Fatwa ID: 06463

Answered by: Maulana Abdul Malik

Question:

Giving someone iftar or sehri if there are three kinds of foods in it (ie fruits, meat, and date) all three bought from three different people.

So if the person who had fast, ate all foods but started from date. So the sawab of giving iftar and sehri will get the only person who gave date or everyone?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

One of the ways to increase rewards in the month of Ramadan is to provide others with food and drink to begin and end the fast (Sahur and Iftar)

It is reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever provides the food for a fasting person to break his fast with, then for him is the same reward as his (the fasting person’s), without anything being diminished from the reward of the fasting person.” (Jami’ at Tirmdhi, hadith # 807)[1]

It is permissible to provide different types of food for Sahur and Iftar, however dates and water would be preferable whenever available.

Regarding food that used to begin the fast (Sahur); Abu Huraira reported Allah’s messenger as saying, “How good is the believer’s meal of dates shortly before dawn!” (Mishkat al Masabih, 1998)[2]

With regards to breaking the fast (Iftar); Salman b. ‘Amir reported Allah’s messenger as saying, “When one of you breaks his fast he should do so with dates for they provide blessing; but if he cannot get any he should break his fast with water for it is purifying.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, and Darimi transmitted it, but only Tirmidhi included “for they provide blessing.” (Mishkat al Masabih, 1990)[3]

If different food is provided for Sahur and Iftar by different individuals then each person will receive rewards for those who begin and break their fast using the food provided. However, it would be preferable to provide dates and water.

A good solution would be for each individual to provide some dates and water with other foods so each person will be providing the best thing to start and end the fast.

[1] 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 ‏”

[2] وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «نِعْمَ سَحُورُ الْمُؤْمِنَ التَّمْرُ»

[3] وَعَنْ سَلْمَانَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا أَفْطَرَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيُفْطِرْ عَلَى تَمْرٍ فَإِنَّهُ بَرَكَةٌ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَلْيُفْطِرْ عَلَى مَاءٍ فَإِنَّهُ طَهُورٌ» .

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Maulana Abdul Malik

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham