إذا أقيمت الصلاة وأحدكم صائم فليبدأ بالعشاء قبل صلاة المغرب ولا تعجلوا عن عشائكم
(صحيح) … [حب] عن أنس. فتح الباري 2/234: طس.
Anas is reported to have said:
“The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:” If they announce the Iqama at a time when one of you is fasting, let him begin to eat before he performs the sunset prayer / mag’rib /, and do not be hasty in finishing it.””. This hadith was narrated by Ibn Hibban 2068.
Sheikh al-Albani called the hadith authentic. See Saheeh al-jami ‘as-saghir 372.
Comments
It is required that the person performing Salah, his heart is free from that which takes away his Khushoo'(reverence) such as pangs of hunger or anything else while getting up for Salah.
Here it should also be noted that the food of the Salaf was little and not too much so that a person may not leave praying Maghir in Jama’ah altogether in Ramadan or outside Ramadan because of always being preoccupied with Iftar food. Delay is acceptable to the extent that a man may hear the recitation of the Imam while still occupied with food.
It is related that if food was served for Ibn `Umar and Iqama was pronounced, he never came to the prayer till he finished it (i.e. food) in spite of the fact that he heard the recitation (of the Qur’an) by the Imam (in the prayer). – Bukhari 673
Some Reports of the Salaf on Reverence in Salah:
Al-Awza’i reported: Hassan ibn ‘Atiyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “Verily, people will be in prayer as one, yet the difference between them is like that between the heavens and earth. A man may be reverent and facing forward in his prayer, yet another is unmindful and neglectful.” – Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’ 7945
Bishr ibn al-Harith reported: Sufyan al-Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “Whoever does not have reverence has spoiled his prayer.” – Qūt al-Qulūb 2/161
Rabia’ ibn Subayh reported: Al-Hasan al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “Every prayer in which your heart is not present may more quickly be punished than rewarded.”- al-Arba’ūn lil-Ṭūsī 11
Khadeeja