The Virtues of Iftaar/Iftaari

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

In Shaa Allah you're having a lovely day ☺ Todays topic is on the virtues of Iftaar! 

Just as there are great blessings in the meal taken before beginning our fasts, likewise Iftaar (i.e. the breaking of the fast) has its own unique blessings. Hadhrat Umar (ra) narrates that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

'Not a single prayer made by a fasting person at the time of breaking fast is rejected'

(Ibn Majah)

SubhaanAllah, God is so Merciful! Truly, we are a blessed Ummah to be granted such a thing. Make the most of it - ask Allah swt for His Pardon, and surely He will forgive you :-)

Another example of how generous Allah swt is, is in the following Hadith; where Zaid ibn Khalid Juhni related that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

'He who provides for the breaking of the Siyam of another person earns the same merit as the one who was observing Siyam without diminishing in any way the reward of the latter.'
(Tirmidhi)

 So if you help prepare and give food to a fasting person to open their fast with, you get the same amount of reward as they do, without the reward of the fasting person being reduced. So all the more incentive for you to help your mum prepare food for Iftaar! Haha :D

Timing is also very important when it comes to breaking our fast so when the sun has begun to set, we should hasten to open our fasts, as Abu Hurayrah narrates that the holy Prophet (PBUH) said

'Allah, Mighty and Majestic said, 'The most beloved of my servants in my sight are those who hasten when breaking their fast.'
(Tirmidhi)

So loving is He, that Allah swt does not want you to prolong your hunger and thirst any longer than necessary. Alhamdulillah. :-) With regards to the sunnah of breaking our fasts, the Messenger (PBUH) said:

'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.'
(Mishkat)

We also know that dates have many health benefits too. The flesh of the date is soft, easily digestible, and filled with simple sugars such as dextrose and fructose, which when eaten helps replenish your energy quickly and revitalise your body ASAP. This is especially beneficial for when you have been fasting all day and need a quick pick me up before evening prayer.

SubhaanAllah, we can see that there is logic behind everything in Islam - and that's what I love about it! I hope I've helped you in some way or another today, In Shaa Allah. Don't forget to share this with your friends and pass it on to others ☺

Everything good in this post is from Allah swt, and any & all mistakes are mine.