have mentioned is found in both Jāmi’ at-Tirmizhī and Sunan Ibn Majah and has been graded as Sahih. According to the commentary of Jāmi’ at-Tirmizhī, in order to fulfill the conditions of the hadeeth above and gain its blessed reward, it is not necessary for a person to feed another to their fill. While a person can break another’s fast with just a date or water, if one is able to give more, such as a meal, it would be considered more generous and rewardable.
References:
حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحِيمِ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ أَبِي سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ مَنْ فَطَّرَ صَائِمًا كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِهِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَنْقُصُ مِنْ أَجْرِ الصَّائِمِ شَيْئًا ” . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Jāmi’ at-Tirmidhī 807 (Bk.8, ch.82, sunnah.com)/(Vol.2, ch.82, pg.232-3, Darussalam)
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى، وَخَالِي، يَعْلَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ، وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنْ حَجَّاجٍ، كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ “ مَنْ فَطَّرَ صَائِمًا كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِهِمْ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَنْقُصَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْئًا ” .
Sunan Ibn Majah 1746 (Bk.7, ch.45, sunnah.com)
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Alimah Maryam Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
