إدريس عبدالله
_30 _May _2016هـ الموافق 30-05-2016م, 11:21 PM
I would love to share with you a glimpse of the dining table of the noble prophet (PBUH) in the month of Ramadan with the aim of complying with the verse of the Qur'an calling for emulation of the prophet (PBUH), in which Allah said: "Verily, there has been in the prophet (PBUH) an example (to follow) for whoever desires Allah and the Last Day…" (Al-Ahzab: 21).
It is worth being with him (PBUH) as he takes his sahur and iftar, perhaps we may benefit from his noble characters.
The very first point I would love to begin with is that the prophet (PBUH) used to break his fast with date nut or water, then observe his maghrib before sitting down for a full meal.
But most people misunderstand the hadith that says "The prophet (PBUH) used to break his fast before praying (i.e. maghrib)" and thus they take their full meal before maghrib prayers. This generally makes them observe the maghrib in its later hours, which is an unfortunate situation.
The meaning of the words that he (PBUH) used to break his fast before observing maghrib simply means that he ended his fast with some date nuts or water and then observed his maghrib before sitting down for a real meal. The hadith reported about Ibn Atiyyah is a proof to this fact. Ibn Atiyyah said that he and Masruq once walked up to the mother of the believers, Aishah (Allah be pleased with her) and asked her that there are two men who are both full of virtues. One of them delays the iftar and maghrib prayers while the other one hastens in his iftar and prays quick; and they wanted to know which was better. Aishah asked them: "Who was the one who hastens his iftar and prayed quick his maghrib? They answered: Abdullah bin Mas'ud." She said: "That was how the prophet (PBUH) used to do it". And the second person was Abu Musa…
One can see that the intent of the hadith is that you break your fast with something like date nut or water to get the veins moist and before you are through with salat, the stomach is set and ready for proper meal.
The prophet (PBUH) was reported to usually break his fast with fresh date nuts (Rutab); and in the absence of that, he used the dry ones (tamr); and if not found, then some water.
The great benefit derived from taking in something sweet first in a stomach that have been empty for a period of time is known very well to specialists. This was exactly what the prophet (PBUH) taught his ummah and encouraged them to do by using rutab or tamr as the first thing for breaking fast.
On the other hand, taking water first into an empty stomach is also very beneficial. When the water enters the stomach, it wets it and make it prepared for a good work on a full meal thereafter. This is why it is advised that a hungry and thirsty person should start with some water before later eating food. The prophet said: "Whoever breaks his fast should do it with date nuts for it is a blessing from God; and if cannot find, then with some water for it is pure."
The prophet (PBUH) also urged us to take sahur as well as it being delayed to the last point. Taking in some food and water at the last point before dawn helps the fasting person to bear the hunger of fast through the day. He gets some energy to combine fasting with his normal daily activities. Thus his daily work goes on as well as his duty to fast met. This is why the prophet (PBUH) would always say: "Take sahur for in (taking) it is blessing."
He also said: "Take sahur even if it were a gulp of water."
The iftar food is blessed as said by the prophet (PBUH) in the sense that it gives the fasting person energy to fast and do other of his daily activities throughout the day. It is also food taken with the intention of worship, which grants it a special status. That is why he (PBUH) said: "Seek help with the food of sahur for the fast of the day, and seek help with afternoon nap for the night salat."
The eating of sahur is a unique feature of this nation of ours. The previous nations were not allowed to eat food while fasting. The prophet (PBUH) was reported to have said that "The difference between our fast and that of the people of the Book is the eating of sahur."
The prophet (PBUH) used to eat his sahur and had only about twenty minutes to sabh prayers. Zaid bin Thabit said that they took sahur with the prophet (PBUH) and he immediately went for salat. They asked 'How long was it the period in between?" He replied: "A period enough for reading about fifty ayahs of the Qur'an".
The prophet (PBUH) would say while breaking his fast "O Allah! For You I fasted, and in You I believe; and with Your provision I break my fast; and in You I trust. Thirst has ended; and the veins watered; and the reward firm by the grace of Allah."
He (PBUH) made the relationship of the believer with his Lord a very serious and crucial matter, such that in all his affairs he is one way or the other got drawn close to his Lord.
He (PBUH) never condemned a food. If he liked it he ate it and if he detested it he would simply leave it without a comment or would say "I find myself not liking it". He never combined different colours and assorted kinds of food in a single dining table. He was always satisfied with a small amount of food. He used to wash his hands before and after eating, and to that he said: "The blessing of a food is in washing (hands) before and after it."
He would say 'In the name of Allah" before beginning to eat his meal and so would he order anyone eating with him. He said "If anyone of you eats, he should start by saying bismillah. But should he forget saying bismillah at the beginning, he should say "bismillah fi awwalihi wa akhirihi."
And whoever eats without the saying of bismillah would have shaytan eating with him that meal of his. In case of a meal where more than one person partake in it, it is enough for one of them to invoke Allah on behalf of the rest.
One of the etiquettes of eating the prophet (PBUH) taught ibn Umar is what he narrated that "I was a small boy with the prophet (PBUH) and my hand used to move here and there in the plate of food. And the prophet (PBUH) said to me: "O young boy! Say bismillah; eat with your right hand and eat from what is close to you."
Abu Hurairah narrated that once he visited the prophet (PBUH) who presented him with a bowl of milk. He continued to order him to drink until he could not find space in his stomach anymore.
If the prophet (PBUH) was invited to a meal, he never rejected it. He would honour the call and make sure he prayed for the caller before departing the place. He would say: "O Allah! Bless for them what you have provided them with, forgive them their sins and have mercy on them."
Once he was invited for iftar where he broke his fast, he prayed for the people saying: "Fasting people have broken their fast with you, and pious ones have eaten from your food, and the angels prayed for you."
The prophet (PBUH) used to call for using the right hand side for every of his affair and said that "Shaytan is verily the one who eats and drinks with his left."
And when he finished his meal, he would say: "Thanks be to Allah Who has fed us and gave us water and made us Muslims."
It is worth being with him (PBUH) as he takes his sahur and iftar, perhaps we may benefit from his noble characters.
The very first point I would love to begin with is that the prophet (PBUH) used to break his fast with date nut or water, then observe his maghrib before sitting down for a full meal.
But most people misunderstand the hadith that says "The prophet (PBUH) used to break his fast before praying (i.e. maghrib)" and thus they take their full meal before maghrib prayers. This generally makes them observe the maghrib in its later hours, which is an unfortunate situation.
The meaning of the words that he (PBUH) used to break his fast before observing maghrib simply means that he ended his fast with some date nuts or water and then observed his maghrib before sitting down for a real meal. The hadith reported about Ibn Atiyyah is a proof to this fact. Ibn Atiyyah said that he and Masruq once walked up to the mother of the believers, Aishah (Allah be pleased with her) and asked her that there are two men who are both full of virtues. One of them delays the iftar and maghrib prayers while the other one hastens in his iftar and prays quick; and they wanted to know which was better. Aishah asked them: "Who was the one who hastens his iftar and prayed quick his maghrib? They answered: Abdullah bin Mas'ud." She said: "That was how the prophet (PBUH) used to do it". And the second person was Abu Musa…
One can see that the intent of the hadith is that you break your fast with something like date nut or water to get the veins moist and before you are through with salat, the stomach is set and ready for proper meal.
The prophet (PBUH) was reported to usually break his fast with fresh date nuts (Rutab); and in the absence of that, he used the dry ones (tamr); and if not found, then some water.
The great benefit derived from taking in something sweet first in a stomach that have been empty for a period of time is known very well to specialists. This was exactly what the prophet (PBUH) taught his ummah and encouraged them to do by using rutab or tamr as the first thing for breaking fast.
On the other hand, taking water first into an empty stomach is also very beneficial. When the water enters the stomach, it wets it and make it prepared for a good work on a full meal thereafter. This is why it is advised that a hungry and thirsty person should start with some water before later eating food. The prophet said: "Whoever breaks his fast should do it with date nuts for it is a blessing from God; and if cannot find, then with some water for it is pure."
The prophet (PBUH) also urged us to take sahur as well as it being delayed to the last point. Taking in some food and water at the last point before dawn helps the fasting person to bear the hunger of fast through the day. He gets some energy to combine fasting with his normal daily activities. Thus his daily work goes on as well as his duty to fast met. This is why the prophet (PBUH) would always say: "Take sahur for in (taking) it is blessing."
He also said: "Take sahur even if it were a gulp of water."
The iftar food is blessed as said by the prophet (PBUH) in the sense that it gives the fasting person energy to fast and do other of his daily activities throughout the day. It is also food taken with the intention of worship, which grants it a special status. That is why he (PBUH) said: "Seek help with the food of sahur for the fast of the day, and seek help with afternoon nap for the night salat."
The eating of sahur is a unique feature of this nation of ours. The previous nations were not allowed to eat food while fasting. The prophet (PBUH) was reported to have said that "The difference between our fast and that of the people of the Book is the eating of sahur."
The prophet (PBUH) used to eat his sahur and had only about twenty minutes to sabh prayers. Zaid bin Thabit said that they took sahur with the prophet (PBUH) and he immediately went for salat. They asked 'How long was it the period in between?" He replied: "A period enough for reading about fifty ayahs of the Qur'an".
The prophet (PBUH) would say while breaking his fast "O Allah! For You I fasted, and in You I believe; and with Your provision I break my fast; and in You I trust. Thirst has ended; and the veins watered; and the reward firm by the grace of Allah."
He (PBUH) made the relationship of the believer with his Lord a very serious and crucial matter, such that in all his affairs he is one way or the other got drawn close to his Lord.
He (PBUH) never condemned a food. If he liked it he ate it and if he detested it he would simply leave it without a comment or would say "I find myself not liking it". He never combined different colours and assorted kinds of food in a single dining table. He was always satisfied with a small amount of food. He used to wash his hands before and after eating, and to that he said: "The blessing of a food is in washing (hands) before and after it."
He would say 'In the name of Allah" before beginning to eat his meal and so would he order anyone eating with him. He said "If anyone of you eats, he should start by saying bismillah. But should he forget saying bismillah at the beginning, he should say "bismillah fi awwalihi wa akhirihi."
And whoever eats without the saying of bismillah would have shaytan eating with him that meal of his. In case of a meal where more than one person partake in it, it is enough for one of them to invoke Allah on behalf of the rest.
One of the etiquettes of eating the prophet (PBUH) taught ibn Umar is what he narrated that "I was a small boy with the prophet (PBUH) and my hand used to move here and there in the plate of food. And the prophet (PBUH) said to me: "O young boy! Say bismillah; eat with your right hand and eat from what is close to you."
Abu Hurairah narrated that once he visited the prophet (PBUH) who presented him with a bowl of milk. He continued to order him to drink until he could not find space in his stomach anymore.
If the prophet (PBUH) was invited to a meal, he never rejected it. He would honour the call and make sure he prayed for the caller before departing the place. He would say: "O Allah! Bless for them what you have provided them with, forgive them their sins and have mercy on them."
Once he was invited for iftar where he broke his fast, he prayed for the people saying: "Fasting people have broken their fast with you, and pious ones have eaten from your food, and the angels prayed for you."
The prophet (PBUH) used to call for using the right hand side for every of his affair and said that "Shaytan is verily the one who eats and drinks with his left."
And when he finished his meal, he would say: "Thanks be to Allah Who has fed us and gave us water and made us Muslims."