do not turn your iftar into feast

Do not turn your iftar into feast.


As Ramadan is few days left, may Allah let us reach it. The blessed month of Ramadan is one of the biggest blessing to the ummah, as it is month of changing ourselves, to recharge our iman. The purpose of fasting is to control our nafs. Allah says in quran

Al-Baqarah 2:183

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V. 2:2).

Al-Baqarah 2:184

وَأَن تَصُومُوا۟ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

And that you fast, it is better for you if only you know.



Unfortunately, due to our ignorance, we have made many mistakes that are too common, one of them is turning our iftar into feast.


We always prepare foods, including these which are unhealthy. And then the table is filled with foods, which we all never able to eat.

As soon as when the sun has set, we always eat quickly, and refuse to leave that delicious food. We act like stuffed chicken, filling our bellies, so much that we feel too heavy, and end up being lazy, thus missing maghrib.

All of this is against islam, and also defies purpose of fasting. Extravagance is forbidden by Allah, as well He also forbade overeating.

Allah says in quran

Al-A'raf 7:31

يَٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ خُذُوا۟ زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوٓا۟ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ

O Children of Adam! Take your adornment (by wearing your clean clothes), while praying and going round (the Tawaf of) the Ka'bah, and eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allah) likes not Al-Musrifun (those who waste by extravagance).

Hadith

حَدَّثَنَا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ الْحِمْصِيُّ، وَحَبِيبُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ جَابِرٍ الطَّائِيِّ، عَنْ مِقْدَامِ بْنِ مَعْدِيكَرِبَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏

‏ مَا مَلأَ آدَمِيٌّ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ بِحَسْبِ ابْنِ آدَمَ أُكُلاَتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ لاَ مَحَالَةَ فَثُلُثٌ لِطَعَامِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِشَرَابِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِنَفَسِهِ ‏"

‏ ‏‏ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَرَفَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ، نَحْوَهُ ‏‏ وَقَالَ الْمِقْدَامُ بْنُ مَعْدِيكَرِبَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِيهِ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏‏

Miqdam bin Ma'dikarib said:

"I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: 'The human does not fill any container that is worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat what will support his back. If this is not possible, then a third for food, a third for drink, and third for his breath."

Sahih (Darussalam)

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2380
In-book : Book 36, Hadith 77
English translation : Vol. 4, Book 10, Hadith 2380
Jamiat Tirmidhi


Prophet peace be upon him's iftar was always simple, he did not order that it to be feast. He warned us in ahadith

Salman reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, the people who ate to their fill the most in this world will be the hungriest on the Day of Resurrection.”

Source: Sunan Ibn Mājah 3351

Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Suyuti



Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

الْكَافِرُ يَأْكُلُ فِي سَبْعَةِ أَمْعَاءٍ وَالْمُؤْمِنُ يَأْكُلُ فِي مِعًى وَاحِدٍ

The unbeliever eats with seven intestines, and the believer eats with one intestine.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5079, Grade: Mutaffaqun Alayhi

We should not imitate the disbelievers


May Allah help us.